Abstract: A method of facilitating the removal of bitumen-containing mud from a substrate includes coating the substrate with a composition comprising nanoparticles and water, such that the bitumen-containing mud that adheres to the coated substrate may be more easily removed from the substrate than from an uncoated substrate. In one embodiment, the composition assists an aqueous terpene-based detergent to more effectively clean bitumen-containing mud from the painted steel undercarriages of trucks used in oil sands operations.