Washing your Aveo Engine.

I have a 2004 Aveo. My engine is quite dirty and I'm planning to clean it this weekend. My question is: is it okay to spray water all over the engine and soap it till it's clean?
So far to keep my engines clean I only use some plastic conditioner on the plastic parts (engine head cover, air filter, batteries, rubber/radiator cover/hoses etc.), but some other parts (firewall, oil filter cover, engine block, etc.) are still dirty.
Thanks b4.

If the engine is cold, it is safe to use a hose. Try to avoid any direct spray at engine harness connectors, ignition components, and the alternator. Water won't really hurt them, but if water somhow gets past the seals, the eventual corrosion may cause connection problems. The alternator is relatively impervious to water, but the rear bearing in the alternator is not.

I use a hose with hot water, soap, and a stiff brush to clean stubborn spots. I've also used engine degreaser (basically kerosene) and other solvents to clean heavy accumulations of oily dirt from seepage and dust mixtures (what some people errantly call "grease").