Cleaning tools "shared" between multiple fluids

[rationull]

I'm going to flush my brake fluid at some point in the near future, and I'm going to want to suck some of the oil fluid out of the reservoir first to speed up the process. I have a turkey baster that I used to take a power steering fluid sample a while ago I can use, but I don't really want to put power steering fluid into the brake reservoir. This got me thinking: this same type of anal desire not to "contaminate" one fluid type with another could easily apply to other tools, like funnels.

What's the best way to clean such tools between uses on different fluids? From what I've heard denatured alcohol works well for brake fluid -- would that apply to other hydraulic fluid like PS and ATF too? What about engine oil or gear oil? I would guess water would be good enough to clean coolant?

 

[Chris142]

Buy another turkey baster. $2.00 vs a brake fluid contamination that could destroy a $2000 antilock system.

 

[Colt45ws]

I use brake cleaner to clean out funnels any time Im going to use one.

 

[oilboy123]

Brake fluid and coolant are two things you don't want to mix with oil based fluids. I try to use funnels for only certain things.

Water coolant funnel. Other funnels I would use with anything like oil, trans fluids, gear lube etc. I have about 10 funnels some with screens in them.

Like Chris142 said buy another turkey baster at the dollar store.

 

[rick9009]

Green funnel is for coolant
Red is for new/clean oil
Dark red is for used oil
ect.....

Funnels cost less than two dollars

 

[bigmike]

I label my funnels with a sharpie marker. I have 2 turkey basters as well and I clean them with clean fluid prior to using them. So, if it's the power steering fluid baster, it gets clean power steering fluid fluid run through it first. This way I'm certain nothing should be getting into the system (dirt, dust, dead ant, or whatever may get into it while it's sitting in my garage).

 

[The_Jeff]

New oil, used oil, 2-stroke, bar & chain lube, gas, atf, PS fluid all get the same funnel. Wiped out of course.

But brake fluid is its own special case. If you use a mity-vac you can use disposable hose for the suction end for what you're doing.

 

[swalve]

I would just clean them out. In your application, even if the turkey baster has residual ps fluid, just squeeze the bulb before you put it into the reservoir. When you stick it into the reservoir, the vacuum of sucking out the fluid almost guarantees you won't get any contamination.

Or, set up a mayonnaise jar with tubes and use the turkey baster just to create the negative pressure and let the fluid collect into the mayonnaise jar. That way your turkey baster never gets contaminated with anything. Setting it up that way allows you to do two things- invest in a better turkey baster that you can use for all jobs, and being able to customize your mayonnaise jar and tube setup to suit each job. For example, I would tape a tube to a stick or wire so I can fish the tube down into a power steering pump easily.

 

[mechtech2]

A good cleaning should suffice.
You should insert you end with vacuum being applied a bit - then let her loose when inside the fluid.