The lifespan of an ATV lasts about 20 years. Although you’ll still experience issues after your ATV gets up in numbers in terms of mileage. If you are a lover of off-roading, then you might already be aware of the fact that it’s a good idea to clean your 4 Wheeler soon after.
While it would take a long time for the mud to impact your ATV in a negative way, you still don’t want consistent buildup. If you don’t clean your ATV regularly, it can become a home for layers of mud, dirt, and debris. These things overtime can cause several problems with performance and even pose safety risks.
Cleaning your ATV can be quick and painless if you know the right tricks. Follow these simple tips and steps on how to clean your 4 Wheeler.
Special Tools That Would Come in Handy for Cleaning Your 4 Wheeler
If you’re going to clean your 4 Wheeler, you will want to have a few things on hand to make your job easy. To get started, you’re going to need:
- Air Compressor
- Power Washer
- Bucket
- Sponge or Cleaning Cloth
- Mud Remover/Scraper
- Water Hose
- ATV-Specific Cleaner or Mild Detergent
- ATV Polish and Protectant
Keep in mind that you don’t have to have an air compressor or a pressure washer, but they will make your job much easier. A regular hose is just fine, and the entire process can take minutes.
Read More: Five Mistakes ATV Beginners Make
Pressure Washer
A pressure washer is one of the best ways to clean your ATV, and it’s the preferred way to start. The pressure washer won’t just help loosen the mud to get it ready to scrape off. It may also get rid of a lot of the mud that’s on the ATV before you start doing anything else.
While this is a convenient way to spray away all of the dirt and grime that has collected on your vehicle, it’s also mainly taking care of the top layers of grime. This part of the process can work well on the overall vehicle, including the tires and wheels.
If you need to get rid of any more mud after spraying your 4 Wheeler, you can use a plastic scraper to help get anything else off of the unit and then give it another rinse with the pressure washer.
Air Compressor
An air compressor along with a pressure washer are both useful tools. However, they aren’t necessary if you don’t already have them lying around. An air compressor is a great option if you want to make rinsing and drying fast and easy.
If you don’t have a pressure washer, you can use an air compressor to clean your ATV’s wheels and tires. You can use an add-on accessory that is designed to fit on the end of the hose to scour the wheels and tires. Remember that you’re going to want to work from the inside out, so you don’t blast mud and dirt into the inside of your ATV after doing a thorough cleaning.
Pre-Soak
Presoaking can be done with your pressure washer, and if you don’t have one, a regular hose will work fine. If you are going to be using a regular hose, chances are you might have to do a bit more detailed cleaning and scraping if you took your four-wheelers through mud recently.
This step is meant to loosen anything on the unit before you actually clean it with detergent or other forms of cleaners.
Spray It Down
Spraying down your ATV is getting rid of everything that you loosen with the hose. The best time to do this is after a muddy off-roading session. Basically, the idea is to keep the mud from building up.
The more often you clean your ATV, the less maintenance you will have to deal with later down the road. This will also make it easier to keep everything clean as well because you aren’t letting the dirt and debris buildup over time.
Use Detergent
You will want to use a high-quality detergent to clean your ATV. Using something specifically made for cleaning an ATV like Maxima Contact Cleaner, Pro Honda Spray Cleaner, or a Bio-Wash product are good options.
The good thing is that many ATV cleaning brands will also have cleaning solutions for other parts of your ATV as well. You can also use products like Simple Greene or an Off-Road Concentrate.
Shine It Up
There are a variety of products made to both shine and protect your 4 Wheeler. To get the best results and the best shine, use an air compressor to speed up the drying process, and then use an ATV- specific product to give it a shine.
You could use products like Maxima Clear Coat or TopKote finishing spray. If you don’t want to shine your ATV immediately due to excessive off-roading, towelling down the ATV will work until you’re ready to polish it.
Read More: How To Align Your ATV/UTV
Takeaway
Cleaning your ATV is just as important as maintaining it. Both are essential pieces for keeping your ATV in optimal condition. Neglecting cleaning your 4 Wheeler at least once in a while could lead to serious problems, like internal damage or a shortened lifespan.
Whether you wanted to find the simplest way to clean your 4 Wheeler or you’re in the market for one, working with Muskoka Powersports will give you the one-stop shop you need for all of your off-roading adventures. Contact our team today to get the right 4 Wheeler or off-road unit for your needs.