How do you wash your tools?
- Thread starter Andrew360
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DSLTRK
Well-known member
I leave them alone unless dripping oil, I guess any ol shop towel does the trick.
Leaving them dirty- Its a good rust inhibitor.
RAYJAY
Well-known member
parts washer or just a bucket of solvent
JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN
Well-known member
I just wipe them down with a shop towel to get the oil or grease off. If they get too bad I spray them down with LA Awesome from the Dollar Tree and wipe with a shop towel.
I usually just leave them be but I'm selling some tools and want them to look pretty [emoji6]
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HCNDM
Well-known member
shop towel in combination with brake/carb cleaner and copious ammounts of WD-40.
Strainless tools I will occasionally buff on the buffing wheel to remove minor scratches.
Strainless tools I will occasionally buff on the buffing wheel to remove minor scratches.
shoggoth80
Well-known member
Brake cleaner, shop rag.
disston
Well-known member
Wipe with a rag as needed. WD-40 sometimes. Use a small screwdriver to scrape the gunk from inside sockets. Older tools that are prone to rust might get a coat of regular oil because WD-40 will evalorate. Any tools with plastic handles the WD-40 will clean up the stains on the handles quite well except for scrapes and dings in the plastic they will look brand new.
Careful not to destroy the patina. It is irreplaceable.
Careful not to destroy the patina. It is irreplaceable.
I'm mostly cleaning snap on tools so I hope I'll be ok. They were drenched in oil for some reason.
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mattblast
Well-known member
I clean tools and handles with lighter fluid. Removes dirt and grease and doesn't leave an oily residue.
Usually I squirt some on a piece of paper towel and wipe the tool clean. Lighter fluid is also great at removing adhesive.
Usually I squirt some on a piece of paper towel and wipe the tool clean. Lighter fluid is also great at removing adhesive.
Last edited:
I'll try this too. I've used lighter fluid to clean other stuff with success. Especially adhesive like you said.I clean tools and handles with lighter fluid. Removes dirt and grease and doesn't leave an oily residue.
Usually I squirt some on a piece of paper towel and wipe the tool clean. Lighter fluid is also great at removing adhesive.
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WhiskeyRanger
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2015
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Depends on what tools and what's on them. At home, its rarely more than a wipe with a (probably oily) rag. At work, I use some cleaning wipes that I found at HD or Lowes. Most of my tools at work have plastic handles (pliers, strippers, channies, etc) and get covered in dirt and carbon instead of just oil and road grime. Plus I can keep them in my tool box and just wipe everything down at the end of the shift if I was working on something particularly dirty.
ssdave
Banned
Wipe down with a rag, put them away. If they have something that won't wipe off, I dampen the rag with paint thinner or coleman fuel, that usually does the trick.
APEowner
Well-known member
It depends on how dirty they are and what's on them. In order of preference I use clean rag, Simple Green, brake clean or if they're really bad the parts washer.
My Old Tools
Well-known member
Spray bottle of kerosene.
ttpete
Well-known member
I clean tools and handles with lighter fluid. Removes dirt and grease and doesn't leave an oily residue.
Usually I squirt some on a piece of paper towel and wipe the tool clean. Lighter fluid is also great at removing adhesive.
That's an expensive way to buy naphtha. Coleman fuel is the same thing and a lot cheaper.
DSLTRK
Well-known member
I wouldn't use Brake cleaner, since some sockets are painted in the drive/fastener end for rust prevention, like SK/Armstrong tools. Brake cleaner will ultimately destroy that coating.
Brake cleaner also gets rid of the oil film. Unless you have a heated garage, there is a higher propensity for corrosion to form.
rockinacummins
Well-known member
I just use that cheap supertech stuff that Walmart tries to pass off as penetrating oil. It works good for cleaning tools, but not much else in my opinion.
anndel
Well-known member
Wipe 'em down with a shop towel. If stubborn I spray with WD-40 then wipe it down.
DieselDent
Well-known member
Usually just a wipe down but if I need to Purple power in a spray bottle.
DieselDent
Well-known member
I will also use fluid film or T9 Boeshield for rust preventive.
Empty Pockets
Well-known member
I buy WD40 by the gallon and use it with a trigger spray. A squirt or 2 on a rag usually does the trick. I may check out the lighter fluid/coleman fuel trick, though
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jerseykat1
Well-known member
mjoekingz28
Well-known member
What is the deal with brake cleaner? That stuff is basically for cleaning new rotors before installation.
How bad are your tools that you have to cut right to the chase and use brake cleaner. Why not just cut out the middleman and just use bleach or sulfuric acid.
How bad are your tools that you have to cut right to the chase and use brake cleaner. Why not just cut out the middleman and just use bleach or sulfuric acid.
dclassical
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1,130
I wipe them with a rag before putting them up, at the end of each day that I use them. Nothing more.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Nothing special here, just a standard shop towel, I use Kimberly Clark Wypall X80's in my shop. I will usually hit the towel with a shot of brake cleaner enough to moisten the towel and wipe them off as I am grabbing them from my tool cart and putting them away in my tool box. I hit my screwdrivers first, or anything with plastic handles) prior to spraying my towel with brake cleaner. When putting tools away I go category by category to speed things up, like wrenches then extensions or ratchets. This way I only have one drawer open at a time and it goes much quicker.
When I have an exceptional greasy job and grease and grime get into my sockets, I take them to the solvent tank and wash them out prior to putting them away. I hate sockets packed with grease.
Mike.
When I have an exceptional greasy job and grease and grime get into my sockets, I take them to the solvent tank and wash them out prior to putting them away. I hate sockets packed with grease.
Mike.
monkeyspanners
Well-known member
If only mildly dirty, one of those degreaser hand wipes, then dry with paper towel, if if really bad paper towel and some methanol.
I have some stuff in an aerosol called Grease Gobbler which will move anything but also dissolves paint and plastic though its good for moving glue etc.
I have some stuff in an aerosol called Grease Gobbler which will move anything but also dissolves paint and plastic though its good for moving glue etc.
jerseykat1
Well-known member
it cuts through grease, grit, grim and oil very effectively.
Todd.Brock
Well-known member
This is the only reason that I use WD 40. It cleans, isn't to harsh to discolor screwdriver handles, or plastic , smells nice too. It don't lubricate or break stuff free worth a ****, but it's a good tool cleaner. I have a gallon of it and should last until i die.
...............justanengineer
Well-known member
Wd40
APEowner
Well-known member
It's a zero residue cleaner that comes in a convenient can and cuts grease quickly. When I clean my tools it's so that I can get ready for the next job as efficiently as possible. I don't have time to lovingly polish them (not that there's anything wrong with that). I just want to make sure that the sockets that I used to tear down a leaky old high mileage engine aren't going to get grease and dirt on the interior of my wife's car if that's the next thing I'm working on.