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I have a Husqvarna YTH24V42LS riding mower/tractor that I pulled out of the shed yesterday. I found that a large mouse nest had been built in the engine compartment over the winter. Removing the grass and other stuff that the nest was made of was easy enough, but there's a layer of caked on grime/droppings underneath that I want to get off. You can see some of it on the left side beside the flywheel. The smell is pretty bad, I can only imagine what it would be like if the engine got hot.

What would be the best way of cleaning this off? My wife thought a hose or our pressure sprayer would do it, but I can see the potential for problems spraying the engine off with a hose (much less a pressure sprayer.

Get what you can get with a shop vac. Then latex gloved hand, soft bristle brush (toothbrush?) and 40 psi compressed air.

I also recommend a foam wrapper for that air cleaner.

The stuff you get from auto shop to remove insects from your PAINT also work a treat.
Let them soak in.
Next season, pull the blower housing off and leave it off over winter.