Strong petroleum odor after major repairs

shop claims they power washed with petroleum solvent-everything under the hood of the car. What is the real reason they would do this?

This is done if a large amount of oil was covering everything in the engine compartment. If it were coolant covering everything, it wouldn’t require a petroleum solvent to remove it as it mixes easily with water.

Tester

Did you ask them?
There should not be a strong odor, and frankly there are non petroleum based cleansers that would have worked. If the odor is objectionable perhaps they’ll rewash it with a non petroleum-based cleanser. Ask them.

I did ask them and they said that the mechanic likes to work with a clean surface. He mentioned after their 20 point inspection-almost in passing-that the oil was overfilled the last time I had the oil changed (at the dealership last week-not them)(but I didn’t realize if he meant it was all over the engine.) And there might also have been coolant because of the work I was having. He told me to crack the windows…and put the air on recycle when I drive and it will burn away after 3 driving times. This sounded kind of weird and fishy to me. Can this “cleaner” do harm to hoses, belts etc. if we leave it on? Any thoughts on this?

The cleaner will not do any harm. And the odor should dissipate within a week.

okay! thanks very much!