Houston Engine Cleaning Services FAQ

This FAQ page was created to give you more information about our engine cleaning services and what it entails. You can view the engine cleaning service page here.

Is it a good idea to clean your engine bay?

The engine bay is often overlooked because unless you have to check something with the engine, you hardly ever see it. But regardless, when you do have to open up your hood, would you rather see an engine filled with dirt, leaves, and bugs or would you rather see a clean engine?


Next, when it comes to checking for a leak or changing the oil, having a clean engine bay makes the task much easier and far less messy. So it’s definitely worth getting your engine cleaned.

Will using water damage my engine bay?

Just like many things, if you’re not careful, things can get damaged. This same thing applies to our paint correction services. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can burn through paint.


That being said, we take the proper steps to ensure nothing happens to your engine bay. We don’t flood the engine with water. We use just enough to rinse off the cleaner and dirt (which isn’t much). We use the wand at a safe distance. We cover up any sensitive areas for added precaution.

If you do the complete opposite and you’re spraying high pressure water right into all the electrical, the intake, and holding it really close to the parts, then you’re going to have a bad time.


We have cleaned well over 100 engines by now and we’ve never had a problem with an engine not starting or throwing a check engine light code.

Can you come to my location just to clean the engine bay?

At this time, we no longer offer this as a standalone mobile service. If you’d like this service to be done at your location, you can either pair it with a Full Interior Cleaning or a Wash and Wax at a minimum. Other than that, you can schedule it and bring the vehicle into our shop.

There was an oil leak in my engine. Can you clean that?

Our engine bay cleanings focus on the top-level surface. Unfortunately, if the oil/grease leak is too heavy (and too deep), we won’t be able to clean it up. It gets into all the nooks and crannies of the engine bay and we’re not physically able to reach all those areas. If the leak has been there for a while, it makes it even more difficult to clean up.

What’s the engine cleaning process?

In a shortened version, it goes like this: inspect the engine > cover any sensitive areas > rinse the bay > thoroughly spray and agitate with multiple brushes > dry the engine bay> apply dressing to plastic and rubber parts

We use a variety of cleaners, brushes, and sprayers to get into all the areas that we can.

Can you polish the aluminum and painted surfaces in my engine bay?

We definitely can polish your engine! For painted surfaces, as long as there’s a clear coat over the paint, it can be polished. So if you have aftermarket or OEM parts that need to be brightened up, we can do that. We have 1” and 3” polishers that can get into tight areas. And for the really intricate areas, we’ll go by hand to get them as best that we can.

How long does it take to finish this job?

It depends on the size, condition, and complexity of the engine bay. Generally speaking, it takes less than 45 minutes. However, if you have an all original 1989 vehicle, then our process will change based on how we need to clean it.

For instance, if it’s an older (and original) vehicle, we might only use a steamer, towels, brushes, and cleaners, but no water or pressure washer.

Do you shine the engine bay?

Yes! Once we’ve cleaned and dried off the engine bay, we’ll use a water-based dressing and apply it to all the plastic and rubber areas. Not a fan of dressing? Just let us know and we can skip this step for you.

How long will my engine bay stay clean?

It depends on the car you have and how you take care of it. Some cars are sealed off pretty well and don’t allow as much water, dirt, and debris to enter. So it stays cleaner longer compared to other vehicles.

Other cars that have wide open grilles and are not as sealed off, which makes it much easier for dirt, water, and debris to get in there. Wiping the engine bay once a month (or whenever you wash the vehicle) will help keep it in great condition.