What is your go-to cleaner for oily greasy crap?

[Silver]

Depending on what's going on, I'll grab either brake cleaner, bleche-wyte or engine degreaser.

I think good old gasoline would probably work just as well in most cases. I just need to find a squirt bottle it won't dry out, but gas odor tends to linger for a long time where the others don't.

 

[NitroM3]

Zylene or simple Green. However Zylene is now banned by our Governor in California. But then what isn't anymore, (can you say re-call) so I need to drive to RENO every few months and pick up a couple 4xgallon cases of it. I do like the drive at take the scenic route to get there so it is always worth while.

 

[JavierH19]

never gave oil cleaning product options much thought but i always used purple power. If it's good enough to erase my fingerprints and burn the back of my hands it should be good enough for grease.

 

[incognito_2u]

Mean Green.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

For small jobs, I use, along with a Chip Brush and Bread Tray
1) WD-40 or Charcoal Lighter
2) Brake Cleaner
3) Contact Cleaner

 

[tmorris1]

Brake clean or Simple Green if brake clean is too harsh

 

[stangguy]

I have been using mineral spirits for 50 years.

 

[Pablo]

Depends.

I like orange/citrus based products. I like Finish Line Orange for bike chains and such.

I will use Simple Green but the fake wintergreen smell bugs me.

I've used boiling water for some smaller parts. Amazing.

Power washer with hot water.

Sometimes IPA but doesn't hit old grease. I use WD-40 for cleaning old grease as well.

I really don't use anything anymore that could hit well water.

 

[AutoMechanic]

If you are talking parts then brake cleaner because that’s all we have at work everything else is special order and they will only order it if that job requires it.

For clothes and rags and other stuff I use a bunch of different stuff like Zote and Fels Naptha and dish soap and hand cleaner and any detergent with oxi in it. And probably a bunch of other stuff I’m forgetting.

 

[71Chevyguy]

Scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner

 

[spackard]

CRC HydroForce 14416. If I glove up: SuperClean.

 

[tmorris1]

Scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner

I will have to try this. I have heard from a few others that swear by this for cleaning dirt bikes.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

If oil doesn't fit in the parts washer and it is a big mess on a floor:
Clay oil dry first, then follow up with a Terpene cleaner (from citrus rinds
distallate ) 3D orange clean or similar. I would glove up, it's zero VOC but this stuff turns your skin to putty.

 

[NitroM3]

hahaha! so really what I read is whatever.....GETS THE JOB ACHOMPLISHED WORKS!

 

[xgmad]

naptha, acetone, xylene, toulene, trichloroethane, benzene, and other stuff.
Works great.

 

[71Chevyguy]

I will have to try this. I have heard from a few others that swear by this for cleaning dirt bikes.

You will be surprised by how well it works. I stumbled upon this when cleaning VW TDI intakes. That is truly a huge mess and this stuff did a decent job of dissolving that disaster. Just be mindful of the fact that it is acid and don't leave it on stuff that could be negatively affected for too long. But greasy metal parts and even cleaning wheels, it works great.

 

[DallasTexas]

Zep Citrus Degreaser from Home Depot a gallon bottle lasts years.

 

[y_p_w]

Castrol had something that was really good, although the warnings on the label kind of gave me pause. It said that it was not to be simply washed off and had to be properly disposed. OK - it was Super Clean, but apparently Castrol sold the brand.

 

[3Audi1Ford]

I buy the 1/2 gallon size of orange cleaner from Dollar Tree stores. One of my friends was buying 4 bottles a season for his quads and dirt bikes so I decided to give it a try. Each time I buy some I also pick up a package of cheap toothbrushes or vegetable brush for cleaning carbs and engines. My last bottle lasted me a year since it was pandemic times.

 

[Cygnus_]

Super Clean or WD-40 Specialist Degreaser if I feel the Super Clean will be too harsh.