201 King Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 3ER
Open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm · Closed Sunday
Home › Services › DPF Cleaning & Regeneration
Open Monday to Saturday · Same-day slots, space permitting
Blocked DPF, warning light or failed regen? We find the cause, clean the filter and run a controlled forced regeneration at our Fenton workshop, then show you the before-and-after readings.
On-car clean from £200
Off-car and postal options
Before-and-after readings
Open Monday to Saturday in Fenton
Get a free quote
Tell us the reg and what the car is doing. We’ll come back with a straight answer and a price.
2,500+
Cleans completed
From £200
On-car DPF clean
Open Monday to Saturday
Fenton workshop
UK-wide
Postal DPF cleaning
The basics
Your diesel particulate filter (DPF) traps soot from the exhaust. The car normally burns it off itself in a regeneration, but short trips, town driving and sensor or EGR faults can stop that happening. The soot builds up, back-pressure rises and you get a warning light, a failed regen message or limp mode.
A forced regeneration on its own can clear a lightly loaded filter, but it won’t shift compacted soot and ash. That’s why we combine a chemical clean with a controlled forced regeneration, then check the readings to confirm the filter is flowing properly.
We look for the cause too. If a sensor, EGR valve or injector fault blocked the filter, cleaning it without fixing that means it will block again.
Breaks down the compacted soot and ash that a normal regen can’t burn.
Burns off the loosened deposits at a controlled temperature.
Soot load and back-pressure checked before and after the clean.
DPF adaptation values reset so the ECU knows the filter is clear.
Soot and residue flushed out of a DPF during a clean
Reading the DPF fault codes before cleaning
Checking soot load on the diagnostic tablet
Choose your option
Most blocked filters can be cleaned on the car. If yours is too far gone, or you’re not near Stoke, there are two other options. Running a garage, a fleet or lorries? See our trade, fleet and HGV and commercial DPF cleaning pages.
Workshop
On-car DPF cleaning
Cleaned and force-regenerated on the vehicle at our Fenton workshop. The quickest option for most blocked filters. From £200.
Workshop
Off-car DPF cleaning
We remove the DPF, clean it off the car and refit it, for filters too blocked for an on-car clean. Price on quote.
UK-wide
Postal DPF cleaning
Not near Stoke? Remove the filter, post it to us, and we clean it and send it back. Price on quote.
Prices shown are starting prices. The final price depends on many factors, including the vehicle and how complex the job is, and we confirm it before any work starts. See our DPF cleaning cost guide.
How it works
Every clean follows the same four steps, so you know exactly what’s been done.
1
We read the fault codes and live data and check the sensors, so we know it’s the DPF and what caused it.
2
A chemical clean breaks down the compacted soot and ash inside the filter.
3
A controlled forced regeneration burns off the loosened deposits.
4
We take the before-and-after readings and reset the DPF adaptation values.
Why it matters
A blocked filter raises back-pressure, so the engine works harder for every mile and the turbo, sensors and injectors take the strain. Left long enough, the car drops into limp mode, and a full filter can fail the MOT emissions test. Cleaning it brings the readings back down without paying for a new filter.
Guide
DPF warning light on
The filter is loading up faster than the car can burn it off.
Guide
Regeneration keeps failing
A forced regen won’t finish, or the message keeps coming back.
Guide
Stuck in limp mode
Power cut to protect the engine until the blockage is cleared.
Guide
Keeps blocking after short trips
Town driving never gets the exhaust hot enough to clean itself.
Guide
Failed MOT on emissions
A blocked DPF can push smoke readings over the limit.
Guide
Turbo and injector strain
High back-pressure makes the turbo and injectors work harder.
Vehicles
Some engines clog their filters faster than others, especially on short town runs where the exhaust never gets hot enough for a passive regen. We clean DPFs on cars, vans, taxis, pickups and motorhomes.
Delivery routes and constant idling load the filter quickly, and split pressure-sensor hoses make the ECU think it’s even fuller.
Short commutes interrupt regenerations, leading to limp-mode warnings and rising back-pressure.
Low exhaust temperatures around town and sticky EGR valves keep the filter loaded and the warning lamp coming back.
Swirl-flap and sensor faults cancel regenerations, so soot builds until the car drops into reduced power.
Taxi and shuttle vans spend hours idling, so the exhaust never gets hot enough to regenerate.
City mileage and a low DPF additive level mean the filter blocks early.
From the workshop
Real vehicles we’ve had in with DPF faults. We share the workshop with our sister company Pro Remapping.
A VW Amarok in for DPF cleaning
A Ford Transit Custom with its DPF fixed
A Ford Focus after a DPF and EGR fix
A Toyota Avensis with its DPF fixed
A Vauxhall Astra on the lift after a DPF and EGR fix
A Toyota Proace van in for a DPF clean
Related services
EGR, carbon and sensor faults are common causes of a blocked DPF. See all our services.
Service
EGR Valve Cleaning
Carbon-clogged or sticking EGR valve stripped and cleaned. From £120.
Service
Engine Carbon Cleaning
Hydrogen carbon cleaning for intake, valves and turbo passages. From £100.
Service
O2 / Lambda Sensor
Lambda sensor checks and cleaning for fuelling and emissions faults. From £80.
Remapping and AdBlue
We work alongside our sister companies. ECU remapping is done by Pro Remapping, from the same Fenton workshop, and AdBlue and NOx faults are handled by AdBlue Specialist.
What is DPF cleaning, and how is it different from a forced regen?
A forced regeneration raises the exhaust temperature to burn off soot. It can clear a lightly loaded filter, but it won’t remove compacted soot or ash. DPF cleaning adds a chemical clean that breaks those deposits down first, then we run a controlled forced regeneration to finish the job.
How do I know if my DPF needs cleaning or replacing?
We check the soot load and back-pressure readings and look for damage before recommending anything. If the filter isn’t cracked or damaged, a clean usually restores flow for much less than a new filter.
How long does a clean and regen take?
Most on-car cleans take 60–90 minutes, and you’re welcome to wait. Off-car cleans take longer: we aim for one working day, but some filters need more time. Either way, we’ll give you a time when you book. Same-day appointments are often available if we have space.
Is DPF cleaning safe for the engine and sensors?
Yes. Nothing is cut or welded, and we monitor exhaust temperature and pressure throughout the regeneration.
How much does DPF cleaning cost?
On-car DPF cleaning starts from £200. Prices shown are starting prices. The final price depends on many factors, including the vehicle and how complex the job is, and we confirm it before any work starts. It’s usually much less than a replacement filter. See our cost guide for more.
How often should a DPF be cleaned?
It depends on how the vehicle is driven. Mostly motorway miles can keep a DPF healthy for a long time, while vans doing short town runs may need attention much sooner. We’ll advise based on your readings and driving.
Will a clean help me pass the MOT emissions test?
A blocked DPF can push smoke readings over the limit and fail the MOT. Cleaning the filter brings the readings back down, so it’s worth doing before the test if the DPF light has been on.
Do you offer mobile DPF cleaning?
No, we no longer offer a mobile service. Every clean is done at our Fenton workshop in Stoke-on-Trent, where we can diagnose the fault and check the readings properly before and after. If you can’t get to us, you can post your DPF instead.
Call or WhatsApp us with the reg and what the car is doing. Same-day slots are often available, space permitting.
201 King Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 3ER · Open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, closed Sunday · Visits by appointment