What do you use to clean your tools?

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

I use LA's Totally Awesome from the Dollar Tree, works great and makes the tools look new again

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

- BWP

 

[Skin]

as far as a daily thing, i dont. Wipe them down with a rag is about the farthest i go. If i spend time tool polishing i could easily add another 2 hours onto my day. I dont know [m]any people who would be willing to do that.

the rare cleaning day i'll just use some simple green and WD40 on any bare metal.

 

[miccontreras]

I don't do it very often, but every once in a while when I'm reorganizing or cleaning, I will spray some Royal Purple Maxfilm on a shop rag and then use that to wipe down my tools. Mostly done with ratchets and wrenches, but I guess I have used it to clean hard plastic handles. Does kind of leave a coating, which you may or may not like.

 

[Kirbot]

PB blaster does a good job cleaning off of grease.
Adds some rust protection too.

 

[Theloniousmonk]

Silk undies dipped in a bowl of baby tears.










Actually spray some pb blaster over evething in the drawers and let em drip dry. Wipe things down and remove buildup annually. I don't like gobs of grit buildup in my sockets, especially in the winter with sand and road sht on evething. Takes half an hour to do a quick once over. I actually make time for this.

 

[NY Old Guy]

silk undies dipped in wd 40

 

[trexdoink]

Greased Lightning on a paper towel for chrome and wd40 on a paper towel for all the rest.

 

[canuckian]

I just usually wipe them with a "not too dirty" rag. If there's a lot of grease or dirt that won't come off that way I put a little degreaser on the rag and that usually does the trick. A couple months ago I was moving a few things to the cart and as I was going I was wiping the tools with a cloth that I had used to apply car wax that I hadn't washed yet. What a nice shine that put on the chrome!

 

[4x4gearhead]

CRC Brakleen when they are really nasty.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

Goo-Gone

 

[crewchief888]

brake cleaner and a rag for a quick wipedown for heavy grease and oil
about once a year i pull everything out of my service truck box for a good cleaning and degreasing with mineral spirits and air dry.

especially in the wintertime i dont really clean things off real good, lot of times tools are getting snowed on.
any surface rust that does form, wipes off with a rag

 

[Davefr]

Zaino

 

[woody 73]

I use a very special mix of 1 part wax and three parts thick oily fat(grease),on all my tools it keeps the rust at bay. I keep as much of this special mixture on as possible...Oh sure the tools look like **** but then I never see any rust!

cleaning tools sounds mashugana,but who am I to say otherwise

 

[Bull]

I use LA's Totally Awesome from the Dollar Tree, works great and makes the tools look new again

That stuff really works? It's so darn cheap, I was skeptical. I need to refill my ultrasonic machine; I think I will try some of this stuff since it would be a lot cheaper than Simple Green or Greased Lighntin'.

 

[Busted Bolts]

I use ZEP 45 with teflon to clean and protect from humdity. Does a ggod job, have used WD 40 also, but found it left discoloring on my SO Black hard handles????

 

[D9H 90V]

WD 40 and a rag, once a week ill come in and spray everything over a drain pan and wipe it with a rag works real good, working on heavy equipment/diesel tools get super dirty

 

[Scout Driver]

Brake cleaner after a grungy job. Usually a quick wipe with Simple Green otherwise.

Scott

 

[bmwohio]

CRC Brakleen when they are really nasty.

+1 Brake Kleen on a rag

 

[BJ42LX]

WD 40 and a rag

WD 40 and a rag

 

[alex71]

belt grinder and a knotted wire wheel?

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Just a quick wipedown with WD40 and a shop rag. If they get really nasty, a trip to the parts cleaner is in order.

 

[1320stang]

belt grinder and a knotted wire wheel?

****!!! you beat me to it!!!

 

[Gregg33]

WD40 and a rag or shop towels.

I clean my rubber handled tools and my Estwing malette with silicone spray and a rag, it doesn't melt the rubber like WD40 and believe it or not it doesn't make the handles slippery (like you think the silicone would).

 

[handyvorb]

A clean rag.

All my tools are clean and non-rusted. A very light surface coat of oil from use (so light it doesn't come off on your hands) left by wiping down with a clean rag is self cleaning and keeps the tools from rusting.

Cleaning metal with solvents tend to make them rust.

 

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

That stuff really works? It's so darn cheap, I was skeptical. I need to refill my ultrasonic machine; I think I will try some of this stuff since it would be a lot cheaper than Simple Green or Greased Lighntin'.

It works WAY better then simple green, I was skeptical of it to at first but I use it on everything from cleaning my motorcycles to the tires, engine bay, and under chassis of my truck. It hasnt messed the finish up on anything

 

[airbatica]

Denatured Alcohol to degrease.... much easier on the skin than the harsher solvents. Then wipe it down with a clean rag and a little gun oil or light machine oil.

 

[scott0]

+1 Brake Kleen on a rag

+2 for the brake kleen on a rag treatment

 

[mkdive]

I will have to try the LA Awesome.....I had a bottle in my office as a matter of fact. I never thought to use it on the tools. Its a great cleaner and the price is right, but the sprayer attached to the bottle leaks. After 5-10 pumps the cleaner leaks down the lever (last two bottles I bought). Maybe a freak occurrence?

I use WD40, Simple Green, or mineral spirits depending on what is on the tool and what plastics, finishes I am trying not to damage.

90% of the time I use WD40 and a rag.

 

[wizo]

 

[dirtrider]

For old tools that are really rusty or dirty that I find I just grab a green scotch brite pad and some wd-40, for new tools I just give them a good wipe with a rag or at best some chrome polish on rare occasions.

 

[briggsguy17]

That stuff really works? It's so darn cheap, I was skeptical. I need to refill my ultrasonic machine; I think I will try some of this stuff since it would be a lot cheaper than Simple Green or Greased Lighntin'.

Be careful with the greased lightning Bull. It does funky things to aluminum in ultrasonic cleaners. Cost me a $160 Kohler carburetor. The awesome on the other hand is.....well.......awesome.

 

[Rickster]

WD40 on metal tools but I like to clean any plastic handles, grips or meters with Bug and Tar Remover.

 

[lowbucktruck]

That stuff really works? It's so darn cheap, I was skeptical. I need to refill my ultrasonic machine; I think I will try some of this stuff since it would be a lot cheaper than Simple Green or Greased Lighntin'.

Bull:
LA' Totally Awesome Orange cleaner/degreaser really works!
I use it to clean my old/used/rusty tools I've bought at the flea market. Even helps get some surface rust off, if you give the tool a bath in a water/Awesome orange solution for an hour or so... overnight for really funky tools... then rinse the tool with water, dry it and wipe down with WD-40 or PB Blaster. I usually cut the Totally Awesome Orange with some water, don't need it full strength.

 

[tube_guy]

I usually wipe down with an oily rag every tool that I touch. Even chrome plated hand tools. Cleans everything up quite well and also prevents rust.

 

[moparmuscle88]

a "clean" rag to wipe off the grease, if its really dirty, then an old toothbrush and some windex to take the crud out of the recessed areas

but i only do it once a week, any more than that and its just taking away from time to do other things

 

[american lockpicker]

Goo Gone and free napkins from Arbys.

 

[bmwohio]

+2 for the brake kleen on a rag treatment

OT.....

@Scott0 - Where do you live in Westerville? I'm over in Highland Lakes

 

[amorrow]

Zaino

LOL...I haven't used the stuff on my tools, but admittedly do go over my box with Z-6 now and then.

 

[BQuicksilver]

Simple green and a rag.