Tips for Cleaning and Washing Your ATV or UTV

How to Clean an ATV or UTV

One thing is certain whenever you’re riding a powersports vehicle, whether it’s an ATV or a UTV, it will get dirty, and fast. While that’s part of their intended purpose as they transport you over muddy, wet terrain, at some point it becomes necessary to remove the dirt and grime if only to prevent build-up from damaging delicate engine components and electronics. You also might want your vehicle to be clean ahead of a track race or you may just not always want to sit on a vehicle coated in mud. So you’ll need to clean your UTV or ATV, and Riva Motorsports Miami has provided this list of steps to help you with that process.

Pre-Soak & Scrape Off Mud

If there’s a great deal of dried and caked-on mud, you will probably need to run a hose over your ATV to soak it until it loosens. A plastic scraper can help you chip off the wet mud without damaging your vehicle’s paint or finish. You can also simply hose down the vehicle repeatedly until the dirt washes away, but a scraper will definitely speed up the process.

Make sure that you’re washing your UTV over a driveway or gravel with good drainage and not on your lawn, as the oil and foreign seeds can damage your grass. Hose all the mud down the sewer to avoid clogging up the street or dirtying the sidewalk and annoying your neighbors.

Pressure Wash Away The Grime on your UTV or ATV

The next step is to get a pressure washer and turn it on blast to break apart any remaining mud or engine fluids and get them off your vehicle. ATVs and UTVs are built tough so they can handle the high-pressure spray well. A gas pressure washer will be more powerful, but electronic ones also exist. If you don’t have the funds or desire to purchase a pressure washer, then a nozzle on your garden hose will work fairly well for this step too. All you’re trying to do is get off as much grime as possible before you start scrubbing.

Add Soap & Scrub

Now that you’ve rinsed down your ATV or UTV, you’ll want to get a bucket with either bike soap or car detergent and a sponge. Scrub down the plastics, the seat, the frame and the wheels of your vehicle. Use a stiff brush on problem areas and tight crannies. A degreaser can help you to remove oil; simply spray it on and give it a few minutes to dissolve the oil, then rinse or scrub it away.

Dry Off Your Vehicle

You can either let your ATV or UTV dry in the sun if the weather is nice, or you can grab some lint-free towels and chamois to wipe it down thoroughly. An air compressor can quickly blast away water, which can be good to prevent water from getting into the engine and exhaust and causing rust.

Wax Your Ride

A final step for cleaning your UTV or ATV is to wax it well. A protective plastic polish, sprayed over your vehicle and wiped down, not only gives your vehicle a glossy shine, but it protects your ATV or UTV from damage caused by weather or sunlight as well as from scratches caused by flying debris or branches on the trail. Try not to get wax on the seat as this will make riding a very slippery endeavor. Now, take a step back to admire your work!

Visit our Miami dealership today to see our wide selection of new and used ATVs and UTVs for sale. Riva Motorsports Miami serves the cities of Ft. Lauderdale and Kendall, Florida.