Brake cleaner alternatives?

[theoldwizard1]

Brake cleaner is great because it has a higher pressure spray and the straw lets you pin point where it goes. If you buy Walmart brand online, by the case (12 cans), shipping is free.

Anyone try this stuff ?

 

[MattMotoWeldGarage]

Occum's razor - brake cleaner in Kommiefornia is mainly acetone. So buy some acetone, put an amount of it in a small pump sprayer (to reduce evap) and can use on a variety of things. But original question was avoidance of harsh chemical.

Another chemical which has properties similar to acetone (evaps fast / solvent) - white gas / naptha / camping fuel. I'd use that in the same way.

 

[Wrench97]

Brake cleaner is great because it has a higher pressure spray and the straw lets you pin point where it goes. If you buy Walmart brand online, by the case (12 cans), shipping is free.

Anyone try this stuff ?

Do not leave that, regular Simple Green or Spray Nine on any glass it will etch it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Do not leave that, regular Simple Green or Spray Nine on any glass it will etch it.

I'll have to try that !

(I find it hard to believe that it would ETCH glass !)

 

[scooby074]

A Chrysler dealership I worked for in the 80's would have us spray down the drum brake assemblies with a garden hose. It worked better than nothing.

For a while in the 2000's aqueous based brake cleaner systems were big. I dont know how they worked for automotove, but in Heavy duty, one of my employers tried one for general cleaning thinking they could get rid of the solvent based parts washer, which they actually did! Like literally took it out !
It didnt work at all. Was a maintenance hog. It was like trying to try and keep a biological lifeform alive in a shop (it literally had grease eating bugs inside). Cleaning any amount of dirty parts would overload the system. After a few months of this nonsense, the solvent washer came back. I think it was called Ozzy System. Not good. It was a first gen system,maybe things have improved.