cleaning undercarriage?

**sahiwal007** · 02-28-2008, 12:31 PM

hey guy,

how can i clean my car`s undercarriage? i have alot of salt beneath it.

thanks

**BobD** · 02-28-2008, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by sahiwal007

hey guy,

how can i clean my car`s undercarriage? i have alot of salt beneath it.

thanks

I recommend safely jacking it up and safely putting the car on jack stands or even ramps.

Use P21S Total Auto Wash for a cleaner and an assortment of brushes and rags.

OR if you have a steamer those work awesome for cleaning the underside of vehilces.

**imported_never gone** · 02-28-2008, 12:49 PM

touchless car wash. I would normally NEVER take my car to a car wash but I have no issue with 100% touch free car washes that only use high pressure water. Many of them have undercarriage pressure washers that will blast the underside of the car when pulling in.

**Accumulator** · 02-28-2008, 12:52 PM

You might google American Waterbroom and see if they still make their undercar wand (it goes in/out of production). Pricey, but I love mine; it`s perfect for quick cleanups, especially for stuff like salt.

Other than that just get under there (and yeah, jacking up low-slung vehicles is a must, I keep two floorjacks in the washbay for this), rinse, spray with an APC, brush with something, rinse off. It doesn`t need to be a huge production; I do it at every wash all year-round and it seldom takes long.

If you *are* doing a big production type of cleanup, then yeah, P21S and a steamer make for a great combo :xyxthumbs

**imported_weekendwarrior** · 02-28-2008, 12:54 PM

I typically take a spray bottle with APC mixed 1:1 and spray a good coating over the bottom. I let it dwell for a few minutes, then rinse with the pressure washer. Then I hook the canister with car washing soap onto the pressure washer wand, and suds up the bottom side of the car. Next, I have a long bristled brush, with a 4 foot long handle that I got at Wal Mart. I take the brush and scrub everything I can get to. Lastly, I do a final rinse with the pressure washer. This technique works fairly well.

**cajunfirehawk** · 02-28-2008, 01:23 PM

I jack up my car as mentioned above, then I spray my undercarriage down with purple power 1:1, then let set just a few minutes, then pressure wash all areas, comes out nice....after it is good and dry, spray down with Adams undercarriage spray to finish it all off.

**Way2SSlow** · 02-28-2008, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by never gone

touchless car wash. I would normally NEVER take my car to a car wash but I have no issue with 100% touch free car washes that only use high pressure water. Many of them have undercarriage pressure washers that will blast the underside of the car when pulling in.

That`s typically what I`ll do for the undercarriage. I`d love to jack it up and spray it off, but I cant make the much of a mess in my driveway. Not to mention the water restrictions around here.

**David Fermani** · 02-28-2008, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

You might google American Waterbroom and see if they still make their undercar wand (it goes in/out of production). Pricey, but I love mine; it`s perfect for quick cleanups, especially for stuff like salt.

For sure!! Works great for the heavy stuff too. This is the 1st time I`ve seen these mentioned here? I thought I`d keep my secret to myself. It`s a real must have for a detail shop.

**Accumulator** · 02-29-2008, 01:19 PM

David Fermani- Heh heh, I always chuckle a little when you and I end up being on the same page regarding some obscure topic

Yeah, that thing is so simple there`s really no excuse for not giving every detail a quick undercarriage wash once you have one.

We`ve actually discussed the wand here in some detail before, with most people freaking out Re the cost of the thing. Years ago I contacted Am WB about doing a production run of them if I`d guarantee sales of the whole run, they said "nope" :nixweiss But a while back somebody googled them (after I mentioned mine) and found they`re back in production. I bet they won`t sell and will disappear again, so I`ve even considered buying one for the future; mine is nearly 20 years old and while it seems indestructible I`d sure hate to be without it.

I believe it was superstring who was gonna DIY one with high-pressure nozzles and PVC or something, but I never heard back from him about the project.

**cajunfirehawk** · 02-29-2008, 02:06 PM

American Waterbroom undercar wand

It might work good but for $400 I can lay on the ground all day long with my pressure wand and bank the $400. Of course, if this was my daily grind and I was a pro, that would be a different story.

**Accumulator** · 02-29-2008, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by cajunfirehawk

..[the undercar wand].. might work good but for $400....

Heh heh, that`s what people always say

and I can`t really :argue I still get down on the creeper and do a lot of work the labor-intensive way, but after all these years I honestly feel that whatever I paid for the wand was well worth it (and remember, I`m not a pro

). Still, I can understand if the convenience isn`t worth the price of admission and it`s sure not something you can`t do without.

Oh, and remember that up where I live the salt is just *awful* and being able to get most of it off in a matter of two-three minutes (tops) is really handy. If somebody`s not in a winter-salt-state that`d be a whole `nother matter, but this is something I`m doing a few times every week this time of year and I gotta admit I don`t always want to crawl down there and do it right.

One of the things I appreciate about the wand (in my overcrowded shop with cars everywhere that I don`t want to get wet) is the way it keeps all the water under the vehicle being washed. I never seemed to have that kind of control over the overspray with my pressure washer (which is broken again anyhow

).

**Mark77** · 02-29-2008, 03:12 PM

My pressure washer has a vand that can be turned in different ways, so I usually give the undercarriage a good spary with that while doing wells and wheels with it. I can also spray a mixture of APC and water before with it.

**David Fermani** · 02-29-2008, 03:25 PM

AccumulatorIt`s always the things people never know anything about? I`d be hard pressed to believe someone could fabricate one to work as smoothly as one of these. They effortlessly glide where ever you want them to go. I love washing the bottoms of the drivetrain with them, but you have to make sure the hood is open or you`ll blast all the dirt & debris onto the hood blanket. I upgraded the spray tips and had the wand setup on a quick connect system. Very easy to switch out in the wash bay.

Unless you have your vehicle high up on a hoist, you`ll never be able to clean as good via a basic PW. You`ll end up getting yourself as wet as the part you`re washing. Laying on the ground will duplicate the same effect.

This tool brings detailing to a whole nother relm that not many really never knew how to cross.

**Showroom Shine** · 02-29-2008, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by weekendwarrior

I typically take a spray bottle with APC mixed 1:1 and spray a good coating over the bottom. I let it dwell for a few minutes, then rinse with the pressure washer. Then I hook the canister with car washing soap onto the pressure washer wand, and suds up the bottom side of the car. Next, I have a long bristled brush, with a 4 foot long handle that I got at Wal Mart. I take the brush and scrub everything I can get to. Lastly, I do a final rinse with the pressure washer. This technique works fairly well.

This has been how I get my best results also! Then I use Adams Under Carrage Spray!

**cajunfirehawk** · 02-29-2008, 05:43 PM

Yeah, I guess if I had to drive in that stuff you guys do up north that would be a good reason to justify the expense. Down here on my own weekend car, once its clean, it pretty much stays clean so just minor touch ups are needed. My daily driver is a different story, I dont four wheel, so its about as clean as it will be other than the fender wells which I do wash.