Brake Parts Cleaner Alternative?

[superds]

The amount of brake parts cleaner I go through is making me go broke. It works too well to clean up random stuff besides just brakes. I buy a case when it goes on sale at $2/can but it still takes a couple cans do nearly every project...I remember when I could get it for $1 a can, and that was only a few years ago, that price made it more bearable to use.

What do other people use instead of brake cleaner to quickly clean up oily parts without having to further wipe it down or leaving a residue or rusting?

I'm going to try using isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle, I've used that for other things before with pretty good results, I'll report back how that works for me. I relize this isn't going to work for everything but if I can at least cut way down on my brake cleaner usage it will help.

I also noticed all of the brake cleaner I've ever bought says not legal for sale in CA, what do you guys use in California?

 

[adsm08]

Acetone and bleach. The two big ingredients in brake clean are acetone and chlorine.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I was having the same money problem as you but worse, it was cheapest @ $3.50 a can. I bought a pump up spray bottle that can handle the brakeleen at KMSTools [western Canada] for ~ $60.00 on sale and a gallon jug of brakleen at the Gregg's Distrubuting [Canada]. I don't remember exact costs for the brakleen, I think $35.00. I got the idea from the mechanics at a pipeline company I used to work for. The first outlay of cash is a wash, maybe slightly more, but after that is at least 1/2 the cost.
edit; good to know about the acetone. Just beware, it will eat the black plastic pipes under your household sink..... Personal experience. And it's very toxic to breathe the vapors, use [not so] common sense!

Richard

 

[PanamaExpat]

I often use lacquer thinner for a final cleaning solution. First wash is generally with diesel or kerosene.

Never tried bleach and acetone... Do they readily mix?

Hmmmm.... interesting.... Before you go mixing bleach and acetone together you may want to read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroform Just in case you are working in a poorly ventilated environment the results could be a knockout.

Not to scare you more or anything.... I found this warning posted at this link: http://everything2.com/title/Making+Chloroform

WARNING: This isn't one of those bullshit 'something might go wrong' warnings. This is not safe chloroform. Medical grade chloroform is mixed with a percentage of ether to stop it decomposing to the chemical Phosgene, A WWI chemical gas. While taking in chloroform, it decomposes in your body to phosgene. The phosgene reaches the liver, and creates cell mutation and DNA changes which are pretty much guaranteed to cause cancer eventually. In addition to the phosgene mentioned, halocarbons tend to be bitchin' alkylating agents. There is an obscene amount of shit in your body which can be ****ed up by alkylation, and some of the more reactive thereof happen to be the base pairs in your DNA. YOU WILL GET CANCER.

Looks to me if you are working on a daily basis with Brakeclean or a mixture of bleach and acetone you may wish to consider taking some serious precautions. It appears to me that the long term health effects greatly outweigh blasting a bit of grime off some old car parts.

 

[fix_or_repair_daily]

I often use lacquer thinner for a final cleaning solution.

Same here. When I was doing mechanic work at a body shop, I used it all the time because we had it in 5 gallon cans.

 

[RustedRanger]

Acetone also soaks through the skin. Alcohol won't touch the tough gunk. I have used STP carb cleaner,the big bottles aren't all that expensive compared to how mean it is...it melts toothbrush bristles fairly quick I poured it on and brushed it around but I wonder if it could be "cut" with something besides gasoline to make it go further...

 

[kunar]

acetone and bleach is a VERY BAD idea. acetone is a main ingredient in NON-CHLORINATED brake parts cleaner, but the two are not used together!!

if you're looking for cheaper, i would use gas or kerosine or something along those lines, then do a final rinse with some brake parts cleaner. let the gasoline do the major gunk removal, then finish it up with the canned stuff.

 

[4.0B2]

gas or lacquer "wash" thinner for me. The shop I work at get's "wash" thinner from a local place, it's basically thinner that's not clean enough for paint? Idk, but it's cheap compared to the real stuff and cleans stuff pretty good.

 

[RangerSVT]

I use diesel, since it is not explosive like gasoline is. Once the part is cleaned, a wipedown with alcohol or brake cleaner gets the surface oil free...




SVT

 

[ZMan]

gas or lacquer "wash" thinner for me. The shop I work at get's "wash" thinner from a local place, it's basically thinner that's not clean enough for paint? Idk, but it's cheap compared to the real stuff and cleans stuff pretty good.

It could be recycled, lacquer thinner isn't used IN paint anymore because no one is spraying lacquer paint, its all urethanes and waterborne now, thinner is only used to clean guns out.

Call around to some auto body suppliers, and possibly a Safety Kleen branch and see if they sell recycled lacquer thinner, that will be cheaper than buying virgin stuff, since virgin lacquer thinner goes for about $60 for a 5 gallon pale. It was a little over $20 10 years ago..

 

[brokemechanic3000]

You can get brake cleaner in a 5 gallon can at Napa. Then get a refillable sprayer like a Sure Shot.

 

[PanamaExpat]

You can get brake cleaner in a 5 gallon can at Napa. Then get a refillable sprayer like a Sure Shot.

What's that 5 gallon can of cleaner cost? I pay about $12 for a gallon of lacquer thinner and it lasts a long time if you use it sparingly.

 

[Mark_88]

I've always used straight gas...but it stinks and burns and is flammable so be careful and always use in well ventilated work area...

Short of that...I've also used that engine foam cleaner...it washes off with water and leaves your engine sparkling clean...does this sound like an ad???

Haven't bought any for a while (which reminds me...) but last time I think it was under $10 for a large can...Canadian Tire used to carry it so I might check that out soon...

 

[superds]

Lots of good responses here. Thanks everyone.

I already had some acetone at the shop that I've used for cleaning prior to paint so I put some in a spay bottle today to try that, used it a bit and it seems ok. The big test will be whether that spray bottle lasts. It was a pretty good one when I bought it, claimed to be chemical resistant. I know the last two spray bottles I used with my acetone/ATF mixture didn't last very long.

I also used some alcohol, seems like it didn't do as good a job of cleaning as I would have liked, and it also already started leaking from the spray bottle mechanism, must be a cheap spray bottle!

I'll have to look into the Sure Shot thing that was mentioned, I know we have something like them at work for weld anti spatter but I also know they're pretty pricey.

Good tip on the Napa bulk brake cleaner, I'll have to see what that costs.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Never tried bleach and acetone... Do they readily mix?

Hmmmm.... interesting.... Before you go mixing bleach and acetone together you may want to read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroform Just in case you are working in a poorly ventilated environment the results could be a knockout.

Naptime!

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138460

AJ