tool cleaning

[Pedro-snapon]

what do you guys use to clean your tools?

I personally used to use just a rag, and may be simple green, until i became a s-o dealer and use their wipes...

now when i pull ouit a new wipe... i start to clean my inventory stuff lol

wipes link

 

[chammyman]

paper towels and carb/brake cleaner or those bathroom wipes

spanners, screwdrivers and sockets that got really manky just got dunked in the parts washer and cleaned though

 

[bchee]

at $18.00 per bottle of wipes i would use each one about 20 times.

 

[Kartman]

WD-40 on a cotton rag for me. For the really tough grime, a short of non-chlorinated brake cleaner does the trick.

 

[Pedro-snapon]

at $18.00 per bottle of wipes i would use each one about 20 times.

lol thats what cept me from buying when i was a tech, but now that i use them on the truck... would have loved to have them .... use 1 wipe to clean all my tools until either it went dry or until its too dirty to clean more....

 

[Moose-LandTran]

For "maintenance cleaning" i use a cotton cloth and a shot of WD-40, this works great on my wrenches/ratchets/screwdrivers/prybars etc. For heavier cleaning i use brake cleaner and blue paper shop towels. WD-40 works great for me, it cleans well and prevents my stuff from rusting.

 

[plinker]

Minor dirt/dust: paper towel or rag

Stuff that will get damsged by brake cleaner; Schaeffer citrol.
Everything else gets brake cleaner

I also use G96 preservative gun oil on my industrial finished stuff to prevent rust.

 

[john w]

spray nine

 

[olds88]

Brake cleaner works great for rust removal, carb cleaner for general cleaning, and WD-40 for anything that's prone to rust, such as impact sockets, or my ancient Snap-on Ferret 3/8 ratchet.

Keep any of those away from Instinct screwdrivers becuase they take the model number and tip size right off the side of the handle. Of course, the Snap-on logo seems to go deep into the plastic....

 

[Moose-LandTran]

WD-40 won't take the logo off the handles, brake cleaner will.

 

[Stephenw]

I wipe them with a cotton shop towel. If they get really bad, I'll put them in my parts washer (filled with mineral spirits and a Snap-On flow through brush).

Brush

 

[KraftwerkMk1Jetta]

WD-40 here

 

[Merkava_4]

I don't let Simple Green or 409 anywhere near my tools; the stuff is extremely corrosive. It's WD-40 for me.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I don't let Simple Green or 409 anywhere near my tools; the stuff is extremely corrosive. It's WD-40 for me.

And i thought you'd use something exotic and unusual, oh well..

Oh, and empty some of your PMs, it won't let me send you one because your inbox is full.

 

[ImportTuner]

WD-40 on a cotton rag for me. For the really tough grime, a short of non-chlorinated brake cleaner does the trick.

+1 on WD40 .. brake cleaner on tough grime followed by WD40

 

[olds88]

WD-40 won't take the logo off the handles, brake cleaner will.

Never tried to clean one w/ brake cleaner, but something lightened the marks, probably was carb cleaner.... yeah, most likely, I wouldn't put WD-40 on a screwdriver handle... who wants a slippery screwdriver handle???

 

[garfunkle24]

Brake cleaner if it doesn't have a soft-grip handle (don't care about conserving logos), soapy water if it does.

 

[olds88]

Brake cleaner if it doesn't have a soft-grip handle (don't care about conserving logos), soapy water if it does.

On the old hard handles, Philips blade always stated No. 2, or whatever, and it stayed w/ the handle forever... now they wipe off... not that I can't tell what size tip it is by looking at it, but it's a nice feature.

 

[elect]

wd-40 all it's good for

 

[Sunrise]

i use brake cleaner from shop drum not spray can. where you pump your fluid into pressure brake-cleaner can. works well.

 

[Merkava_4]

I use GoJo Orange (non-pumice) on plier grips and then I rinse the grips off with water; the grips look new afterwards.

 

[Danglerb]

Wurth circuit board contact cleaner on the bad stuff, usually a quick spray of Marvel Mystery Oil and wipe with a clean cotton shop towel.

 

[russlaferrera]

Guys, go easy on the brake cleaner. It causes cancer!!!

 

[Merkava_4]

I wouldn't put WD-40 on a screwdriver handle... who wants a slippery screwdriver handle???

The idea is to wipe off the WD-40 with a cloth; usually, the grease and grime will come off with it.

 

[Deafautotech]

Guys, go easy on the brake cleaner. It causes cancer!!!

Damn! i use brake cleaner a more often... oops

 

[Joe B.]

I just put mine in the top tank of my toilet. After a few flushes, they are nice and clean.

 

[Merkava_4]

I don't use brake cleaner or carb cleaner on my tools.

I don't use anything on my tools that I wouldn't use on my own skin.

 

[krusty the clown]

hell work is so slow my tools don't get dirty...........i wonder if snap on sells a feather tool duster?

 

[olds88]

The idea is to wipe off the WD-40 with a cloth; usually, the grease and grime will come off with it.

The reason I, and most people, like Brake/Carb cleaner is that it doesn't leave any residue...

Guys, go easy on the brake cleaner. It causes cancer!!!

Only in the State of California

I just put mine in the top tank of my toilet. After a few flushes, they are nice and clean.

I don't use brake cleaner or carb cleaner on my tools.

I don't use anything on my tools that I wouldn't use on my own skin.

Occasionally if I need to clean some thick grime off my hands I'll use some Carb Cleaner and a rag... and I used to use Brake Cleaner as 'air freshener' in my old Crown Vic!

hell work is so slow my tools don't get dirty...........i wonder if snap on sells a feather tool duster?

Same here, today all I did was a timing belt and 3 oil changes. (one was a F-350 Diesel Dualy... it's always fun to do that laying on the ground outside)

 

[Merkava_4]

The reason I, and most people, like Brake/Carb cleaner is that it doesn't leave any residue...

Sometimes you want to leave a residue behind for protection ... LIKE ON BLACK PHOSPHATE ITEMS.

 

[Flash21]

I don't use brake cleaner or carb cleaner on my tools.

I don't use anything on my tools that I wouldn't use on my own skin.

So I take it that WD40 is perfectly safe for direct contact with your skin?

If the brake cleaner drys before handling the tools, will it prevent problems? Seem like if it doesn't have a chance to absorb into your skin you'll be OK

I'm often wondered about this...

 

[ImportTuner]

Guys, go easy on the brake cleaner. It causes cancer!!!

So, how come there's no cancer warning on the can? Even restaurants these day that serve alcohol have cancer warning ...

 

[Merkava_4]

So I take it that WD40 is perfectly safe for direct contact with your skin?

Is it the most healthy thing to put on your skin? No.

Will it give you a chemical burn after being in contact with it for 10 minutes straight? No.

Would you soak your hand in a container of full strength Simple Green for 10 minutes?

 

[oldgoat]

I know my father in law believed in using WD40 on his joints to relieve the pain. Did it for several years without harm.

 

[jesselyons2002]

Me I use 10:1 of APC to clean my tools. WD40 when I get RTV or Tar on it.

 

[Detroit Diesel Man]

I wish I had time to clean my tools...wipe em off with a rag put em back in the drawer. 3 tenths of an hour "cleaning" my tools cuts into my flat rate and pay check.



DDM

 

[eschoendorff]

WD-40 is useless. I use CorrosionX with good results. Spray it on a rag and wipe down your tools. Impact tools that like to develop surface rust spend some time in a bath of ATF...

 

[Chief]

WD-40 here

Same Here

 

[GDA]

WD-40 on a cotton rag for me. For the really tough grime, a short of non-chlorinated brake cleaner does the trick.

WD 40 on a rag for me too. If its really bad, I try a quick shot of full concentrate citrus cleaner from my spray bottle and then a quick wipe of the rag followed up with WD 40 for final wipe down.

 

[BrianAltenhofel]

Guys, go easy on the brake cleaner. It causes cancer!!!

Sounds comparable to the cries about lead and mercury causing brain damage...

Anyway, I use WD-40 most of the time, but if it is something that just won't break off I hit it with Brakleen (red).