Stupid tool cleaning question... Please help!

Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
18,870
Location
Los Gatos, CA
So the cordless Makita impact (thanks @Trav for the recommendation) and drill get a little greasy. Don't think brake cleaner is a good idea. Also yellow handle Snap On pics and such...
Much of their use is not greasy; I like to pick up clean tools.

Simple Green?
I appreciate your guidance!
 
I would avoid brake cleaner, particularly those with acetone, or chlorinated chemicals, they will eat the plastic.

Honestly, I keep baby wipes in my shop. A habit I picked up when I lived in a tent, in a hot and dusty place, with minimal sanitary facilities.

If it won’t hurt a baby’s bottom, it won’t hurt your Makita….
 
I don’t douse my tools in brake cleaner but I do spray it on a clean rag and wipe down my hand tools and my pneumatic tools as well.
 
use mildest possible soap not chemicals.

use trash microfiber rags.. ie ones that are about ready for the bin.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JC1
I use brake cleaner on a rag as mentioned above. As long as you don't soak it down, the surface should be fine. Hell, I've straight up sprayed brake cleaner on the handle of my 1/2" without any ill effect. It sure did get rid of the grease!
When I was young and uneducated I used to clean off my hands with brake cleaner, or gas. It took me until the age of 22 for someone to tell me what I was doing to myself. I still use it on almost everything I have to clean grease off of (that it won't melt), I just wear thick nitrile gloves, control the footprint of the spray, and avoid inhaling the fumes.
If you're afraid of harming the surface of the plastic, you can use gas (bad, but not as harmful as brake cleaner) or WD-40. Dawn will work after some scrubbing and as mentioned baby wipes too. I've opened the container of baby wipes before and added some Dawn detergent to them. Seemed to work better, but who really knows.
 
Fantastic and a damp rag, done.
If you can avoid it, you really don't want brake cleaner or any petroleum solvents on your skin, including mineral spirits.
Now with proper gloves, do what you want.
 
Just to add: Nitrile gloves should be used around oils and acetones and solvents, only. Latex or vinyl gloves will not protect you from the chems, I also, once again found out the hard way at work using xylene in an experiment..

So just buy nitrile gloves, as tear resistant (thick) as you can stand them.
 
So the cordless Makita impact (thanks @Trav for the recommendation) and drill get a little greasy. Don't think brake cleaner is a good idea. Also yellow handle Snap On pics and such...
Much of their use is not greasy; I like to pick up clean tools.

Simple Green?
I appreciate your guidance!
I don't clean them, they will be dirty again real soon.
 
I use whatever Meyers All Purpose Cleaner is under the kitchen sink. It works well and smells nice too.

Any tool with un-plated metal such as pliers gets a shot of WD-40 and wipe down.
 
I've started using Tub O Towels... they work reasonably well, with the primary caveat being the "detailing" aspect, ie difficult to get into knicks and crannies

Non-chlor brake cleaner will typically be ok, but of course test it first. Chlorinated tends to cloud and craze many plastics.

I never cared for the brake cleaner route, it just never seemed efficient. At least the Tub O Towels stay wet (vs rapid evap) and they work well(ish)
 
rags, dry, the less other use 1st the better.
Anything around (bed sheets destroyed from yrs of use, same w/old clothing, bath towels, I cook as hobby so plenty of 'dish' towels cut in 1/2, other cloth). Any kind of paper or bought stock is avoided...
At the end of each job or end of day it is more ofa thought gathering, early bill pre- bill prep (just like swep up, speedy dry, pan/pail drains) clean & put away (so as to find easily) sort of 'down time' thing for me. BUT...I take 2 'real breaks' and a long away from shop 'lunch' break too. I enjoy my self employ, food & shared timewith others~
 
Last edited:
 
Back
Top