Funky Hood Insulation

[GLOCKer]

So the hood insulation on my 2014 Mustang GT has gotten kind of funky where water (and I assume) soap has flowed in from the hood vents. Its kind of a crusty looking white and brown. What's the best way to clean this up. My engine bay actually looks better than new except for this, and I think the crusty funkiness contributed to me not being awarded in the last car show I had the car in.

Please, if you can, keep solutions to what I can use/do at home. I don't have access to a pressure washer, and I would like to keep any product use to what I can buy at a local store.

Thanks!

[J4o2el7]

Try an all purpose cleaner with maybe a soft brush to see if it will break down some of the coloring. Or possibly a soft top cleaner. Just an idea.

[Don]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Be real careful with the brush, that stuff is usually fibrous and tears easily especially when wet. Perhaps you could carefully remove it and paint it, then put it back?

[The Guz]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

If you can get some all purpose cleaner you could try spraying it on and rinsing it off. Some carpet and upholstery cleaner may be another option.

[Jarhead0754]

I agree with guz. I go with either super degreaser or an apc and agitate lightly with a brush and rinse.

[Jarhead0754]

Maybe shoot us a pic of it and we can throw out other ideas as well.

[GLOCKer]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Sounds good. I'll get something up soon.

[GLOCKer]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Okay, here are a few photos of what's under my hood. The funky stuff is very crusty. I'm thinking maybe a combination of water stains and soaps from running the car through an automatic touchless carwash before I got with the program. As you can see, the funky hood insulation detracts from an otherwise very nice engine bay (in my opinion!). I'm very interested to hear what you guys think!

Awesome and clean motor:


And funky hood insulation:

[The Guz]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Hard to tell but it reminds me of a calcium deposit. You should really pick up some D101 All Purpose Cleaner and give that a go with a soft bristle brush. I'm also thinking the upholstery cleaner would work.

Maybe Mr. Stoops can chime in on his recommendation.

[Spazzz]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

About 5 years ago I removed the mat.
I diluted some tide in a five gallon bucket with hot, hot water and poured it on the mat.
I gently worked the mat in even strokes, then rinsed with a hose without a nozzle
Repeating the procedure until the rinse was clean and holding it vertical for the rinse.
I Let it dry for however long then sprayed bombed the tar out of it. More than likely at least three coats of Krylon satin black.
It is still holding up and the salty stuff wipes off.

[GLOCKer]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

So I pulled the under hood insulation and sprayed it out with water, and that got a lot of the funk and crustiness off of it. It took forever to dry, but straight water took almost all of it off, leaving behind just some white staining. I gave it a light coat of black spray paint and that seemed to make it look a lot better. You can see the before pictures above this post, now here are the after pics:

[Daniel Kinder]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Nice Improvement GLOCKer!

Like Guz stated trying D101 diluted 10:1 or 4:1 would worked and maybe saved you time. If your paint fades away from your under hood insulation try D101 and a micro fiber towel, spray on towel and lightly rub back or forth and maybe give a light twisting motion, not to hard an don't over saturate your towel with cleaner.

[Don]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Looks good.

[BillyJack]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

Your stains looked to me to be from road salt. One trick for salt stains on interior carpeting is to soak it with white vinegar, gently agitate, then blot. If it's going to see any winter driving in the future, you may want to file that tip away for your hood matting next spring.
BTW, that's a really cool lookin' half of a cafe bike in the background-what is it?

Bill

[GLOCKer]

Re: Funky Hood Insulation

I am very happy to say, it is not road salt! The car hasn't been winter driven, and I'm lucky to be down in GA where there isn't much need for road salt! I'm pretty sure it was soap residue from the way it foamed up when I hit it with water.

As for the bike, its a 1972 Honda CB500 that I bought "stock", just completely unassembled. It is my first bike, and the first bike I've ever messed with and I built it up from pieces, modifying it as I went. Basically, I had no clue what I was doing, but I figured it out as I went along. It's a work in progress and sadly it stayed garaged this riding season due to one of the four carbs leaking fuel all over.