What to cover when washing engine

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There are different sprays you can get. Just apply and wipe down with a microfiber towel. Engines are expensive and complicated. Water, especially pressurized water can cause serious damage. Technology has advanced quite a bit, and engines of today are nothing like they were a decade ago. For example, car engines today have more plastic coverings and water resistant connections than those of years ago. Truth of the matter is, engines get dirty.

Dust settles on it. Grease and oil spill out. Dirt cakes over it. Whatever the reason, they need to be cleaned in order to maintain proper engine performance. The task might seem more like a labor intensive chore involving lots of hand scrubbing. Let pressurized water lift and wash away the dirty areas of your engine. Plastic baggies work well for this job and need only a little tape or rubber bands to stay put. You are not looking at making the engine waterproof, you just want to prevent most of the water from getting these items soaked.

Actually, your engine is most likely waterproof from the factory — baggies are extra precautions. Talk about an effortless step! Start your car and let it run minutes. This loosens the accumulated grease and oil and other stuff stuck on the engine.

In addition, a warm engine works well with degreaser products. Make sure you buy a water or citrus-based cleaner. Petroleum-based products work fast, but are also harsh and degrade rubber hoses and seals.

This will help protect the electrical components from getting damaged if they get wet. Using plastic bags, cover any sensitive electrical components, such as the battery, ignition wires, and engine control unit.

If there's an exposed engine air intake under the hood, you'll want to cover that as well. If you feel like you'll be particularly careful with your rinsing, then you can skip this step. However, protecting these electronics will allow you to clean more thoroughly with less risk of damaging anything.

Thoroughly spray the entire engine compartment with degreaser. Any household degreaser will work, whether it's a kitchen cleaner or a purpose-made engine degreaser. We've used Simple Green we like its eco-friendly formula. Depending on how dirty your engine is, you may not need to scrub. However, some areas, like the valve cover, may have years of caked-on oil and dirt. A small brush with synthetic—not metallic—bristles will go a long way toward working the degreaser in and cleaning away the gunk.

Add more degreaser if needed.