rick carpenter
Well-known member
If I wanted just a general, go-to solvent to use to clean etc, what is best: mineral spirits, acetone, lacquer thinner, degreaser, what?
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General garage solvent/cleaner
- Thread starter rick carpenter
- Start date
OP
rick carpenter
Well-known member
Geez, I thought I was in the general garage forum, can a moderator please move this over there? Thanks.
RedneckWelder
Well-known member
Are you talking about for parts or for the garage itself?
For the former, we use a parts cleaner with solvent for the rough wash and brake cleaner for the final clean.
For the latter, Simple Green and Purple Power are my favorite cleaning products and both are pretty cheap. There is a multitude of other similar cleaners out there too.
For the former, we use a parts cleaner with solvent for the rough wash and brake cleaner for the final clean.
For the latter, Simple Green and Purple Power are my favorite cleaning products and both are pretty cheap. There is a multitude of other similar cleaners out there too.
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
Mostly I use air or mechanical removal. My next go to is water or water and mild detergent. After that I get specific depending on the type of materials involved.
fnieto
Well-known member
Lacquer thinner is what I use for general fabrication cleaning.
For automotive parts the solvent tank.
For automotive parts the solvent tank.
4xdog
Well-known member
I use mineral spirits or isopropyl acohol as my first go-to solvents (after water). Most gunky things will be souble in one or the other and neither is normally strong enough to attack the underlying substrate.
Acetone, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, and a variety of others might get used, but sparingly and carefully.
Diesel makes a very good degreaser and has low enough volatility not to evaporate immediately. Turpentine is useful sometimes and will dissolve things that others don't or don't easily. 3M makes a d-limonene adhesive remover that's pretty gentle. (This is a solvent based on citrus peels.)
Always a good idea to check for solvent attack before one gets too committed.
Acetone, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, and a variety of others might get used, but sparingly and carefully.
Diesel makes a very good degreaser and has low enough volatility not to evaporate immediately. Turpentine is useful sometimes and will dissolve things that others don't or don't easily. 3M makes a d-limonene adhesive remover that's pretty gentle. (This is a solvent based on citrus peels.)
Always a good idea to check for solvent attack before one gets too committed.
OP
rick carpenter
Well-known member
Thanks all, I'm looking for a general cleaner for parts etc that isn't too harsh and won't leave a residue when I'm not supposed to use something specific.
(When I was in my teens I worked for a geologic/environmental outfit. I cleaned glass sample jars with 'I'm-not-sure-what'. I knew it was bad stuff when it went through rubber gloves like they were cotton and chilled my fingers inside them. Other than that, it was a fun job!)
(When I was in my teens I worked for a geologic/environmental outfit. I cleaned glass sample jars with 'I'm-not-sure-what'. I knew it was bad stuff when it went through rubber gloves like they were cotton and chilled my fingers inside them. Other than that, it was a fun job!)
4xdog
Well-known member
As a simple spray-on cleaner, I've used Fabuloso for years. Used to being it back from business trips to South America before it became available everywhere here in the US. I've always like Glass Plus, too, for streak free cleaning. Superclean, the purple stuff, is a strong degreaser and I use it often. Use it with care because it will attack many paints and some metal finishes.
Much depends on what you're trying to clean.
Much depends on what you're trying to clean.
joe49
Well-known member
mineral spirits
machine_punk
Well-known member
99% Isopropyl Alcohol - for all of it. It is one of the best solvents around. The 70% Isopropyl will just frustrate you. Get at least 91% (very easy to find) and shoot for the 99%, if you can get it.
- windows (gets that greasy film off the inside of your car windshield - especially good with a microfiber cloth).
- any hard, shiny surface.
- weld prep. Degrease with isopropyl alcohol, then hit it with a clean stainless steel brush
Benefits:
- Dirt cheap.
- readily available at any local pharmacy (I get mine at the Safeway grocery store).
- environmentally friendly (breaks down into harmless stuff).
- no protective mask needed while using it.
- doesn't turn into dangerous fumes when welding (though it WILL catch fire...give it a few moments to evaporate)
- evaporates quickly, after you put it on.
99% isopropyl alcohol (dis)solves a lot of problems in the shop.
Your other option here is denatured alcohol (which is made from the same alcohol you drink, but 'denatured,' which means to put a chemical into which makes it poisonous to drink...so they don't have to collect the liquor tax on it.)
For strictly cleaning windows, a mix of ammonia and water is as good as isopropyl alcohol...and what the 'pro' window washers use. (just be careful to keep it away from anything with chlorine in it and be careful around the fumes).
Goo Gone for removing label residue.
But, generally, it is hard to beat simple old rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) for any degreasing or cleaning or dissolving around the shop.
Kev
- windows (gets that greasy film off the inside of your car windshield - especially good with a microfiber cloth).
- any hard, shiny surface.
- weld prep. Degrease with isopropyl alcohol, then hit it with a clean stainless steel brush
Benefits:
- Dirt cheap.
- readily available at any local pharmacy (I get mine at the Safeway grocery store).
- environmentally friendly (breaks down into harmless stuff).
- no protective mask needed while using it.
- doesn't turn into dangerous fumes when welding (though it WILL catch fire...give it a few moments to evaporate)
- evaporates quickly, after you put it on.
99% isopropyl alcohol (dis)solves a lot of problems in the shop.
Your other option here is denatured alcohol (which is made from the same alcohol you drink, but 'denatured,' which means to put a chemical into which makes it poisonous to drink...so they don't have to collect the liquor tax on it.)
For strictly cleaning windows, a mix of ammonia and water is as good as isopropyl alcohol...and what the 'pro' window washers use. (just be careful to keep it away from anything with chlorine in it and be careful around the fumes).
Goo Gone for removing label residue.
But, generally, it is hard to beat simple old rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) for any degreasing or cleaning or dissolving around the shop.
Kev
Last edited:
over40pirate
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 160
What! no gasoline advocates? At least none willing to admit it!
Years ago, I worked in a gas station, and we had a 5 gallon bucket with 3 gallons of gas in it for cleaning! Talk about a fire hazard. At another station, they had the same bucket. One day they had a fire. In the rush to get extinguishers, someone "kicked the bucket" It kind of made the fire bigger!
Years ago, I worked in a gas station, and we had a 5 gallon bucket with 3 gallons of gas in it for cleaning! Talk about a fire hazard. At another station, they had the same bucket. One day they had a fire. In the rush to get extinguishers, someone "kicked the bucket" It kind of made the fire bigger!
Slednut
Well-known member
I've posted this before on other threads I like this, which is on the expensive side.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDKZK6/?tag=atomicindus08-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDKZK6/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
the 91 to 99 per cent alcohol can be got by the gallon and very cheep at your local vet supply store, we used to buy it in a 4 gallon case...
For my parts cleaner at home I use Awesome, from the dollar store, in the half gallon size, you can order it in the case online and pick up in the store next week if they don't have it on the shelf, You can mix it 1 to 1 with water but I run it straight. It is water based so next to no danger of fire and disposal is easy, let it evaporate and take a putty knife and clean out the bottom of your barrel out. Rich
For my parts cleaner at home I use Awesome, from the dollar store, in the half gallon size, you can order it in the case online and pick up in the store next week if they don't have it on the shelf, You can mix it 1 to 1 with water but I run it straight. It is water based so next to no danger of fire and disposal is easy, let it evaporate and take a putty knife and clean out the bottom of your barrel out. Rich
Lacquer thinner, Brakleen or Simple Green.
For my parts cleaner at home I use Crown PSC 1000 that I buy from TSC it works great.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/crownreg%3B-psc-1000-parts-cleaner-5-gal
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/crownreg%3B-psc-1000-parts-cleaner-5-gal
jgschroeder99
Well-known member
Simple Green, isopropyl alcohol, mineral spirits
Fixnair
Well-known member
I second the Crown 1000 from tractor supply. Great stuff. Low volatility, easy on the hands, (use nitrile cloves anyway) evaporates cleanly and inexpensive.
BoostAddiction
Well-known member
I use acetone when I'm in a hurry and don't care.
But the best stuff for general cleaning of greasy parts is Blue Gold. I have a 5-gallon pail of it and it last forever. Incredibly effective for a wide range of cleaning and degreasing problems, and it is non-toxic, can be flushed down a drain with no worries, is non-flammable, and leaves a pleasant smell.
Can be made more effective by heating in a parts cleaner.
Here's a link: http://www.bluegoldcleaner.com/
But the best stuff for general cleaning of greasy parts is Blue Gold. I have a 5-gallon pail of it and it last forever. Incredibly effective for a wide range of cleaning and degreasing problems, and it is non-toxic, can be flushed down a drain with no worries, is non-flammable, and leaves a pleasant smell.
Can be made more effective by heating in a parts cleaner.
Here's a link: http://www.bluegoldcleaner.com/