Washing Your UTV

When you ride your UTV right - through mud, creeks, dust and underbrush - you’re going to get it pretty dirty. Over time, that dirt and grime can build up and threaten the integrity of your machine. Your passengers may not want to sit in dirt or set their belongings down in a filthy cargo bay. If you use your UTV for heavy construction work, like a Bobcat, then it’s likely to be pretty dirty from heavy payloads of soil and clay. Also, it just looks gross after a while to have mud caked up all over your sweet ride. So eventually, the time will come that you must spend a little time washing your UTV.

If you’re looking to trade in your machine, sprucing it up before you do will ensure it sells faster and at the price you want. After all, who wants to buy a dirty piece of equipment, or one that looks like it wasn’t well taken care of? Since you might not know what washing a UTV entails, Synergy Equipment has prepared this quick guide to properly cleaning your four wheeler without damaging it or creating more work for yourself.

Prepare Yourself Accordingly

Before you get any water or soap on your utility vehicle, you should seal off the air intake and plug up the exhaust so water doesn’t leak into it. Protect any electric components and fuel systems from water, too, so you don’t have to work hard later to repair damage. You should gather a hose, gloves, a pressure washer, degreaser, a good bike soap and a polish together on your driveway or lot where you’ll be washing your UTV.

Scrape Off The Mud & Degrease

Start the cleaning process by scraping the layers of mud and grime off your UTV. A heavy-duty plastic scraper can help you get into every nook and cranny without scratching up the plastic. Applying a degreasing solution mixed with water in a pump sprayer will help get off any oil or grease that’s built up on the metal parts of your machine as well as the engine. Avoid getting this substance on the plastics, though.

Soap & Scrub

You have a few options as far as soap goes. While you might be able to manage with warm water and dish soap, a good bike wash is more suited to the intense dirt and mud created by trail riding. Scrub with a washcloth or a washing mitt that won’t produce scratches.

Rinse It Down

You can certainly use your everyday garden hose to rinse off your UTV, but a pressure washer will get the job done in far less time. Pressure washing can blast away any tough mud you couldn’t get with a scraper. Just make sure to adjust the settings so that you aren’t blowing off your graphics and decals.

Tires

Your tires will benefit from the pressure washing, too, but there are some special tire cleaners available that will speed up the cleaning process on rubber. These can be sprayed on and wiped off. Make sure to wear safety goggles and gloves for any application of hazardous chemicals.

Polish & Shine

Finally, your UTV will look its best if you polish it up as your last step. Just as you might wax your car following a good wash, you can apply a finishing wax specifically tailored to utility vehicles to get your quad in like-new condition.

If you’re looking to trade in your current UTV or purchase a new or used model to add to your fleet, come by one of our many showrooms to see the four wheeler models we have available. Synergy Equipment has locations throughout Florida and Georgia. Our Florida locations can be found in the cities of Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palatka, Pompano Beach, St. Augustine, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Meanwhile, in Georgia, we can be found in Macon and Savannah.