Best way to clean the baked on looking grime off the tractor and engine?

[bo dawg 590]

How do many of you clean the years of caked on grime off of the tractor and the engine with out getting water where it shouldn’t be. I normally hand clean what I can reach or see with out taring down tractor. What cleaning products is used?

[ebinmaine 78,216]

Brake clean in spray cans.... By the case. 

 

Also any one of several "color named" cleaners. 

Purple Power. Incredible Pink. Castrol Super Clean. Simple Green.  

Generic versions of them too.  

 

Also a decent spray engine degreaser can help.  

 

Air compressor is also excellent.  

 

[squonk 46,082]

Dawn Power Wash dish soap works well.

[Handy Don 16,253]

I test solvent cleaners on an inconspicuous spot first. Some brake cleaners will soften and remove some kinds of paint--especially if left to stand, which is an advantage in some situations! 😉

Edited April 14 by Handy Don

[953 nut 65,181]

GOJO hand cleaner and a stiff parts cleaning brush works great. It is thick enough to stay where you put it to soften up the thick stuff and being a citrus it is environmentally friendly and won't harm your skin.

[WHX?? 56,033]

Heard tell oven cleaner but i have never used it. Might take paint off?? 

I use the color cleaners and dawn power wash and a pressure washer. 

[EB-80/8inPA 2,003]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

it is environmentally friendly and won't harm your skin.

Like Palmolive?

 

Note: substitute Gojo wherever it says Palmolive and imagine that lady’s dipping a Kohler in that bowl of green liquid that’s actually orange, and made to soften greasy engine grime.  And it will still make no sense.  I’m going to try that Gojo though, I’m thinking that will work great.

Edited April 15 by EB-80/8inPA

[sqrlgtr 2,556]

I use gunk degreaser and pressure washer, but I always change all the fluids and grease everything well afterwards.... 

[8ntruck 8,756]

Oven cleaner is likely to strip paint as well as remove grease and grime.

[EB-80/8inPA 2,003]

Don’t they make a canned engine spray cleaner?  I never tried it.

[EB-80/8inPA 2,003]

6 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

I always change all the fluids and grease everything well afterwards.... 

I’m hesitant to use too much pressure for fear of pushing water into places it shouldn’t be, but doing that change would mitigate that concern.  Sounds like a once or twice per year major cleaning?

[bo dawg 590]

Ok all good on cleaners. How about when pressure washing what areas to avoid like for electrical components or ect…. ?

[bo dawg 590]

14 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

Don’t they make a canned engine spray cleaner?  I never tried it.

Yea like Gunk engine cleaner in a can. It foams up and runs off then spray with water. 

[sqrlgtr 2,556]

38 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

I’m hesitant to use too much pressure for fear of pushing water into places it shouldn’t be, but doing that change would mitigate that concern.  Sounds like a once or twice per year major cleaning?

Usually one time a year at most but I just mow every once in a while with some of mine just to remind me how much I like the zero turn to mower.

 

32 minutes ago, bo dawg said:

Ok all good on cleaners. How about when pressure washing what areas to avoid like for electrical components or ect…. ?

I've never had any trouble with anything but try and avoid any part of the fuel systems. I blow the sensitive areas (wiring etc.) off with air compressor and will let them dry out really good before trying to crank them, sometimes overnight.

[lynnmor 8,740]

Gunk Original Engine Cleaner or Purple Power will cut the grease, sometimes a cleaning brush can help.  Be aware that Purple Power can be harmful to aluminum or paint if left on too long, have a garden hose ready to rinse.  Lose the pressure washer, it isn’t necessary and can do damage to many things.

[953 nut 65,181]

10 hours ago, bo dawg said:

when pressure washing what areas to avoid like for electrical components or the breather cover over your valve lifters, ignition points cover.

 

[oliver2-44 11,387]

On 4/14/2026 at 8:55 PM, lynnmor said:

Gunk Original Engine Cleaner or Purple Power will cut the grease, sometimes a cleaning brush can help.  Be aware that Purple Power can be harmful to aluminum or paint if left on too long, have a garden hose ready to rinse.  Lose the pressure washer, it isn’t necessary and can do damage to many things.

I have had Purple Power take the "sheen off paint"

[WHX?? 56,033]

On 4/14/2026 at 7:35 PM, EB-80/8inPA said:

too much pressure for fear of pushing water into places it shouldn’t be,

My washers have adjustable pressure regulators so I tone it down abit but still one has to be careful about taking patina paint off. 

 

Only problem I have had is removing the points cover and drying out and dollar billing. Then seat time to get things good and warm. 

[sqrlgtr 2,556]

11 hours ago, WHX?? said:

My washers have adjustable pressure regulators so I tone it down abit but still one has to be careful about taking patina paint off. 

 

Only problem I have had is removing the points cover and drying out and dollar billing. Then seat time to get things good and warm. 

mine not adjustable but I have different tips and use the "medium" one. Theres one tip that will take the paint off of stuff, it will absolutely ruin a piece of wood, I very rarely use it.

[ebinmaine 78,216]

I hate to go all "Captain Obvious" here but the strength of spray is regulated easily by backing away from the item being sprayed.  

Too much gumption? Move back a feet or three...

[bo dawg 590]

so I took a few days off work to play and work around the house, since it was nice outside today I mowed grass and then had some play time with the recent acquired 418-8. Wow the PO didnt clean it much at all, he kept it under an awning outside so the dirt just built up each season. I took the covers off and the seat pan to try and clean up to see some red paint. I used the purple power stuff letting it soak a min and then used my pump up spray jug to spray off the crud and grease. It really did a decent job cutting a good bit off, then taking a scraper and working the more stubbern stuff and then soap and spray again. Theres a good bit of red paint now to see, but a good bit of corrosion too. Had to cut a couple bolts off removing the tins due to the elements fusing them together. pics are a start and Ill get some after pics in a day or two. I think Ill paint a few of the tins before putting back together but nothing speacial at this point.

[bo dawg 590]

Are these Wheel Horse wheel weights?

[Thor27 864]

The super in the background looks good too!

[Retired Wrencher 6,574]

Just old-fashioned pump fuel with an adjustable stiff brush. The brush I have used it so many times I wore it out. 

[bo dawg 590]

6 hours ago, Thor27 said:

The super in the background looks good too!

 

Thats funny cause I thought that too when I took the pic, but its just a 175 with 520 wheels on the back. But sitting next to the 520 makes it look bigger for some reason. IDK maybe difference in tire pressure? Plus its not a concrete floor in that part of the garage, just gravel with carpet on top. Lol! But still its a big difference in looks.