Cleaning the Engine Bay and Bed of Your Tacoma

The best thing for your truck is to keep it clean. A clean car avoids rust, and damage to the paint, and lasts longer than expected. For a truck such as a Tacoma, cleaning will ensure that more years are added to its lifespan and overall appearance. Maintaining the truck is not just on the exterior part of the vehicle; the interior also needs cleaning. By interior, we do not mean the seats or mats inside the car. Interior means the heart of the truck that keeps it beating! Yes, the engine and parts around it.

Dust and moisture can rust it pretty badly and result in a breakdown especially when you need the truck to be of use the most. The engine and the surface underneath the vehicle aka undercarriage need some fine cleaning to keep it in good shape.

Why is such detailed cleaning necessary? 

The fastest and safest way to extend the life of the engine is to keep it clean and secure from any contaminants. Deposits such as various types of mud, dust particles, and even bugs can damage the engine bay or the bed of your Tacoma.

It takes no more than 30 minutes to do a quick DIY cleaning project or professional detailing work to get rid of the dirt and debris sticking to that engine block. 

The engine generates heat and an excessive amount of heat can contain all that heat and put extra load on the engine. This is why most engines end up in the scrap yard even before they deliver their peak performance. The answer: lack of maintenance and to be precise … cleaning!

Clean the engine bay and restore that crisp clean look!

 

First off, you would need cleaning supplies that will assist you in winning the battle against tough stains, mud, and grease.

Here is what you would need to get the job done:

  • Garden hose, pressure hose, or a pressure washer.
  • Degreaser (for example Simple Green)
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Engine Bay Protectant (for example: Engine Bay Dressing)
  • Small vacuum cleaner (optional)
  • Gloves (Optional)
  • Bristled Brush / Toothbrush (Optional)

Step 1: Wash the Engine Bay Thoroughly 

 

Cover all the electrical parts such as batteries, fuses, and any other wiring such as connectors connecting to the  Tacoma headlight. Then with a gentle spray of water, you have to hose down the engine. This removes the mud and other easily removable dirt particles. 

If there are any heavier particles present then applying the degreaser at this point would be a huge advantage. Keep a check for the persistent deposits to ensure their complete removal. You can make use of a toothbrush or bristled brush to increase the effectiveness of the product you are using. 

Do not feel shy to use excess water to wash off any remaining deposits and clean it with a microfiber cloth to get a smooth and clean surface. When cleaning the engine bay, also make sure to clean the grill too.

Note: Always check the instructions of the products for quantity and directions of use to avoid any mishap.

Step 2: Drying the Engine Bay

There are 3 easy ways to dry the engine bay. Firstly, you can leave the hood open and let the moisture dry under the heat of the sun and pray that there is no rainfall that day.

 

Second, you can use a microfiber cloth and put in some manual labor work to dry off every inch to ensure a clean and dry finish.

 

 

And lastly, you can use a car dryer to blow off any water droplets or quickly get rid of excess moisture on the components under the hood.

Step 3: Get Help from a Professional (Optional)

If you are unsure of the technicalities involved in cleaning the engine bay safely then it is better to let the professionals handle the job. Visit your nearest car detailer and they will make sure that a job is well done on your vehicle. There are numerous services that you can select from and depending on what you select the cost may vary. Note: Always keep track of your expenses!

How to clean the Engine Bed of the Truck?

Cleaning the truck bed is an essential part of the whole cleaning process of your vehicle. When cleaning your Tacoma, maintaining a clean truck bed will ensure that no water or dirt gets into the other parts of the truck. And by thorough cleaning, you also avoid any rusting or damage (scratches, dents, etc) to the truck bed. So, how do we clean it with ease?

You can use the same products as mentioned above to clean the engine bay for this purpose.

Step 1: Loosening Up the Mud, Dust Particles, or Contaminants



 

If you have a pressure washer at home then consider yourself lucky to avoid hard work. You can simply add liquid soap or car shampoo to the dispensing container of the pressure washer and let the water and soap mixture do the magic!

But, if you don’t have a pressure washer then getting yourself a sprayer with a hand pump can make things less complicated. Fill up the spray bottle with liquid soap and apply a generous layer on the truck bed. Let it settle for a little while so that the dust and mud particles loosen up perfectly.

Step 2: Washing the Truck Bed

Simply use a garden hose, pressure washer, or a bucket of water and a soft bristle brush to wash off all that loose dirt from the truck bed. You may use a soft toothbrush or any other brush to get into those tiny corners. Once you are sure that you have every inch of the truck cleaned then give it another rinse with water. 

Note: Make sure to empty the Bed Locking Storage if you have one installed. Also, keep water away from any bed lights you may have installed on your truck.

Step 3: Drying the Bed

The easiest way is to let the truck out in the sun and let the truck bed dry on its own. But, if you are in a hurry then using a microfiber cloth is the quickest and safest way to do it.

Note: You can add a foldable bed cover to protect the bed cover and keep unwanted dirt out of your Tacoma.

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