Cleaning unusual places (ie Door jams, gas cap area)

[cbsb]

Wanted: Tips for cleaning unusual places that are extremely dirty without messing something else up.

Door jams:

Gas cap area:

Engine:

[bobble]

Door jambs I use a waterless wash and dress with spray wax every so often when it looks like it needs dressed, cleaned almost every wash.

Gas cap door I use my wash soap and rinse and dress with 303, black plastic lines mine.

Engine whole lot of options but I use an APC in degreasing dilution, agitate with a medium bristled brush and rinse. I dress with aerosol egine detailer and wipe down plastic trim with 303 every month. Now on cleaning your engine, never do it when the engines hot and care should be used when rinsing, I sheet the water off and never spray with much force. Key is gettting it clean once and keeping up on it. The other two items you reference are easy to do if left too long but engines I do twice a year on my cars.

I'm just a hobbyist who enjoys this stuff some of the pros on here should have some great options for you. Hope that helps some and have fun.

[BobbyG]

Try to get these out of the way first.. Covering painted surfaces so that harsher chemicals do not comer in contact with them is also important.

Door Jams generally clean up nicely with an all purpose cleaner.

Gas Cap Area also benefit from an all purpose cleaner and a scrub brush.

Engine and the surrounding compartment require something a bit stronger like Meguiar's Super Degreaser or a product designed for this purpose. A pressure washer also makes short work of these tough areas.

[JonMiles]

Bobby G says it very well. On tough areas, sometimes it takes more than just some wash soap or waterless to get truly clean. A good APC comes into play. P21s TAW is a great product for these surfaces; meguiars is the more economical option and will work very well. Don't forget to keep a good selection of brushes for these areas. A toothbrush, boars hair brush, spoke brush, and a circular all purpose brush is a good place to start.

In my detailing experience, the product breaks down the nastiness, the brush lifts it. A quick rinse will finish the job.

Another option is steam; but most most people do not have this option.

[rwright]

I use the same product for all 3 areas - Optimum Power Clean diluted 3:1. Hasn't failed me yet.

[cobalt9123]

What I use for the areas you mentioned:

• Door jams:
  
  (Meguiar's APC+ D103 diluted 4:1-water:APC)
  
  (Mini Microfiber mitt from Walmart)
  
  
  
  (I also use a wash soap for some lubrication)
  
  
• Gas cap area:
  
  (Once again diluted 4:1)
  
  Available here
  
  
  
• Engine:
  
  (Yes, I buy a lot of APC+ )
  
  And also for hoses:
  
  
  (Short handled wheel brush)
  
  (These are really great for getting into tight areas and under/around things you can't with the short handled wheel brush)
  
  (For greasier or dirtier cars that the Daytona Speed Master can't handle. I had to use this last weekend when also changing valve cover/EGR gaskets on a vehicle and oil was everywhere in the engine)
  
  And finally for the hoses and plumbing either:
  
  or
  
  
  Bonus! For sensitive parts such as the alternator or electronics:
  
  

With the right tools, cleaning those areas really is a breeze. And it really adds to the appearance of the car. Your resale value will almost definitely be higher than someone who has fungus growing in their door-jams and an engine full of dust or oil.

Just remember that you shouldn't clean the engine when it is too hot and you should always give it time to dry after cleaning just as a precaution--I usually let the car sit in the sun with the hood open while doing the interior to let the engine dry.

[Crazy Amos]

I love that mini wash mitt- will have to get one.

On door jams i typically rinse it with a pressure sprayer to remove the majority of the dirt, then useban old MF and car wash to wash and APC with a boars hair brush for the caked dirt and hardbto reach areas. Then rinse with the pressure sprayer.

The pressure sprayer is very easy to control and offers a very tight stream of water that helps when avoiding the plastic/vinyl.

[c.maskelony]

A vaer steam machine is what I use and it gets in the tight sots also. This was a good investment, plus you can do the whole vehicle with it and use less chemicals.

[burgundyman]

Had some tough greasy stains on inside of door jam to clean. Tried degreaser but it did not do much. Next, I used Stoners Tarminator which is designed to degrease as well. Paint started to come off while agitating with rag. This aerosol product also stinks to high heaven. Be careful with using Tarminator.

[panthercz]

I use the same product for all 3 areas - Optimum Power Clean diluted 3:1. Hasn't failed me yet.

+1

Having used a gallon of Megs APC+ and recently Optimum Power Clean, I am now an Optimum convert.