Cleaning Mud (I hate it) .. how/where to clean your rig after an outing?

[Redrockmatt]

I never thought this would be so hard. But after a day of fun, and my vehicle is covered in mud, I'm finding it very difficult to find a way to clean it.

I went by my local car wash and they turned me away because of all the caked on mud.

I went to one of those do-it-yourself coin car washes and there's big signs did say No Mud washing Allowed.

I take it home and wash it, and have to spend 2 hours with a power washer and a shovel cleaning the road the next day.

How (or maybe a better question would be WHERE) In the hell am I supposed to clean my vehicle?

Here's a nice hack from Norcal 4x4 Rescue group:

 

[Garemlin]

Not true and actually really bad advice for a caked vehicle.

Use a regular hose, soap and a good rag, folks. Don’t be lazy.

What the hell does a touchless car wash have to do with a consumer grade pressure washer??? That's not even a fair comparison. Touchless car washes use a much higher pressure. If you use the most gentle nozzle on a pressure washer to rinse off the muck you will not have any issues.

And how exactly is using a pressure washer being lazy?? Most people still use a bucket, and good wash mitt even with a pressure washer.

Funny how professional car detailers have been using pressure washers for years. Even on high dollar vehicles.

Your argument is moot.

 

[Blue's B6G]

Funny how professional car detailers have been using pressure washers for years. Even on high dollar vehicles.

I wouldn’t let those guys wash my truck. Guess we have different standards. GLTA.

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

Not true and actually really bad advice for a caked vehicle.

Use a regular hose, soap and a good rag, folks. Don’t be lazy.

What the hell does a touchless car wash have to do with a consumer grade pressure washer??? That's not even a fair comparison. Touchless car washes use a much higher pressure. If you use the most gentle nozzle on a pressure washer to rinse off the muck you will not have any issues.

A touchless carwash operates at around 1000 psi, with some variance from place to place. If they really have the pumps cranked up, maybe 1500.

In other words, 1/4 to 1/2 the psi of your typical home pressure washer.

Avoid places that use 0° oscillating aka hurricane nozzles and you will have no problems.

 

[TheKim]

Find a nice water way and drive through several times. And buy one of these.

Just spent hours of cleaning caked on mud (mostly clay) and it sucked. This little wand was AMAZING though!

A lot of the time spent was cleaning the garage and driveway, and I'm absolutely not pulling into the garage again while the Bronco still has mud on it.

Will I still play in mud? OF COURSE! SO MUCH FUN!

However, I will definitely be cleaning the truck same day, or next day at the latest, and I'll be keeping it in the street or at the end of the driveway until it is done.

(Sorry for reviving an old thread, but it's a good conversation!)

 

[da_jokker]

Just spent hours of cleaning caked on mud (mostly clay) and it sucked. This little wand was AMAZING though!

A lot of the time spent was cleaning the garage and driveway, and I'm absolutely not pulling into the garage again while the Bronco still has mud on it.

Will I still play in mud? OF COURSE! SO MUCH FUN!

However, I will definitely be cleaning the truck same day, or next day at the latest, and I'll be keeping it in the street or at the end of the driveway until it is done.

(Sorry for reviving an old thread, but it's a good conversation!)

Yeah, that's basically what I ended up buying. Actually haven't really needed it yet because I hate mud now

 

[uncledoodoo]

Anybody saying to wash the clay off into their grass must not have neighbors, they definitely don't have nice grass. Basically if you don't have acreage where you can wash it off out of sight, then mudding is more trouble than its worth

 

[TheKim]

Anybody saying to wash the clay off into their grass must not have neighbors, they definitely don't have nice grass. Basically if you don't have acreage where you can wash it off out of sight, then mudding is more trouble than its worth

Yep - clay ended up getting brushed to the end of the driveway into a pile, and shoveled into the trash. Regular dirt/mud can go in the rain run off or gutter, but that clay stuff needs to be trashed.
I'll probably end up just mudding a little bit less, or at the very least, wash it immediately after.

 

[DogHauler]

I live on a dirt road. My cars are always covered in mud this time of year, inside and outside, you get used to it after a few years.

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