AUTO

Undercarriage Dry Ice Cleaning

Strip off years of road tar, oil and underbody grime without lifting the body.

The problem this solves

Strip off years of road tar, oil and underbody grime without lifting the body.

The underside of a vehicle takes the worst of every road — oil mist, tar, mud, salt spray, brake dust and grease. Pressure washing forces moisture into bearings and inside chassis rails; sandblasting strips the protective coatings you actually want to keep; chemical degreasers run off into the environment. Dry ice blasting removes layered contamination from suspension arms, sub-frames, transmission housings and exhaust hangers — without dislodging factory underseal, soaking bushes, or leaving anything to drain.

What you can expect

  • Classic / vintage chassis restoration
  • 4WD pre-rebuild clean down
  • Pre-sale undercar presentation
  • Insurance pre-repair documentation
  • Pre-respray cavity preparation
See example projects
Benefits

Why dry ice for undercarriage cleaning

Doesn’t strip factory underseal

Pressure is tuned to lift grime off coatings, not blast the coatings themselves.

No water in bushes or bearings

Suspension components stay dry. Wheel bearings, CV joints and rubber bushes aren’t flushed with moisture.

Reveals defects early

A clean chassis shows you cracked welds, leaking diffs, perished bushes — issues that hide under grime.

Concours-grade restoration prep

For classic and show cars, we can take the chassis back to a paint-ready surface without abrasive damage.

Safer for the environment

No detergents in stormwater, no chemical run-off. Pellets sublimate to harmless CO₂ vapour.

Process

How a typical undercarriage cleaning job runs

  1. 1

    Hoist & inspect

    Vehicle is raised; we photograph the underside and identify components to mask (sensors, soft brake hoses, decals).

  2. 2

    Sectional blast

    We work front-to-rear in zones — sub-frame, suspension, transmission, exhaust — adjusting pressure per surface.

  3. 3

    Brush & vacuum

    Loose debris is brushed and vacuumed away. We finish with a hand-detail of suspension components on request.

  4. 4

    Optional protective coating

    For classics, we can apply cavity wax or chassis protectant after cleaning.

Surfaces & limits

Where this service works well — and the situations we'll flag for repair instead of cleaning.

Works on
  • Steel chassis & sub-frames
  • Aluminium components
  • Suspension arms
  • Exhaust systems
  • Diff & gearbox housings
  • Plastic wheel-arch liners
Doesn’t work on
  • Vehicles with severe rust perforation (we’ll flag for repair first)
  • Already wet underbodies
Pricing

Typical price for undercarriage cleaning

Engine bay, undercarriage, single-vehicle work.

Standard tier
$480 – $950

Final price depends on condition, scope and travel. Use the calculator for a postcode-specific estimate.

Get exact estimate

Request a undercarriage cleaning quote

We typically respond within 24 business hours with a fixed quote.

Optional: tell us more for a faster quote

Typically replied to within 24 business hours.

Service-specific FAQs

Will it damage my underseal?

No — when applied at the right pressure, dry ice removes contamination without disturbing the underseal beneath. We tune pressure per surface.

Is it safe for rubber bushes?

Yes. Rubber bushes are not damaged by pellet impact at the pressures we use, and unlike pressure washing they aren’t soaked or swelled.

Can you do it without removing the wheels?

For most jobs we hoist the vehicle and remove wheels for full access. Some lighter cleans can be done with wheels on.

How long does it take?

A passenger vehicle takes around 3–4 hours; classic restoration prep can run 6–8 hours.

Will the underbody need painting after?

Cleaning reveals condition — most cars don’t need paint. Restoration projects often follow with cavity wax or chassis paint.

Does it remove rust?

It removes loose surface rust and reveals what’s underneath. Heavy structural rust still needs metal work or replacement parts.

Ready for a undercarriage cleaning quote?

Open the calculator for an instant range, or send us a quick brief and we'll come back within 24 hours with a fixed quote.

Or talk to us directly

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