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Mon to Fri 8:30 to 5:30 · Sat 9 to 12Unit 17b, Berry Hill Industrial Estate, Droitwich WR9 9AH01905 795547
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Diesel particulate filter showing the honeycomb inside
The DPF SurgeryAt Northbank Garage

Off-car DPF cleaning in Worcestershire, with the proof on paper.

We remove your diesel particulate filter, wash out the soot and the ash, dry it and test the airflow before and after. If the filter can be saved, you avoid the cost of a new one. If it cannot, the camera shows you why before we start.

Book a DPF clean Trade and fleet rates

Part of Northbank Garage, Droitwich · 4.4 on Google from 109 reviews · Cars, vans and 4x4s

EXAMPLE PRINTOUT
NORTHBANK GARAGE
DPF AIRFLOW TEST REPORT
VehicleYour reg
FilterPart number
DateDay of the clean
Before cleanAirflow in
After cleanAirflow out
ImprovementThe change
RESULT: PASS OR FAIL
Example printout, not a real job. Every clean comes with the machine's own report of your filter's figures.

Prices

Prices

Most popularRemove, clean and refitPriced by vehicle

Call or book and we'll quote first. Includes removal, camera inspection, wash, dry, refit, printout and a fault code clear.

Filter already offClean only£180£150 + VAT

Bring the DPF to us. Washed, dried and tested, printout included.

Car in, filter off, cleaned and refitted takes a day, and it is usually done the same day. If a filter can't be saved, we tell you before going any further. You pay for the work done to that point, which usually includes taking it off.

Cleaned filters are guaranteed, provided any fault that caused the blockage has been put right.

We also clean catalytic converters and petrol particulate filters (GPFs), with the same diagnosis first.

Your options

Additive, regeneration, off-car clean or a new filter

Most garages offering a DPF clean pour in an additive or force a regeneration. Both can clear soot. Neither removes ash.

MethodRemovesTypical UK priceWhat you see afterwards
Additive or on-car chemicalSome soot£99 to £200Warning light off, for now
Forced regenerationSoot, burnt to ash£160 to £500A soot reading on a scan tool
The DPF SurgeryOff-car clean at NorthbankSoot and ashPriced by vehicle, quoted firstCamera photos and a printed airflow test
New DPFEverything, by replacement£1,000 to £3,000A new part and a large invoice

Market prices from ClickMechanic and BookMyGarage, October 2026.

Full guide: DPF cleaning or replacement

Why it blocks

Soot burns. Ash does not.

Your DPF catches two things. Soot is unburnt carbon, and the car burns it off during a regeneration. Ash is what is left of the additives in engine oil. It cannot be burnt, so it builds up for the life of the filter.

That is why a high-mileage DPF blocks again soon after a regen, and why the next quote is often for a new filter. Washing it off the car is how the ash comes out.

Diesel particulate filter showing the honeycomb inside
SootBurns off at high temperature. A regen or an additive can clear it.
AshDoes not burn. Stays until the filter is washed out or replaced.

The clean

Six steps, two measurements

The machine measures airflow before and after the clean, and prints both, so you can see the result rather than take our word for it.

Touchscreen control panel of the DPF cleaning machine at Northbank Garage
  1. 01RemovalOur technician takes the DPF off the car. Or you bring the filter in.
  2. 02Camera inspectionWe check the honeycomb for cracks or melting before any cleaning. Photos on request.
  3. 03MeasureAirflow testThe filter is clamped in the machine and its airflow measured as it arrived.
  4. 04Hot washHigh-pressure hot water flushes soot and ash out of every channel.
  5. 05DryingAbout 30 minutes in the machine, so the filter can go straight back on.
  6. 06MeasureFinal test and printoutAirflow measured again. Both figures printed for you to keep.
54sSee the process for yourself: a filter going through our cleaning machine, 54 seconds.

Symptoms

Signs your DPF is blocked

Any of these on a diesel is worth a diagnostic check first. Sometimes the cause is a sensor, not the filter, and we will tell you if so.

What the DPF warning light means
  • DPF warning lightOn, or coming back soon after a regen.
  • Limp modePower cut to protect the engine.
  • Sluggish pullingLess power, especially uphill or loaded.
  • Worse fuel economyMore regens burn more diesel.

Trade and fleet

You take the filter off. We clean it and send it back with the figures.

For garages, van fleets and mobile mechanics without a cleaning machine. Drop filters off or courier them in. Each one comes back with its own printout, so you can show your customer the result.

Trade docketThe DPF Surgery
Trade price per filter£150 + VAT
TurnaroundSame day if needed
Drop-off hoursMon to Fri 8:30 to 5:30
By courierAccepted
Payment termsSet with your account
Trade prices and how to send a filter

FAQs

Questions we get asked

Will a clean fix my DPF warning light?

If the filter is blocked, yes. We read the fault codes first, because a failed pressure sensor or a stuck EGR valve can bring the same light on. You will not pay for a clean you do not need.

Can every DPF be cleaned?

No. A filter that is cracked or has melted inside needs replacing, and the camera inspection shows this before any cleaning. If a filter can't be saved, we tell you before going any further. You pay for the work done to that point, which usually includes taking it off.

How long will I be without the car?

Car in, filter off, cleaned and refitted takes a day, and it is usually done the same day.

Is this the same as a DPF additive clean?

No. An additive goes in the fuel or the exhaust and helps burn soot. We take the filter off and wash it, which also removes the ash an additive cannot touch.

Do you clean catalytic converters and petrol particulate filters?

Yes. We clean catalytic converters and petrol particulate filters too, and diagnose the cause first, the same as for a DPF.

Do you clean filters for other garages?

Yes. See trade DPF cleaning. Each filter comes back with its own printout.

Quoted for a new DPF? Get the old one tested first.

Book a DPF clean Call 01905 795547

The DPF Surgery is the DPF cleaning service of Northbank Garage. dpfsurgery.uk redirects here.