Who cleans their tools!?

[JUNK-MAN]

I wipe mine after a job with a clean rag and either wd40 or brakleen.

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[Wamsutta]

I clean my tools after every use. I don't use any harsh chemicals; just WD-40 if there's grease and dirt on them. For the plier grips, I use either Fast Orange, or GoJo.

 

[crewchief888]

tools in the house and garage get cleaned up before they get put away.

working tools dont get much of anything done to them except to wipe heavy grease or crud off them before they get tossed back in a drawer.

tools see rain, snow, mud, hyd oil and diesel fuel...

i gave up a long time ago worrying about making anything shine before it gets put away...

anytime i switch service trucks, boxes get a good hot water/degreaser pressure wash before they get put in the new truck.

usually in the spring my insulated bibs and FRC jackets get the same treatment..

 

[Bobcat753]

I clean my tools after every workday. I spend a lot of money on them and I like keeping them nice.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I usually just wipe them off, but they go in the parts washer if needed.

 

[Al Borland]

Quick wipe down with a rag and light oil - 3-in-1 or similar.
Plastic handles get cleaned with soap-type cleaners every so often.

 

[bczygan]

Most are still new and unused.

Bill

 

[joel63]

My tools unfortunately, don't have a climate controlled area to stay in.

I keep mine looking like new, and wipe them down. Most get a monthly coating of T-9 Boeshield.

I even watch where I place my tools when working on concrete so they don't get scratched. Call me OCD, but when you pay for SO tools, I like to keep them as pristine as possible.

I'm with you on this. ^^^^^

I pay for my tools, so I take care of them the way I want.
And if they were free, I'd still do the same.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Only on tool picture days.

I got a good laugh out of this !

 

[JRC3]

I even watch where I place my tools when working on concrete so they don't get scratched. Call me OCD, but when you pay for SO tools, I like to keep them as pristine as possible.

I don't baby tools by any means, but it just makes sense not to abuse them either.

When I was 25, just started my own business, and was building offices in an old building for a light fab company. Had a friend helping me and he grabbed the cord of my Milwaukee drill and started to pull it towards us...I abruptly said, "hey, no! This ain't the city" He was a city maintenance guy and tools meant little to him. Pulling tools across the floor.

He was also a great mechanic. But his handtools got placed and piled wherever and you couldn't touch a wrench without getting the past 4 project's grease on you.

 

[DFB]

Wow all these responses and not even one drawer full of shiny tools to show for it

 

[metaldad]

i clean, as i use them. a qwik wipe to get the snot off them, a wipe down at the end of the day, simonize on photo day

 

[metaldad]

Wow all these responses and not even one drawer full of shiny tools to show for it

if i must.............. polished for photo day.

 

[ken w.]

I'd like to say I clean and lube my tools after every use as my tools are scattered all over my garage right now. But , I usually do wipe them down at the end of the day and wipe them with an oily rag. Dirty tools just bother me. I even oil my air tools at the end of the day as well. What I find amusing is that I still have my IR231 from 20 + years go and it works like new. The other guys who don't bother to lube their guns until the have no power and buy new ones every 2-3 years.

 

[Diesel Mercedes]

I honestly never do unless, unless they get FILTHY. A clean by my standards is a wipe down with a used shop towel, then again all of my tools are cheap.

 

[Empty Pockets]

They always get cleaned before being put away

 

[JRC3]

Wut?

 

[WWheeler]

 

[BMack37]

It's pretty weird how forums work, I swear this has been asked a half dozen times since I joined and normally it's the exact opposite reactions. Normally I read "I don't have time to clean my tools" "Tools are for making money not looking pretty"

I always stand by what's being reiterated in this thread, it's not about keeping the tools looking pretty but to keep them working and to avoid getting your tool box all trashed. A quick wipe when returning your tools to it's spot saves having to clean your box. A clean box is probably an organized box and one that can be used quickly. The other two Techs at my shop aren't as organized as I am, always need to borrow tools because they can't find theirs. Getting grease on things they're working on, marring up screw heads because they used their screwdriver to punch a hole in whatever. Idiots.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Wut?

The dead blow extenders are available in black too?

 

[JuliusPepperwood]

I wipe them down with a shop rag real quick at the end of the day. I don’t use any sort of cleaner and I don’t take very much time.

 

[thallmark]

It's 100% necessary for me to clean my tools before putting them away. Slippery tools piss me off. Dirty tools that I can't CLEARLY see the engravings on piss me off.. Dirty hands piss me off..

I know it isn't surgical work, but being able to grip the tool and use it really makes my day-to-day life ALOT easier. Without having to worry about the grease and grime getting on my vehicle, or a customers vehicle for that matter since I work in the Auto Detailing field.

 

[rharman]

Wipe down with Windex before they go back in the drawers. Why pay good money for nice tools and a box and garbage everything up?

Agree with above post - clean = organized.

 

[SuperCat]

I usually wipe off the crud and then wipe with a rag that has clean engine oil on it. It doesn't take long, and I don't polish anything. I'm just an amateur hack, I'm lucky that I don't have to work under the time pressure that the professionals have to deal with every day. I take care of my tools because tools are not cheap, and I can't afford to replace stuff over and over again. Two things I have learned: Don't buy cheap, junky tools and "take care of your tools and they will take care of you." Works for me.

 

[CoryDH]

I had a job that required being out in the elements and would get rained on, snowed on whatever. That included my tool bag getting literally dragged through the mud some days. I would always come home and unload them onto the bench and try to let the pouch dry before the next shift. That is where quality tools matter, surface rust would happen from time to time but not seize up dont work anymore kinda stuff. Cheap tools seemed to rust over night, esp around salt water. I would wd40 and wipe down. Now that I dont have to leave my garage, some 3 in 1 every once in a while and thats really just so I can fiddle with them for a bit.

 

[mbshop]

no tools put away dirty. period. maintenance done on a regular basis.

 

[Roberts210]

Paper towels after every greasy use.

 

[snooter]

I use colonite 476S Super double coat wax on my ratchets and sockets..is there a support program for such things????...i always wipe down before i put away..i cant stand a greasy wrench....too much money invested anyhow to treat my stuff like garbage

 

[mikeceli]

i give them a quick wipe with a rag before putting them away

oil, grease, and dirt in the toolbox is just a big hell no

I agree!

 

[Lisamelting]

All mine get wiped down and put in their proper place after every job. In my opinion clean tools show pride of ownership, while dirty greasy ones tend to turn into knucklebusters.

 

[GTO]

If it's a dirty job that I'm using them on,then yes they get wiped down.Like one poster said,grease and oil in the toolbox drawer is a no no.

 

[MShaw]

Wipe down or wash in solvent if really crummy. Never wash ratchets, just wipe.

 

[HaroRider]

I wipe down my tools with simple green and a rag before putting them away. If my soft grips are looking really crappy I use orange hand cleaner on them and wipe away with simple green and a rag.

 

[Mr. Tool]

After reading all the comments and such, it's a fact that "all tools" get dirty when used at some time or another.

The original post was not intended to see if anyone here has "pretty looking tools" like if they were just recently purchased and put in a drawer for looks only and never used.

The matter of the subject, was as others have recently stated, that there are those who take care of their tools (like everything else) whether the tools were expensive or not, regardless.

Yes it's definitely OK to have clean tools nothing wrong with that, no macho man ****, etc. if one does it.

I have four sets of tool boxes. Two out of the four keep my best tools in place and only get used for serious jobs both mechanical and electrical. These tools get cleaned after the job has been finished and placed back in their slots.

The other two tool boxes have tools that are older and carry not expensive or high end tools. These tools are either used by others that need a tool, etc. that either are loaned or when doing a quick job. Because I know that everyone handles tools differently.

I always keep in mind that nobody and I mean nobody is going handle my tools like I do and I really don't expect them too either. That means all my high end expensive tools. They my abuse them, not clean them, just toss them, etc. because I've seen this happen before.

Remember there's nothing wrong with being clean!

Thanks to everyone that has posted about this.

 

[thool]

New line of dishwasher: Whirltool

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[crewchief888]

Wow all these responses and not even one drawer full of shiny tools to show for it

and, from the opposite end of the OCD spectrum, i'll just leave this here..


2 drawers from the slightly abused CM box in my service truck
2/8" dr ratchets, some extensions, and 3/4" dr sockets and (a few) pullers in my service truck....

 

[Beags86]

clean tools bother me...never trust a man with clean tools...or was it shoes...

Is that kinda like trusting a skinny cook?

 

[AndySchlagzeuger]

Yes cleaning is a must.

 

[jim]

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

 

[Jsf721]

I clean them with the scrubs in a bucket or similar product. I like to keep all my stuff clean.