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Undercarriage wash detergent?

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Rufus

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I purchased this for my pressure washer & have used it multiple times with just water. Probably need at least a 2600 PSI pressure washer to get adequate pressure. Only takes 15 minutes. It seems to do a great job cleaning. Granted, I'm in the south so we're definitely not getting as much salt in the winter months as y'all up north...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K22DGRY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use the same one. It states minimum of 1500psi. I use a cheapo electric one that’s 1600psi, it does a good job based on visual inspection afterwards. Of course I can’t see in the hidden areas.
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I use the same one. It states minimum of 1500psi. I use a cheapo electric one that’s 1600psi, it does a good job based on visual inspection afterwards. Of course I can’t see in the hidden areas.
You know what: eff it. I will just powerwash also. I am done stressing about this!
 
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You know what: eff it. I will just powerwash also. I am done stressing about this!
It's a cheap option. Some people also use lawn sprinklers hooked up to broom handles and let them sit for a while, move them around, repeat.
 

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It's a cheap option. Some people also use lawn sprinklers hooked up to broom handles and let them sit for a while, move them around, repeat.
Since you live in NYC, how often do you powerwash esp against snow salt? I live on Long Island. Once every 2 months sounds ok? We get snow salt in winter and then sand every summer after all from dune bashing on long island.
 
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How often do you pressure wash?
I'm pretty OCD about exterior and interior cleaning: probably 8-10 times year with the pressure washer. However, I only wash the undercarriage after a really muddy weekend trip or when the roads have been salted & weather finally clears up. I think I've used the undercarriage cleaner 2-3 times during the first year of ownership. Again being in the south, the salt isn't as much of a problem. If we lived at the beach or where the roads were salted all winter, I'd probably double that number.
 

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I'm pretty OCD about exterior and interior cleaning: probably 8-10 times year with the pressure washer. However, I only wash the undercarriage after a really muddy weekend trip or when the roads have been salted & weather finally clears up. I think I've used the undercarriage cleaner 2-3 times during the first year of ownership. Again being in the south, the salt isn't as much of a problem. If we lived at the beach or where the roads were salted all winter, I'd probably double that number.
Same here. I am extremely OCD about esp the undercarriage and rust. If you wash your exterior plus under body regularly, you can get a lot of life out of a vehicle (think fifteen plus).

Guess I will be doing it 4 to 6 times a year then. I live on Long Island less than 6 miles away from the Atlantic. We get Beach Sand in the Summer and then regular Snow Salt in the winter. I washed the JLUR's undercarriage with a Garden Hose and Dishwashing Soap for the first time yesterday. Guess I will be repeating the process again in November but this time with the power washer you recommended and no soap (too cold to apply soap then).
 
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Since you live in NYC, how often do you powerwash esp against snow salt? I live on Long Island. Once every 2 months sounds ok? We get snow salt in winter and then sand every summer after all from dune bashing on long island.
I have a second home in a beach community. There I have the pressure washer and undercarriage contraption set up. In NY I live in the city, so I have no access to such facilities.

Whenever I drive on the beach, which is often, I always do the undercarriage once I get home. I also rinse the exterior. I don’t use Salt Away but I probably should.

In NY when there is snow (rare these days) I go to a self serve wash in the Bronx within a few days or a week after the roads clear. The snow rarely lasts long these days but if it does I’d probably do a rinse after a week and then again when it clears or another week goes by. I wouldn’t leave it all winter.
 

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I have a second home in a beach community. There I have the pressure washer and undercarriage contraption set up. In NY I live in the city, so I have no access to such facilities.

Whenever I drive on the beach, which is often, I always do the undercarriage once I get home. I also rinse the exterior. I don’t use Salt Away but I probably should.

In NY when there is snow (rare these days) I go to a self serve wash in the Bronx within a few days or a week after the roads clear. The snow rarely lasts long these days but if it does I’d probably do a rinse after a week and then again when it clears or another week goes by. I wouldn’t leave it all winter.
Thanks. Think I will be powerwashing also going forward but without soap in the winter months. Too cold for that. Rather just powerwash it and then powerwash plus soap in summer.

i am done fretting about rust and think am just freaked out for no reason at this point. Guy near my house wanted to charge $1500 to coat with waxoyl but guaranteed for lifetime. The $1500 was rather steep.
 
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Thanks. Think I will be powerwashing also going forward but without soap in the winter months. Too cold for that. Rather just powerwash it and then powerwash plus soap in summer.

i am done fretting about rust and think am just freaked out for no reason at this point. Guy near my house wanted to charge $1500 to coat with waxoyl but guaranteed for lifetime. The $1500 was rather steep.
Don’t stress too much. Wash off salt, sand, and dirt. Maybe use salt away. If you can figure out the part about sand sticking to it fluid film is a good idea.
 

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Don’t stress too much. Wash off salt, sand, and dirt. Maybe use salt away. If you can figure out the part about sand sticking to it fluid film is a good idea.
Sand indeed does stick to the fluid film. But that seems to be supposedly how fluid film works. Better to have the sand stick on to the fluid film rather than the underbody metal seems to be the motto.

I have 3 cans of fluid film on me right now. I will probably use 2 of those cans for the essential areas of the underbody only (tight spaces where water cannot enter) and then use powerwash for everything else.
 

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It's a cheap option. Some people also use lawn sprinklers hooked up to broom handles and let them sit for a while, move them around, repeat.
thats not a bad idea. i wanted get into a routine in hosing down the undercarrage after the winter just to wash off the salt and brine that the road crew put down on the road here in ny. i've talked to a couple of friends of mine and one just hits the car wash 3-5 times a week. he has one of those $20 / month unlimited wash plans. his underside is very clean just from water and nothing else. another friend said to spray litium grease all oner the underside. the thing with that, its mess when you have to work under it. the thing is, no matter how you try to outrun the rust, it'll still find its way. so i'm just going to hit mine with a garden hose and maybe krud cutter cleaner. the krud kutter is a environmentally safe cleaner that will clean and de grease just about anything. havent used it for the underside of the jeep.
 

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thats not a bad idea. i wanted get into a routine in hosing down the undercarrage after the winter just to wash off the salt and brine that the road crew put down on the road here in ny. i've talked to a couple of friends of mine and one just hits the car wash 3-5 times a week. he has one of those $20 / month unlimited wash plans. his underside is very clean just from water and nothing else. another friend said to spray litium grease all oner the underside. the thing with that, its mess when you have to work under it. the thing is, no matter how you try to outrun the rust, it'll still find its way. so i'm just going to hit mine with a garden hose and maybe krud cutter cleaner. the krud kutter is a environmentally safe cleaner that will clean and de grease just about anything. havent used it for the underside of the jeep.
I am just going to use fluid film at hard to reach places that a power wash wont hit and then power wash once every 2 months. Will be power washing without soap in the winter months and then power wash with soap between May and October.

Since I washed yesterday, I will wash again in November or so. Going to just coat some spots with fluid film today.
 

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"Salt-Away " was mentioned, it was developed for the marine and aviation industry to prevent corrosion. It neutralizes salt, where just washing can drive the salt further into voids and pockets. Available from West Marine, spray it into every cranny underneath, no need to rinse. I use it every Spring, before my annual "Rust Cop " ( Carwell Industries) application.
 

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"Salt-Away " was mentioned, it was developed for the marine and aviation industry to prevent corrosion. It neutralizes salt, where just washing can drive the salt further into voids and pockets. Available from West Marine, spray it into every cranny underneath, no need to rinse. I use it every Spring, before my annual "Rust Cop " ( Carwell Industries) application.
How much Salt Away do you use per setting?
 
 



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