Undertaking regular grille maintenance ensures that your grille can always deliver proper airflow to your engine. It therefore protects against overheating and helps to prolong the life of both your grille and your engine components. As a bonus, it also makes your car look its absolute best. With that in mind, here is a simple guide to how to clean a car grille.
Essential grille maintenance tools and equipment
You will need a supply of water (preferably hot and cold) plus the following items.
- A bucket: At a pinch a decent-sized tub will do but a proper bucket is more convenient when you’redipping and rinsing cleaning tools.
- A soft brush or sponge: Ideally, you’ll use a proper car grille cleaning brush. This has softer bristles than a regular brush to help prevent scratches or damage to the grille's finish. It will also probably be shaped to clean car grilles. This can make it much easier to clean hard-to-reach areas and/or intricate detailing.
- Microfiber cloth: Microfiber is known for its absorbent and non-abrasive properties. It is the best option for achieving a streak-free finish without harming the grille's surface.
- Automotive detergent: Automotive detergent is formulated to be effective at cleaning vehicles while also being gentle on the vehicle’s surfaces. For example, it is typically safe to use automotive detergent on painted surfaces, metal, glass, rubber and plastic.
- A hose (optional): This is useful for rinsing your car grille quickly and easily.
Cleaning process
Here is the 7-step process of how to clean a car grille.
- Find a suitable working area: If possible, park your vehicle in the shade before cleaning. This helps prevent the cleaning solution from drying too quickly and causing streaks.
- Rinse your grille: Start at the top of one side and work your way down to the bottom. Working top to bottom maximises the chances that the dirt will end up on the ground rather than on another part of the grille. Then turn the grille over and repeat on the other side. Use a hose for this job if you have one. If you don’t, just use your brush or sponge and a bucket of plain water. Do not use a pressure washer. This is too harsh.
- Apply detergent: Use a soft brush or sponge to apply a mild automotive detergent to both the front and back of the grille.
- Clean gently: Use smooth, circular motions to cover both surfaces (front and back). Focus on intricated details, such as crevices and ornamentation, where dirt may accumulate. Work methodically and patiently so the whole grille gets a thorough clean without being damaged.
- Rinse again: This second rinse is essential to ensure that all the detergent is removed. In other words,it makes sure that road dirt is not replaced by residue build-up. Use the same process as before.
- Dry thoroughly: Use a clean microfiber cloth to dry the entire surface of the grille. Again work methodically and patiently to avoid water spots and achieve a consistently streak-free and polished look.
- Polish and (optional): Polish enhances your grille’s appearance. The wax gives it extra protection. Apply either or both according to the manufacturer's instructions.
To learn more about all product grilles, click here.