Engine Cleaning

I've soaked mine with the hose.
I used a rag with soap and warm water to clean up around the compartment and even the underside of the hood, to remove salt residue from the winter.

Rinse thoroughly, and then just wipe everything down to remove the puddling. The rest will air dry. Give it about a half an hour and start it up. The fan and pullys will remove the rest of the standing water and the heat of the motor will dry up everything else.