cleaning power tools?

[pizzabooty]

did a bit of searching and i couldnt find anything so i figured i'd start a new topic.

does anyone have any advice on cleaning the surfaces of power tools? i've been given the curse of really liking the high-vis color, so my primary power tools (ratchet, 3/8 impact) are high-vis. unfortunately, this presents as the problem of "they get really dirty really fast".

i've tried using brake cleaner but it also ends up wiping off lettering and writing. looking for something a little bit less aggressive but still strong enough to deal with brake dust, grease stains, etc.

pic for attention, my dirty-*** snap-on ratchet.

 

[Dave455]

This is one of the reasons why I sometimes prefer metal bodied air tools to cordless - much more durable, and easy to clean!

Best option is a bit of WD-40, or similar, on a rag. It will cut through dirt and grease relatively easily.

You will get a bit of a thin oily deposit - leave it on the metal parts, but if it bothers you on the plastic use a trace of spirit on a clean rag to fully clean them.

 

[no704]

Soak it in saltwater for several days then seal it in a tub for about 10 months. You may have to polish the aluminum parts after.

 

[merkyworks]

They make power tool cleaner sprays, I think It’s similar to a car detail sprays. Jersey Discount tools sells a kit.

Cordless Tool Detailer by JDTCo. | JDTCo.

16oz Spray Bottle24oz Refill BottleShop RagScrub Brush Protect your investment by using Cordless Tool Detailer by JDTCo, a specially formulated degreaser for cordless tools. Keep your most important and valuable tools clean with Cordless Tool Detailer after a days work.Cordless Tool Detailer is...

www.jerseydiscounttoolco.com

 

[JerseyBoatBuilder]

I have always used these for all hand and power tools.

 

[seber]

I haven't tried cleaning them but I would think any hand cleaner should work.

 

[Wamsutta]

GoJo will make it look new. Rub it on with a toothbrush and wipe off with microfiber.

 

[zendriver]

A spray on "orange" cleaner

 

[Wamsutta]

A spray on "orange" cleaner

The citric acid in that stuff is very corrosive for tools.

 

[Wamsutta]

Another method is to spray a microfiber towel with rubbing alcohol and then use that wet microfiber towel to scrub down the tool. You'd be surprised by how well that works.

 

[mike93lx]

Brake cleaner is mostly acetone, afaik. I wouldn't spray it on anything with plastic.

 

[Wamsutta]

Brake cleaner is mostly acetone, afaik. I wouldn't spray it on anything with plastic.

Correct. Not a good idea for plastic.

 

[zendriver]

The citric acid in that stuff is very corrosive for tools.

I don’t dip the tool in the cleaner.

Spray on a towel wipe it off.

Other times I’ll use WD40

 

[Wamsutta]

I don’t dip the tool in the cleaner.

Spray on a towel wipe it off.

Other times I’ll use WD40

It's just the whole idea. I don't apply anything corrosive unless I neutralize it with water.

 

[LWB]

Another vote for WD40

 

[zendriver]

It's just the whole idea. I don't apply anything corrosive unless I neutralize it with water.

Pretty sure water does not neutralize citric acid, it only dilutes it.

Never use it in concentrate anyway.

 

[Wamsutta]

Pretty sure water does not neutralize citric acid, it only dilutes it.

Never use it in concentrate anyway.

It's fine to use if you can rinse the tool off with water afterwards; but obviously you can't to that with an electric power tool.

 

[ajchien]

I use this stuff

MiracleWipes for Heavy Duty Cleaning (90 Count) - All Purpose Cleaner, Kitchens, Bathrooms, Countertops, Hands, Indoors, Outdoors - Removes Grease, Grime, Crayon, Dirt & More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078JR8Q2S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[wafrederick]

I have always used these for all hand and power tools.

Same here,Clay Koon which his YouTube channel is Koon Trucking got me into them

 

[CGarage]

Tub o’ Towels is best.

Second best is Dawn dish soap applied to a rag soaked in water. Use at full strength.

Make sure to not get water inside the operating parts or vents on the tool.

 

[rebel1851]

Houdini, the stuff that you spay in locks works really good. I seen a guy on Youtube use it. I had a can laying around so I gave it a shot, it works really good.

 

[zendriver]

It's fine to use if you can rinse the tool off with water afterwards; but obviously you can't to that with an electric power tool.

Power tools today are mostly plastic and rubber, What's to corrode?

If it's dirty inside, I'll blow out the crud with compressed air.

 

[RTM]

I use Simple Green when I need to clean power tools, spray away from the vents, wipe with a blue towel, use the wetted blue towel closer to the vents. Mine dont usually get super greasy tho.

 

[Wamsutta]

I use Simple Green when I need to clean power tools, spray away from the vents, wipe with a blue towel, use the wetted blue towel closer to the vents. Mine dont usually get super greasy tho.

That's another high corrosive chemical. That stuff will remove black phosphate from your tools if you let them soak in it.

 

[RTM]

That's another high corrosive chemical. That stuff will remove black phosphate from your tools if you let them soak in it.

Yup, been there, done that. Notice I said wipe, not soak.

 

[Wamsutta]

Yup, been there, done that. Notice I said wipe, not soak.

I found out the hard way one day. The stuff spilled onto my super rare Crescent locking pliers with their beautiful black finish.

 

[RTM]

I killed a few socket from SK or Plomb

 

[Shiftless]

That's another high corrosive chemical. That stuff will remove black phosphate from your tools if you let them soak in it.

I use SG a lot. I buy it in 2.5 gallon jugs.
YOU DILUTE IT!
For wiping off tools or greasy floors, I dilute it 2 parts water to one part SG then spray on and wipe off. If you soak stuff overnight in undiluted SG it will remove paint.

I also use WD-40 as a solvent. Handy to spray on and it works well on grease and doesn’t seem to attack plastic.

 

[Wamsutta]

I use SG a lot. I buy it in 2.5 gallon jugs.
YOU DILUTE IT!
For wiping off tools or greasy floors, I dilute it 2 parts water to one part SG then spray on and wipe off. If you soak stuff overnight in undiluted SG it will remove paint.

I also use WD-40 as a solvent. Handy to spray on and it works well on grease and doesn’t seem to attack plastic.

WD-40 works good but it leaves the plastic and rubber shiny giving it a greasy appearance.

 

[isb cornbinder]

"they get really dirty really fast".

The tools do not get dirty faster. The dirt may show sooner.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Tub o Towels, Snap-On cleaning wipes (MALCO brand on Amazon seems almost identical), etc all work great with no side effects to the plastics. It won't protect bare metal from rust.

 

[Shiftless]

WD-40 works good but it leaves the plastic and rubber shiny giving it a greasy appearance.

Yep
If that is bad for you, wipe it off with mineral spirits aka paint thinner. But if you’re gonna use paint thinner anyway, just wip the tools off with that to begin with.

 

[Wamsutta]

Yep
If that is bad for you, wipe it off with mineral spirits aka paint thinner. But if you’re gonna use paint thinner anyway, just wip the tools off with that to begin with.

You know how grimy air hoses get from being dragged around the floor? I can make them look brand new by using GoJo.

Try the microfiber towel soaked in rubbing alcohol next time. You'd be amazed on well that combination cleans plastic and vinyl.

 

[neophyte]

A spray on "orange" cleaner

No !
Some “Orange Cleaners” will melt plastic and rubber.

The first thing you should figure out is what type of plastic and rubber were used to make the tool.
Glass reinforced nylon is fairly common, and pretty durable.
Polycarbonate and ABS are occasionally used as well. (I think Makita uses Polycarbonate for dome tools, and ABS is commonly used by German manufacturers for some items)
The rubberized sections are another issue.

You best bet is to go from milder to mire extreme chemicals till you find one that works.
I’ve used dishwashing detergent, and Bronner’s liquid Castile soap on occasion, and neither is likely to harm the plastic and rubber.
Use a cheap toothbrush.
If that option doesn’t work, try rubbing alcohol, or naphtha lighter fluid.
The cleaner may need to be varied depending on what the gunk you are trying to remove is.

 

[neophyte]

I don’t dip the tool in the cleaner.

Spray on a towel wipe it off.

Other times I’ll use WD40

I’ve melted plastic with Orange Cleaner.
I’ve not sure what type of plastic it was, but there was no way to fix the issue once the damage was done other than finding replacement parts.

 

[P0234]

Mr Clean, the yellow all purpose cleaner works really well. Or a rinseless car wash soap if you have one handy.

 

[bb29510]

GoJo will make it look new. Rub it on with a toothbrush and wipe off with microfiber.

i bought a old like 76 year ridgid 300 pipe threader, it was bad, ugly and black, a tub of gojo and it look brand new in about twelve minutes

 

[RTM]

I use SG a lot. I buy it in 2.5 gallon jugs.
YOU DILUTE IT!
For wiping off tools or greasy floors, I dilute it 2 parts water to one part SG then spray on and wipe off. If you soak stuff overnight in undiluted SG it will remove paint.

I keep a full strength bottle, as well as 1:2 and 1:4 dilution bottles, depending on how gross the item is. I keep the 1:4 near where I clean up my antique and vintage tools, and the full strength trough near the Evaporust trough.

 

[Shiftless]

I keep a full strength bottle, as well as 1:2 and 1:4 dilution bottles, depending on how gross the item is. I keep the 1:4 near where I clean up my antique and vintage tools, and the full strength trough near the Evaporust trough.

I keep 3 spray bottles.
Full Strength, 2 water: 1 SG for most garage clean up and also for cleaning wheels and tires, and 10 water:1 SG for mopping the kitchen laminate floor

I also keep a big jug of used undiluted SG that goes into my garage crock pot and gets used for stripping grease and paint from old bench vises that are entering my rehab facility.

 

[zendriver]

No !
Some “Orange Cleaners” will melt plastic and rubber.

The first thing you should figure out is what type of plastic and rubber were used to make the tool.
Glass reinforced nylon is fairly common, and pretty durable.
Polycarbonate and ABS are occasionally used as well. (I think Makita uses Polycarbonate for dome tools, and ABS is commonly used by German manufacturers for some items)
The rubberized sections are another issue.

You best bet is to go from milder to mire extreme chemicals till you find one that works.
I’ve used dishwashing detergent, and Bronner’s liquid Castile soap on occasion, and neither is likely to harm the plastic and rubber.
Use a cheap toothbrush.
If that option doesn’t work, try rubbing alcohol, or naphtha lighter fluid.
The cleaner may need to be varied depending on what the gunk you are trying to remove is.

I have found one that works - orange cleaner

Maybe I’ll try MEK