Technical Small parts cleaner suggestions please.

What's available out there for just pouring in a container (sorry I don't own a parts washer) and using for cleaning things like wheel bearings and other small parts? Needs to be non-toxic and bio-degradable. Not looking for a 5-gallon bucket, just something for occasional small jobs.........Thanks for any input............Don.

 

Simple green, adjust dilution as needed.

 

I have the bigger H.F ultrasonic cleaner. I just wish it was bigger. The thing is awesome. any kind of cleaner you want, it can heat it as well. 50 50 simple green and water on a heat cycle cleaned up gunk from 40 year old paint guns.

 

Crockpot-type slow cooker. I got a Rival 2qt with a lift-out ceramic pot and gl*** cover. $12 at WalMart. Fill it with straight Simple Green or Citrus Cleaner, throw the parts in, set it on high and let them slow cook for a day or so. You can also consider an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner for less than a $100. Jack E/NJ

 

Solutions like Simple Green is about the only products left. Take the time to manualy s****e off the excess dirt and crud with a putty knife and wire brush then soak the part to loosen the rest. You would be surprised how well just plain Tide detergent and hot water works.

 

Coffee can, gas, & an old paint brush is the traditional method.
I like Super Clean or Purple Power these days, for cleaners that still have a little guts to 'em.

 

I use an old stainless kitchen sink, at least it has a drain.


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............................Been there, done that.........trying to be a little more environmentally friendly in my old age.

 

If you have a Dollar Tree store in your area, go to the cleaning supply area and buy " Awesome ". You can get in a spray bottle, or a slightly larger bottle for $ 1.00. It works good on carburetors, and washes off easily with water.

 

not exactly environment friendly but i use 1 gallon cans of carb soak for bearing and small parts. put it in the basket then put the lid back on and in a few hours everything is cleaned and just needs rinsed off and dried. No fumes when the lid is on and you use it over and over till its black.

 

Says it's what you want. If it's heated it works better/faster

These are great buckets!!
They hold more , accept bigger parts and take up less room than a round bucket.

The lightweight stuff is pretty darn good at picking up spills and oil dry too.

I had a parts washer that had an air bubbler on it, sort of like a jaquzzi for dirty parts, that worked great for automatic soaking and cleaning.

 

X2 on the $-Store cleaner called "Awsome" if you don't dilute it, you can remove paint form some things

 

A pump squirt bottle of something with an orange oil base could do ya, too.
......and your parts will smell good.

 

Another vote for the simple green!! I have used it for years with great luck. I just s****e as much off as possible before I use the cleaner. Buying a crock pot may be a good option I may explore. I still like my solvent tank but it is so stinky and is hard on the skin even with gloves.

 

Oil Eater meets all criteria, efficacy, environmental and price. Under $15/gal at O'Reilly's

 

.............Sadly there aren't any O' Reilly's in my area.

 

I use an electric roasting pan I bought at a yard sale and Castrol super clean, stuff comes out of it like it has been hot tanked just be careful with aluminum.

 

I washed a few more parts tonight. Squirt, brush, wash with water, dry with rag. I wish I'd known about Oil Eater years ago. No O'Reilly's? do you have an Amazon? Home Depot? or maybe a WalMart? Better get some Oil Eater stock if I'm gonna keep this up.

oileater questions-answers

 

Oddly enough, it is pretty damned good. I bought one a few years ago. I use the hell out of it. Still going strong.

 

I use a bucket with kerosene. Still needs some scrubbing, but a soak does parts pretty well.

 

Berrymans chemdip.


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...............I'll check at WalMart and Home Depot. Thanks.

 

A water and washing soda (soda ash) solution makes an effective alkaline cleaner and degreaser. Potent enough that it's not recommended for use on aluminum. You might want to wear rubber gloves when using it but it water rinses easily and is fairly enviro-friendly.

I never though about heating up a batch of it in an old crock-pot. Why doesn't somebody here give it a try and let me know how it works?

 

Easy to find at Home Depot and about 10 bucks a gallon. I use it for heavy duty grease only and use simple green for the lighter stuff.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-128-oz-Industrial-Purple-Degreaser-ZU0856128/100047759

 

I usually try vinegar first, works very well on a lot of things.

 

For small stuff indoors I use lacquer thinner, cheap by the gallon. I use it in two big coffee cans, one full of used thinner to start with stuff that is cruddy, one full of fairly clean thinner to finish. One of the advantages is that when you are finished part is reallydamnclean and the thinner evaporates immediately. I keep a variety of small brushes and probes handy, and a section of newspaper is ample protection for the world.

 

Had a crock pot with simple green it finally fried itself need to get a new one.

Currently using gasoline in a plastic sealable coffee can, works great.

 

Gas is really a good cleaner,
it's dangerous, you can get blown up or burnt or burn you digs down but it really cleans the **** out of stuff.

 

In my opinion--that`s not a bad thing.

 

Can't believe my dad and I used to clean parts with gasoline in his ba*****t with a woodburner stove going. We got away with it. Wiser now, use parts cleaner solvent in regular safety lid type.