Who cleans their tools!?

[DFB]

When done with the job, I open a beer and clean things up. Then have another beer.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I wipe the grease and oil off of them with a rag, i dont usually use any cleaners unless they are really nasty. I know people that go crazy cleaning their tools, and i find it mostly to be a waste of time getting them shined up brand new every time. As long as the tool isnt caked with grease and stuff thats good enough for me. You would find my tools still appear to be just fine.

 

[jhelrey]

Quick wipe with a rag sprayed with PB.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I drop them all in the parts washer after nasty jobs and otherwise might wipe them off with a rag as they go back into the box. Life is different in a professional shop I have waste oil to dump, parts and cores to return, scrap parts to take to the metal bin, cardboard boxes to break down, workbenches to clean, shop tooling to return and a bay large enough to fit a greyhound bus in to sweep, mop and run a floor scrubber over and not to mention sit down and write a detailed service report and warranty claims. There is no time for tool polishing at a hundred plus dollars an hour billing rate

 

[DonglordActual]

I just wipe off any dirt and put them away because otherwise they'll rust surprisingly fast. Dirt/dust attracts moisture and the garage is super humid.

 

[BigBoreFan]

"Who cleans their tools!?"

You mean there are heathens out there who do not? This is a thing?

 

[AngryBeaver]

simple green hand wipes are the absolute best I've found. IM OCD about cleaning tools...most of my stuff is 10 years old at the newest....

 

[btdobie]

I work in a food manufacturing plant; I have to clean my tools after every job to avoid cross contamination between lines.

 

[Lelandwelds]

I must be the only one.

I don't polish my tools or wax my cars. I don't align them in little rows. I don't color coordinate or pay allegiance to a brand. ( or "The Brand") I am doing good to sort SAE from metric.

I sweep constantly. I clean up spills. I keep a barrel of oily sand to clean gardening tools. I group everything by use, function, or type. (I have no place for WD40. I use Breakfree, Superlube, or Corrosion X.) For the very first time, I am trying a "clean slate" approach. I sold everything I had the slightest doubt about paying what turned out to be almost three years of storage fees. I am putting a lot of thought into reducing cleaning effort and storage options.

I love threads like this. What do professional wrench spinners (and tool groupies) think is worth doing?

 

[21bubba]

I polish mine to a mirror finish, then take pictures for social media.

Where's the like button?

 

[crewchief888]

I drop them all in the parts washer after nasty jobs and otherwise might wipe them off with a rag as they go back into the box. Life is different in a professional shop I have waste oil to dump, parts and cores to return, scrap parts to take to the metal bin, cardboard boxes to break down, workbenches to clean, shop tooling to return and a bay large enough to fit a greyhound bus in to sweep, mop and run a floor scrubber over and not to mention sit down and write a detailed service report and warranty claims. There is no time for tool polishing at a hundred plus dollars an hour billing rate

yea my working tools aint clean, or shiny. with what labor rates are, and being on the road all the time, i really dont have time to clean much of anything. if/when i get a little time my service truck gets a bath. occasionally i get some time to sit down and do some online training/testing. other than that i'm expected to be working, turning hours, making money.

in the garage my boxes are dusty, but i do wipe tools down before they get put away. i leave tools piled up & dirty until i'm completely down with what i'm doing. then i can pop open a beer or 12 and take my time putting things back where they belong.

 

[Lisamelting]

I'm a professional wrench spinner maintaining injection molding equipment, extruders and thermoformers. I've been at it for 30 years and while I can't speak for everyone, I can say that everyone I've ever worked with has always wiped down their tools at the end of the day.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I do. Simple green and a rag for a quick clean. Nothing time consuming as it'll just get dirty next time. I take special care up clean well where my hands grip the tool.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Lelandwelds]

I do something else different. I looked over and smelled the new incoming machines for where they let the smoke out. I made notes on the ticket. Then, it gets pressure washed, sits overnight, and waits it's turn.

If they start out cleaner, me and my tools stay cleaner. (Plus, who wants to work on a welder covered in grease, mud daubers, and rats nests?)

 

[Hammer1963]

Of course I clean my tools. It's a simple choice of taking care of and pride in your investment. Professional or DIY. Ask yourself this question. Would you rather shake hands with a guy that walks away from the bathroom without washing his hands or the fellow that takes the time to wash his hands ....... Same goes for the next time you need to pick up said tool.

 

[d.mcfarland]