# Do you clean your car engine bay from time to time? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784 "2024-04-24T20:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/1 "2024-04-24T20:02:04Z")
![IMG_7880](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/1/016abcb6a8c846fd1ee741a398a15af30415bab9.jpeg) Hello car experts and car fanatics. I’m curious to know if you clean your car engine bay from time to time. I do 🕶 I use car interior cleaner to spray on the plastic and rubber parts and simply wipe them down. I do this once a year. Of course, there are some areas where it’s hard for me to clean but still I tried 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/2 "2024-04-24T20:42:42Z")
Simple Green and a soft brush. A little ArmorAll on the rubber and plastics if you are OCD like I am with the Mustang. Sometimes the quarter high pressure spray wash is needed… when you might be doing some serious work or looking for an oil leak. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/3 "2024-04-24T20:45:13Z")
I don’t. I’m paranoid about getting water someplace where it shouldn’t be. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/4 "2024-04-24T20:57:28Z")
> [@ledhed75](#): > > I don’t. I’m paranoid about getting water someplace where it shouldn’t be. I spray the car interior stuff on a piece of cloth and wipe the engine bay. I avoid spraying directly. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/5 "2024-04-24T21:00:34Z")
Underhood electrics are sealed. High pressure water spray is used to test that. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/6 "2024-04-24T21:01:23Z")
I don’t even wash the outside of the cars, that is what thunderstorms are for… 🤪 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/7 "2024-04-24T22:35:16Z")
I don’t ever wash the engine bay but when I wax and polish twice a year, I wipe down the engine and use meguires natural protectant on all the rubber and plastic surfaces. On the old cars I also used to hit it with clear. No need anymore. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/8 "2024-04-24T22:44:38Z")
I used to wash my truck’s engine compartment w/a spray wand at the diy car wash. I’d place plastic covering over coil and distributor, but otherwise would spray away. Sometimes it would start up a little balky but quickly return to normal. After I purchased the Corolla and noticed all the electrical connectors in the engine compartment it occurred to me the spray wand approach might not be such a good idea, so I stopped doing it on the truck too. Never noticed any performance difference, clean vs dirty engine compartment. I do shop-vac all the accumulated debris from the engine compartment on every oil change on both truck and Corolla, and think that’s probably a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/9 "2024-04-24T23:37:24Z")
I’ve got one of those wands that uses compressed air but then it siphons whatever out of a bottle. It allows a more concentrated spray but the bottle is a hassle so haven’t used it in years. I use gunk on the mower and the garden hose but I’ve gotten a little partial to brake clean now. A little expensive but cleans well and dries quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 5:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/10 "2024-04-25T05:09:34Z")
Never, but I only wash my car every few years. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/11 "2024-04-25T07:41:32Z")
I do, but it doesn’t seem to need it very often. Ignore the labels, they web for something else. ![20210619_155822](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/4/04d92b695b890ff0582cb94b87935670177f8279.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/12 "2024-04-25T07:42:59Z")
Darn. That’s glossy and beautiful !!! ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/13 "2024-04-25T07:44:49Z")
Can you share what product you use to make yours so shiny ? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/14 "2024-04-25T07:46:59Z")
Armor All products nothing fancy ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/15 "2024-04-25T07:51:18Z")
Cool. I’d pay you to do mine like yours 🕶 Nice whip too! ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 9:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/16 "2024-04-25T09:14:27Z")
Just for context, here is the rest of him topless at the beach. ![20220419_194207](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/f/1f07d71553183e504e918ca2a60bfc921bf4d19b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/17 "2024-04-25T14:55:40Z")
I use quick detailer (Meguiar’s Qwik Detailer) sprayed on a microfiber cloth to wipe down everything that I can reach. It doesn’t specifically say that it can be used on plastic, but I haven’t seen any problems after ten years. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/18 "2024-04-25T18:48:15Z")
Sweet convertible. How’s the maintenance cost on that thing? Before I bought the Lexus I wanted a bmw 340i but was concerned about upkeep. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/19 "2024-04-25T19:33:06Z")
So far not much, but I’ve only had it 2.5 yrs. It’s an '08 with a little over 45k on it. I know the previous owner (my brother), and really didn’t drive it hardly at all, and he kept up with the basics. I know it will turn into a money pit, but bought it knowing this.So far a couple oil changes, 2 tires, and a sensor for the top. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784/20 "2024-04-25T22:51:10Z")
PVTPublics’s convertible … Now THAT’S LIVING! 😉 What a nice looking coupe. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-you-clean-your-car-engine-bay-from-time-to-time/194784.md?page=2)