It’s an open secret that car owners need to carry out routine maintenance to keep their vehicles in top condition and prevent costly repairs. Some maintenance practices like oil changes and alignment are popular and carried out by many car owners. But there are also some important maintenance practices that fly under the radar. And one such practice is flushing the radiator periodically. It’s common to see some people use dish soap to wash radiators. We look into the idea behind this and whether dish soap can negatively affect your car.
You can clean your radiator with dish soap, but there is the risk of damaging some parts of the engine if large amounts are used. Ideally, you should find radiator-specific cleaning products or have your mechanic clean your radiator.
A little amount of dish soap isn’t harmful to your radiator. But it’s better if you can find radiator-specific cleaning products. Below, you’ll learn more about radiators and how to clean them. Here we go.
The Important Function Of A Car Radiator
The process by which your car generates energy, the combustion prices, generates a lot of heat. Left uncontrolled, the generated heat can damage different engine parts, and this is where radiators come in.
Radiators perform the important task of cooling an engine. They are able to do this thanks to the thermostat installed in the front of the engine. When the thermostat detects the engine overheating, a signal is sent to the radiator, which then releases water and coolant to various engine parts to absorb excess heat.
The now-heated liquid returns to the radiator, where it is cooled and ready to be passed through the engine to remove excess heat if necessary. So, in a nutshell, the radiator cools down the engine and protects it from damage due to overheating.
Why You Should Flush Your Radiator
As a rule of thumb, you should flush your radiator annually or every 30,000 miles. While we will elaborate on the benefits of flushing your radiator later in this article, the main reason for flushing the radiator is to remove built-up dirt and contaminants.
Can You Wash Your Radiator With Dish Soap?
It’s fairly common to hear people washing their radiators with dish soap. Some people use detergents to wash their radiators. So, you can use dish soap to wash your radiator. The question now is if dish soap has any negative effects on the radiator.
It’s worth mentioning that dish soap and detergent are old-school methods of cleaning radiators contaminated with oil. We all know how difficult it can be to remove oil. Most people have been able to use dish soap to clean their cooling systems without any problems simply because only a small amount of dish soap was used.
So, in most situations, you can get away with using dish soap to wash your radiator without any negative consequences. However, experts generally advise against using detergent or dish soap to clean the radiator. This is because these substances contain abrasives and have the potential to damage some parts of the engine.
It’s better to use just clean water to flush the radiator. If you must use dish soap, use very small quantities. Better still, you can take your vehicle to the repair shop and have a mechanic flush the radiator for you if you don’t mind the extra cost.
How To Clean Your Radiator
You will have to consult the owner’s manual for your manufacturer’s recommendations as regards your radiator’s maintenance practices. That said, many manufacturers recommend that the outside of radiators be cleaned at least once a year. It’s also recommended that you completely flush the radiator every 30,000 miles.
You should never use bleach or vinegar to wash or flush your radiator as they are harsh on it and can damage several parts. There are cleaning solutions formulated specifically for cleaning radiators, and it’s easy to find them with a quick internet search.
Cleaning The Radiator Fins
To clean the radiator fins, you’ll need a cleaning solution and brush. You can also use small amounts of dish soap or very little detergent. Start by mixing your chosen cleaner in a large container. Depending on the type of cleaner you choose, you may need to dilute one part of the cleaner to 3 parts of water. For dish soap, you’ll need to make a very dilute solution.
Add the solution to a dilution bottle with a spray nozzle and apply the solution to the radiator fins. Use a soft-bristled brush to gently remove foreign objects such as rocks, bugs, and so on. If you find out any of the radiator fins are bent or deformed, you can easily put it back in place with a flathead screwdriver.
After using the brush to remove foreign particles, rinse the radiator from the backside with a low-pressure hose. You can also pour water from a bucket if you don’t have a hose. If the water is clear after rinsing, the radiator fins are clean. If not, you’ll need to repeat the cleaning process.
Cleaning The Radiator
It’s important that the engine is off and that the radiator is cool to the touch before cleaning it. The same also applies to cleaning the radiator fins.
Start with diluting the cleaner with water. You need to make a very dilute solution, and you should dilute one part of the cleaning solution with 15 parts of water. The solution should be enough to fill your radiator with the radiator capacity of many vehicles, around one gallon.
The next step is to drain the radiator. To do this, you’ll need to remind the fill cap from the top of the radiator. Then, remove the drain cock on the bottom of the radiator. It’s recommended you open the drain plug with a set of pliers. You can also use your hand, but you should do so while wearing gloves.
A can or container should be placed below the drain plug before opening it to collect the fluid. When the radiator is completely drained, dispose of the collected fluid properly.
With the radiator completely drained, put the drain plug back in place. Then, pour the dilute cleaning solution into the radiator through the fill hole on top. When you are done with this, put the cap back on and leave the solution there for about 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, start the engine and let it run for about 5 to 15 minutes to let the cleaning solution circulate. Then, drain the cleaning solution and turn off the engine.
After draining the cleaning solution, fill the radiator with clean and preferably non-mineralized water. Then turn on the engine and let it run for about 5 minutes. Turn off the engine, drain the water, and add water again if it is still foaming.
If there is no more foaming, you can now add water and the recommended amount of coolant to the radiator without draining it.
