Best Engine Cleaners & Degreasers in 2022

Last update: January 7, 2023

Can I use Dawn to wash my engine?

Yes, you can use Dawn to wash your engine, but you should take some precautions first. Make sure the engine is cool before you start washing it and don't let the water get too hot, as this could damage the engine. Also, be careful not to get any water inside the engine, as this could cause it to short out.

Can you use Dawn dish soap to clean your engine?

Dawn dish soap is a powerful cleaning tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, including cleaning your engine. When cleaning your engine with Dawn, be sure to use a diluted solution and avoid getting any soap on painted surfaces.

How do I degrease and clean my engine?

There are a few ways to degrease and clean your engine, but the most common and effective way is to use a degreaser and a pressure washer. First, you'll want to park your car on a level surface and put on some safety gear, including gloves, goggles, and a respirator. Next, locate the degreaser of your choice - we recommend using a biodegradable, water-based degreaser for this job. Once you have your degreaser, liberally apply it to the engine bay, making sure to get all of the

How do I get rid of carbon build up in my engine?

If you notice your engine is running less efficiently or there is a loss of power, it may be due to carbon build up. There are a few ways you can clean the carbon out of your engine. One way is to use a product specifically designed to remove carbon, such as Sea Foam or Berryman B-12 Chemtool. You can also try using a higher octane fuel for a few fill-ups to help clean out the carbon. If the problem persists, you may need to have a professional mechanic clean the carbon out of your engine.


CRC SX128 Salt Terminator Engine Flush, Cleaner and Corrosion Inhibitor - 1 Gallon Review:


Years back, I started using Volvo-Pentas salt eliminator for metal parts and for flushing out engines. This includes fishing equipment, such as rods and reels. Over the past few years, I've used the CRC product and discovered that it is fairly similar to the V-P product. The lifespan of the exhaust manifolds and risers in my I/O has been at least doubled by routinely cleansing the raw water cooling system. I pump at least 5 gallons through my engine's raw water system using a solution of 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of Salt Terminator to a gallon of water. On my way home, I also spray down all of my fishing gear. I spray all fishing gear and submerged portions of the boat trailer with a solution that has 1 1/2 ounces per gallon of water. Rods and reels last longer and look better thanks to the performance of fishing gear. Maintenance intervals are dramatically extended, and malfunctions are significantly reduced. I wished it had been better, therefore I only rated it four stars.



MEGUIAR'S D10801 Super Degreaser - 1 Gallon Review:


Imagine a long, cold, miserable winter with howling winds, brief days, and lengthy nights. the harsh winter weather in Las Vegas, where daytime highs occasionally fall below 50 degrees! Brutal, for sure.In order to pull the boat out of its seasonal slumber, we used this to clean the upholstery. Yes, we are getting ready to go on the water in March. Don't be envious. The white upholstery appeared to be reasonably tidy. Looked. However, a few sprays of this, dilute 5:1, as advised, revealed otherwise. If pennies were white and made of marine vinyl, then the dirt and sunblock would have miraculously transferred to the cloth (let's be honest, I wasn't using this, the wife was), and the now-white upholstery, which was at first grey and depressing, would have shined like a new penny. While she was cleaning the boat, I lost track of time, but I'm sure I was doing something helpful. All I know is that I am prepared to get in the ocean thanks to Meguiar's and my wife. She has been really busy lately, but I am confident that she will find uses for this besides the boat.



POR-15 40101 Cleaner Degreaser - 1 gallon Review:


When my bottle arrive the label with the directions had worn off so I googled it. http://qr.por15.com/QR-assets/downloads/POR15/MarineCleanInfo.pdf. I needed to degrease the center tunnel of a '64 VW. If you're not familiar with this, just picture a very narrow long tunnel with a fuel line, clutch tube, and accelerator tube inside. It's pretty much impossible to clean by hand unless you cut it open or hire a gnome. I diluted a 50/50 mixture of the cleaner and hot water, put into a garden sprayer and shot it into the tunnel from both ends. Then I rinsed it out with water and used a shop vacuum to dry it all out. Two applications has removed the majority of the grease. I think one or two more and I'll be ready to paint.



POR-15 40104 Cleaner Degreaser - 1 quart Review:


When my bottle arrived, the directions were no longer legible on the label, so I googled them. http://qr.por15.com/QR-assets/downloads/POR15/MarineCleanInfo.pdf. A 1964 VW's central tunnel needed to be cleaned of grease. Imagine an extremely long, thin tunnel with a gasoline line, a clutch tube, and an accelerator tube inside if you are unfamiliar with this. With the exception of cutting it open or hiring a gnome, cleaning it by hand is practically impossible. I filled a garden sprayer with a 50/50 mixture of the cleaner and hot water, fired it into the tunnel from both ends. Following a thorough water rinse, I dried everything off with a shop vacuum. The majority of the grease was eliminated after two treatments. One or two more, I believe, and I'll be prepared to paint.



CRC 05319 GDI IVD Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner 11 oz Review:


If you're working on a Mazda GDI, you should definitely follow the directions. Evidently, there are little areas in the intake manifolds' design where liquids could collect. As a result, if you spray too much at once or don't crank up the RPMs high enough, the intake will breathe in the spray but still retain some of it. After that, when you drive on a highway, whatever had "pooled" up in the intake will suddenly make its way through the valves and trigger misfire-related error codes. My automobile had so much pooling that when I entered the freeway at about 2500 rpm, the engine abruptly sputtered down to idle speed, and the speed gradually decreased to roughly 5 mph. The dash displayed the phrase "reduced engine power" and the vehicle was in limp home mode. When I arrived home, I connected in my scanner and discovered 8 codes, including the transmission, were set across 4 distinct modules. After erasing the codes and restarting the engine, everything was in order.For the next four days, I drove while keeping an eye on my scanner's misfire numbers. I occasionally observed a few cylinder log misfires, but soon it cleaned up, and I never experienced another limp home.In order to prevent the substance from building up in the intake and sucking in while you are on the highway, make sure the RPMs are high enough and that you are spraying slowly, even if it takes 20 minutes to empty the can.



Chemical Guys CLD_201 Signature Series Orange Degreaser (1 Gal) Review:


I bought this to clean my car's exhaust as well as my grill. Old dried-on caked things and grease come off easily with a sponge while using it on the grill. I'd advise scraping or brushing it first if it's too thick. Allow it to sit for approximately a minute, then just wipe it off. I would only advise using this product outside because the smell is not particularly citrus-like but rather a very potent, overbearing chemical stench. Since it worked so well on the grill and didn't smell as poisonous as those spray oven cleaner cans of doom, I ultimately used it in my oven as well. It removed the residue left by earlier attempts to clean the oven and performed fantastically.I wanted to upgrade the stainless steel and chrome tip on the exhaust. Although it didn't quite produce the effects I was hoping for, after several tries and the use of Blue Magic polish cream, I came to the conclusion that the car's prior age and neglect were primarily to blame. Still removed a ton of stuff.Would recommend, but as others have noted, there is a lot of waste and a bottle doesn't last very long because it is very liquidy and runs off due to poor viscosity.I'm not sure if I'll stick with this cleaner or switch to Car Guys Ultimate cleaning, which has a much better smell.See images for grill before and after pictures.



Chemical Guys CLD_201_16 Signature Series Orange Degreaser (16 oz) Review:


I bought this to clean my car's exhaust as well as my grill. Old dried-on caked things and grease come off easily with a sponge while using it on the grill. I'd advise scraping or brushing it first if it's too thick. Allow it to sit for approximately a minute, then just wipe it off. I would only advise using this product outside because the smell is not particularly citrus-like but rather a very potent, overbearing chemical stench. Since it worked so well on the grill and didn't smell as poisonous as those spray oven cleaner cans of doom, I ultimately used it in my oven as well. It removed the residue left by earlier attempts to clean the oven and performed fantastically.I wanted to upgrade the stainless steel and chrome tip on the exhaust. Although it didn't quite produce the effects I was hoping for, after several tries and the use of Blue Magic polish cream, I came to the conclusion that the car's prior age and neglect were primarily to blame. Still removed a ton of stuff.Would recommend, but as others have noted, there is a lot of waste and a bottle doesn't last very long because it is very liquidy and runs off due to poor viscosity.I'm not sure if I'll stick with this cleaner or switch to Car Guys Ultimate cleaning, which has a much better smell.See images for grill before and after pictures.



Gunk FEB1 Foamy Engine Brite Engine Cleaner - 17oz. Review:


I had to clean the engine of my 2007 Ford Focus, which had been terribly neglected. It needed to be thoroughly washed because it was pretty dirty. A pressure washer might force water into unintended places, so I'm afraid to use it in the engine compartment. I chose the Foamy version of this after doing some research because it was the least "strong" of the brand.When sprayed, this substance behaves somewhat like shaving cream on steroids, as the name "Foamy" suggests. It was simple to identify which spots I had hit and which I could have missed because to the foamy action, which I really like. The foam will eventually disappear, and the cleaner will stick to the regions where it was sprayed.It was quite simple to rinse this off, and minimal water pressure was required to remove the cleanser. I am really pleased with the outcome following a thorough rinsing with water and subsequent air pressure to remove the water out of all the crevices. This did a great job of cleaning all the sprayed engine parts of the grease and road filth. Even the parts made of brilliant metal were once again shining.There is enough product in the container to run two engines with moderate coverage and medium size. Heavy covering means that you probably won't get two full engines' worth of cleaning. Overall, I'm really pleased with the outcome and am able to state that I would suggest this product to anyone cleaning their engine!



Gunk EB1CA One Each, 15 oz. Automotive Accessories Review:


Great results. used it for a long time. When you wash it off, protect neighboring blooms from run-off. To remove minor oil stains from a slippery garage floor, use caution. If you don't wash it off, it will "lube" the floor and stop working as well on the spots. Slippery!Beautiful engines are a given. Use it often prior to repairs to get rid of muck and make the process cleaner overall.


Is it OK to pressure wash a car engine?

If your car is particularly dirty, then pressure washing the engine may be necessary. However, you should be careful when doing this as you don't want to damage any sensitive parts. It's best to consult a professional if you're unsure.

Is it OK to spray your engine with water?

It's not a good idea to spray your engine with water because it can cause the engine to overheat. Water can also cause the engine to stall.

Is WD-40 good for cleaning engines?

WD-40 is a versatile product that can be used for a variety of tasks, including cleaning engines. When used on an engine, WD-40 can help remove grease, grime and oil from surfaces. Additionally, WD-40 can protect engine parts from rust and corrosion.

Should you degrease your engine?

If you're considering degreasing your engine, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, degreasing is a messy process, so be prepared for a bit of a cleanup afterwards. Second, while degreasing can help improve engine performance, it's not a cure-all, so don't expect miracles. Finally, be sure to use a degreaser that's compatible with your engine type. With those caveats in mind, degreasing can be a helpful way to clean up an engine. If your engine is starting to run a bit rough

Should you power wash your engine to clean it?

Yes, you should power wash your engine to clean it. Power washing will remove all the dirt, grime and debris that has built up on your engine. This will help keep your engine running smoothly and prevent any potential problems.

What cleans an engine best?

A clean engine is important for both performance and longevity. The best way to clean an engine depends on how dirty it is. For a lightly soiled engine, simply washing with soap and water may be enough. For a more heavily soiled engine, a degreaser may be necessary. When using a degreaser, be sure to follow the instructions carefully.