Author Topic: Degreaser cleaner  (Read 16576 times)

Offline John Rudd

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Degreaser cleaner
« on: April 11, 2016, 04:03:22 PM »
Any recommendations for a good degreaser fluid?

What do you use in your workshop?

I use a mix of paraffin/petrol.....probably not the best of ideas..... :lol:


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Offline awemawson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2016, 04:08:55 PM »
Big stuff: Steam cleaner

Small stuff WD40 / IPA / Meths / White Spirit / Carburettor cleaner as appropriate
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Swarfing

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2016, 04:25:03 PM »
Jizer, soak or scrub and just rinse off
Once in hole stop digging.

Offline hermetic

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2016, 04:42:09 PM »
I used to use paraffin, but it is so expensive now that it is actually cheaper to use petrol. Someone told me they paid £9-90 for 4 litres of paraffin at the local MOLE country store the other day!!! I need to look into a bulk supply of red diesel, and I am going to make inquiries about bulk paraffin as well. Very little difference between paraffin, kerosene and 28 sec heating oil at 30p a litre! 4 litres of paraffin @£9.90 a pop is £2.47 a litre, ie twice the price of petrol.
Phil
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Offline awemawson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2016, 04:48:29 PM »
I keep a 1200 lire bowser of Red Diesel for tractors etc, but don't use it for degreasing as the stink is all pervading. Similarly I have a 2500 litre and two 1250 litre tanks of central heating oil, but again the smell stays with you worse than garlic on the breath   :bugeye:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2016, 04:53:38 PM »
Family Bargains / Home bargains or similar chain sell a spray on bottle of Elbow Grease for £1.00

Idea on really ditched paintwork, spray on, leave 5 minutes and wipe off. You have to see the result to believe it.
John Stevenson

RobWilson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2016, 04:59:26 PM »
WÜrth brake cleaner and AutoSmart TFR  are my chemicals of choice .




Rob

Offline howsitwork?

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2016, 05:12:46 PM »
depends what I am cleaning and why. For cleaning to "araldite together" or Loctite ,  I use either cellulose thinners or Hammerite thinners. Brake cleaner should work well, never tried it on anything but the car but thanks for the idea.

White spirit will shift thick muck but I always use thinners afterwards to finalize the cleaning. WD40 is fine but the copies GT85 are cheaper and work.

IPA (isopropyl alcohol is also good for some things ( cleaning cassette tape heads /video heads in times gone by. If you want this buy from amazon as a damn sight cheaper than I can get it ( pharmacist by trade) and it's delivered.

Never tried petrol  but now it's lead free might give it a go. Have used paraffin but takes a while to evaporate off and I usually don't have the patience, not sure on price per litre currently.

Telling children "don't touch that it's too dirty" sometimes gets the thick off quickly :lol:

Offline hermetic

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2016, 05:24:14 PM »
John, I like the sound of that stuff, will have to look out for it getting up this end of Yorkshire! Rob, yes, I like the brake cleaner as well Just run out and must buy some more, as this week I am mainly rebuilding a huge Frank hot pressure washer, and I have used it cleaning out the pressure jet unit. The price of prepack paraffin is rigged of course, there was a big scandal about it a couple of years ago, but nothing seems to have happened. Seems like all the places that used to sell it loose (take your own can) like we did in our village shop, have been nobbles by COSHH regulations, and it is now only available prepacked at HUGE expense. Andrew, I agree with you about the stink of diesel, all my mates who were in Agric Eng wondered why they could never get girlfriends! I will soon be steam cleaning E£VERYTHING! (Or at least hot washing it)
Phil
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Offline appletree

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2016, 06:02:08 PM »
I use various things for the first clean, although smelly cerebral heating kerosene is very good. For the final clean to degreaser always use automotive panel wipe, no residue, about the same price as cellulose thinners

Offline wgw

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2016, 06:47:00 AM »
Diesel is very good for keeping midges away, better than the bought lotions. To old to worry about girls. Cheapest way for real dirty stuff, if you don't have a steam cleaner, is hot water and washing powder, boil if possible. Best for "chemical" clean is cell. thinners.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2016, 08:52:04 AM »
Another vote for washing powder here  :thumbup:

It's amazing stuff that shifts all sorts of muck. I habitually wear (theoretically) white (*) "unvented" Crocs about the farm yard - they get a lot of abuse, both from animal outpourings, but also from oils and greases about the farm machinery. Every few weeks I hand wash / scrub them in washing powder and they come up a treat (so do my hands!)

I have had complaints about my dirty shoes from one member  :lol:

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,10700.msg123326.html#msg123326

(* Why white - they are half the price of other colours as intended for use in catering establishments and don't attract VAT)
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline appletree

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2016, 10:51:26 AM »
Washing powder can be very good although it can cause pitting in metals, very good at cleaning teapots internally with an over night soak.
When in search of John’s Elbow Grease, having visited 3 of the correct type of store to no avail began to wonder if it was a wind up.
Eventually found it in Pound Stretcher.

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2016, 11:14:43 AM »
No not a wind up in fact just been round the workshop to find a dirty bit of machine.

Backside of a Beaver milling machine, not been cleaned in at least 15 years.



Spray on, leave 5 minutes and wipe off.



Speaks for itself.
John Stevenson

Offline awemawson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2016, 11:32:22 AM »
Sugar Soap, as used in paintwork preparation, works similarly, and B&Q (spit) sell it in spray bottles but cheaper to mix your own from the crystals.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline chipenter

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #15 on: April 12, 2016, 02:37:13 PM »
A clock repair book recomended Amonia and washing powder mixed with hot water , it worked but after rincing the steel parts rusted almost instantly .
Jeff

Offline hermetic

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #16 on: April 12, 2016, 03:56:41 PM »
well chaps I think I am going to try out the washing powder in some hot water, as my hot wash has a nice stove enamel chassis with a build in diesel tank, which contained about a gallon of diesel, and a gallon of water, for about 20 years, got it fairly clean with a cold pressure washer, but still a lot of greasy crap in there when I peered in with the bore scope! It's a ground up rebuild so I don't want to skimp. I have saved the diesel ;-)
Man who says it cannot be done should not disturb man doing it! https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos?

Offline smiffy

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #17 on: April 12, 2016, 05:39:09 PM »
For small parts use a old dishwasher and dishwasher tablets . Just don;t get caught using the domestic one  :bugeye:

Offline mfletch

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #18 on: April 13, 2016, 04:06:23 AM »
RTF road traffic cleaner, undiluted but wear gloves none use on painted surfaces

Offline Jonny

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #19 on: April 13, 2016, 01:54:01 PM »
Depends what it is.

If its assembled parts and cat be arsed to take apart, brake cleaner or carb cleaner.

Removable machined aluminium items soap and water then washed off and dried.
Cant get trike any more.

The washing powder works well on steels with decades of grime, hardened oil and the like. We used to boil actions and locks in a saucepan, comes out shiny no pitting on non replaceable items or face £13k making to the in the white stage.

Almost out of engine cleaner and don't fancy replacing now at around £18/gallon.

Used to use Muck Off get it cheap but was shown a couple of years ago by nipper just how good that Elbow Grease works. Don't bother with the fancy aluminium wheel cleaners, spray Elbow Grease on leave for a few minutes, brush over then rinse off. First time tried it removed 8 years of brake dust embedded no other cleaners or muscle removed. So sent nipper out and bought a box.

Offline SwarfnStuff

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #20 on: April 14, 2016, 02:20:35 AM »
Hmm,
       Seems' "Elbow Grease" is a UK product. Not heard of it down here in the colony of OZ so wondering if anyone can let me know the active ingredients if known. Perhaps I can find a similar product down here? 

I will meanwhile see if the manufacturer's web site gives a clue to whether it is available here.

John B
Converting good metal into swarf sometimes ending up with something useful. ;-)

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #21 on: April 14, 2016, 03:52:56 AM »
Curiosity got the better of me and I Googled.

Apparently, it has other uses.

Say no more, wink, wink or is my spelling wrong? :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

Norman

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #22 on: April 14, 2016, 04:32:54 AM »
I'd say that Elbow Grease is just a generic citric acid cleaner judging by the smell.
John Stevenson

Offline JHovel

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #23 on: April 14, 2016, 06:26:17 AM »
In Australia, 'Jiff' liquid does a great job. It even cleans cast iron surfaces like new. It is great for paint preparation as well, because it seems to remove all traces of hydrocarbon, rather than just diluting them like solvents do.
Cheers,
Joe

Offline awemawson

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Re: Degreaser cleaner
« Reply #24 on: April 14, 2016, 08:03:04 AM »
Jiff has been rebranded as 'CIFF' in the UK, and is much less creamy than te original
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex