Washing the Undercarriage

[JSM]

How do most here wash the undercarriage?

Usually I just spray my hose underneath the car at all angles, and it seems to do a fairly decent job.

[Murr1525]

Yeah.

Some people also like using a lawn sprinkler.

Then there is also the coin-op place with their wand and soap.

[bitwise]

The area that I work at has high concentration of clay in the soil, waterproof mud. For the wheel wells I use my tire brush/mitt and rinse immediately. For the rest of the undercarriage I go to the coin-op car wash and use the wand.

[felixtibs]

who cares!?

[Murr1525]

who cares!?

Well, for us up here, getting salt out is important.

And you never know who might look under there......

[TOGWT]

I lived in Pittsburg, PA for about eight years and became an 'expert' on what salt + water and grit can do to a vehicle's undercarriage

Anti-icing liquids, which according to State authorities, the liquid solution consists of - Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) Calcium chloride (CaCl2) and other liquids that work like anti-freeze, by lowering the freezing temperature of water and preventing ice from forming a strong bond to the road

Needless to state a sprayed brine solution is corrosive; so once you've removed the ice / snow it may be advisable to remove the residue and apply a protective coating, especially on the undercarriage and suspension. Once heat is added to the brine solution (i.e. parked in a heated garage) like any chemical attacking a surface, temperature will dictate reactivity (acceleration of a chemical reaction by a catalyst [moisture and heat].

Corrosion

[: Water has a low electrical conductivity, but this increases significantly with the dissolution of a small amount of ionic material such as sodium chloride. Sodium chloride CI and water H2O produce oxides, which in turn cause corrosion] [1]

Undercarriage Cleaning & Care

Your vehicle’s undercarriage; it’s what you don't see that silently awaits underneath your cars. Removing sprayed brine solution to protect your undercarriage is just as important as detailing the paint. Wheel wells, sub-frame, springs, fender well and all of the other black and gray parts underneath the body need detailing too.

A spray coating of Chemical Guys - Bare Bones not only adds a durable long lasting shine, it also repels dirt but can also hide dirty spots and discoloration between parts, while enhancing any detail .It is possible to do this detail with the wheels on and just jacking the car up, but the ideal way is with the wheels off.

Never go underneath a car supported by the supplied jack - always use axle stands if you wish to work underneath the car. Always jack the car up at the manufacturer's recommended jacking points. Ensure the jack is in stable contact with both the jacking point (see owner's manual) and the ground. Always work on level ground.

After removing dirt, road grime, and etc with a pressure washer (Kärcher Model K5.93M) neutralise the effects of the alkaline sprayed brine solution on the suspension, wheel wells and the undercarriage (See also Road salt)

High Pressure Underbody Lance

Angled spray lance specifically designed to clean those hard to reach areas under the wheel arches and the under carriage, compatible with all Kärcher domestic pressure washers.
Methodology
1. Thoroughly spray an undiluted citrus cleaner (P2IS Total Auto Wash) and let it soak in; remove by thoroughly rinsing with water. If you have a pressure washer available, fill tank with citrus cleaner and spray undercarriage (do not use excess pressure as water may penetrate crevices and seams where it cannot drain, causing corrosion), let it soak and then remove with plain water. Allow to thoroughly dry and then...
2. Spray undercarriage with ValuGard’s part B Alkaline Neutralizer (part of their decontamination system) pH 1.0 that is a blend of acids, which deep cleans painted surfaces to remove alkaline deposits and safely dissolves the alkaline salt particles bond with the paint so that they can be rinsed away. Allow product to dwell for 5-7 minutes. All necessary safety precautions should be taken whilst using this product
3. Rinse vehicle thoroughly and then apply Chemical Guys - Bare Bones, spray over the entire area and wipe in well with an old towel, .one application will leave no residues, noxious fumes or flammable solvents. Makes plastic and rubber look new again, shines painted surfaces, and keeps aluminium and anodized parts from corroding.
4. Protection; apply POR-15® Marine Clean™ and then two coats of a rust inhibitor paint (POR-15®) or (Eastwoods Road Salt Neutralizer) a high performance rust-preventive coating designed for application directly on rusted metal surfaces; apply thin coats and allow each coat to thoroughly dry

[JSM]

Well, for us up here, getting salt out is important.

And you never know who might look under there......

Road salt always worries me to a certain extent, since it's "silent damage" to your car that you cannot see. I think I'll head to the coin-op wash and spray down the undercarriage once it warms up.

[paudashlake]

The Niagara Touchless Automatic car wash places have a "body blaster." When you are pulling into the car wash bay, your car triggers some water jets that blast the heck out of the bottom of your car. They don't do the best job, but if you cannot do it yourself, this does the job.

[Cat]

I've always use the wand to spray down the underside and around the wheel wells after a bad snow and salt on the roads. This summer was the first car show I've ever gone to when I actually had a judge get down on his hands and knees with a mirror to look underneath our cars. Will have to be more careful in cleaning up that area if this is a new trend.

Cat :x