Anybody got any neat tricks or easy ways to clean the underbody of the car? We all talk about how important it is to clean off the salt and road grime regularly to help prevent corrosion. But short of going to the automatic car washes, and short of having your own lift, what's the best way to do it?
Cleaning the underbody/undercarriage
- Thread starter LouDawg
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I go to the manual car wash and use the spray wand under the car from the front/back/sides. (Yes, this means crouching over to see under the car).
The spray wand seems to put out more than enough water to get the job done.
And it's not recycled water, unlike the automatic car wash.
The spray wand seems to put out more than enough water to get the job done.
And it's not recycled water, unlike the automatic car wash.
Get a "fan" style lawn sprinkler, the kind with the long bar with holes in it that just goes back and forth. Place under front half of vehicle for a while, then move to the back half.
Hey...great idea! Thanks!
I do that too, but somehow it just doesn't seem like that would be enough...not sure about that, just a feeling.
Can't right now with the ridiculous temperatures.
I just went to the self-serve carwash last night. Rinsed the top and then rinsed underneath.
It was about 22 degrees out, and in fact the water was freezing on the car. I park in an attached garage that doesn't ever get much below 40 degrees so I wasn't worried about water getting somewhere it shouldn't and freezing.
My car was definitely one of the cleaner cars on the road today.
It was about 22 degrees out, and in fact the water was freezing on the car. I park in an attached garage that doesn't ever get much below 40 degrees so I wasn't worried about water getting somewhere it shouldn't and freezing.
My car was definitely one of the cleaner cars on the road today.
I made a sprayer out of 1/2" copper tubing with a garden hose hookup. Slide it under the vehicle back and forth and it sprays like crazy.
For a nozzle I just put a cap on it and drilled a few tiny holes in it. We've got crazy water pressure here (125lbs) so you'll have to fiddle with it to make it work for you.
For a nozzle I just put a cap on it and drilled a few tiny holes in it. We've got crazy water pressure here (125lbs) so you'll have to fiddle with it to make it work for you.
I've always wondered how one can truly clean a vehicle that has been driven on salt covered roads over a winter. The stuff will atomize and most certainly get into nooks and crannies that any of these washing suggestions probably doesn't begin to touch.
Anyone have any thoughts on this matter?
Jim
Anyone have any thoughts on this matter?
Jim
What about when your car is at operating temp and you go through the undercarriage wash? Won't the cold water against the HOT surfaces underneath be a bad thing? I've always wondered about this.
I can't imagine there's any better way than an underneath wash for getting out as much as possible of all that nasty salt. Nothing, that is, short of dismantling and cleaning.
As far as hot parts go, I haven't had any trouble that I'm aware of after more than a decade of using them. The only parts that are hot enough to cause real concern would be the headers, maybe a starter if it's in the wrong area, or back as far as the converter. The spray is not on anything very long, or very thoroughly. It does a good enough job, though, for most applications.
Sure beats having salt that won't come off until the spring deluges.
As far as hot parts go, I haven't had any trouble that I'm aware of after more than a decade of using them. The only parts that are hot enough to cause real concern would be the headers, maybe a starter if it's in the wrong area, or back as far as the converter. The spray is not on anything very long, or very thoroughly. It does a good enough job, though, for most applications.
Sure beats having salt that won't come off until the spring deluges.
Not any worse that driving through a puddle in 35 degree temps, right?
They cool down pretty quickly when it's cold out and the engine's been shut off, anyway.
Around my way one of the bigger car washes puts your car on a lift and they pressure/steam the underside. I am sure you can find a shop that will do that.
I just use a garden hose at my friends warehouse and set the nozzle to jet. It works pretty good. I probably could hook it up to the his hot water feed and hit the underside with 150ºF of water.
I just use a garden hose at my friends warehouse and set the nozzle to jet. It works pretty good. I probably could hook it up to the his hot water feed and hit the underside with 150ºF of water.
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I would suppose no worse than driving through a puddle or even rain soaked streets... Just the one Mobil one by us does the under carriage wash right as you are driving in. I just would think that the exhaust pipe welds, converters or mufflers would be subject to rapid cooling which would tend to crack or something... especially the welds... :shrug:
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