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Water Based or Petrol Based Parts Cleaner

Runner 68

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Just curious to know if any of you gurus out there have any wisdom to share concerning water based parts cleaner compared to petrol based. We always used to use kerosene or mineral spirits. It seems like there are alot more water based options out there these days.

I'm thinking of getting a new parts washer but want to go in the $100-$200 range but they all come with water based pumps. Should I just get a cheepo tub and get a pump for petrol based cleaners and replace it? Any noticeable difference between the two as far as cleaning ability?

Any advice will help.
 
Most places I know of that used to have varsol or solvent based cleaners and switched to 'green safe and friendly' water based stuff say the new stuff doesn't work as well. To put it politely.
 
I use a water based cleaner in my parts washer stuff is called OZIE JUICE it does ok but no it doesn't clean as good as solvent cleaner but its safer with my little ones wondering around !!! :headbang:
 
I use a Zep product called "Big Orange" It's citrus oil based. Works pretty decent, but not as well as a normal solvent. Smells like an orange grove in my garage.
 
I used a Cintas aqueous parts washer a few years ago, and it worked great. A little pricey, however, at $25/week. They also lost Safety Kleen as a uniform customer.
 
I use simple green 50/50 with water and it works pretty well.

not the cleaning "punch" that a solvent would have, but it'll work.
 
Thanks guys.

I have read / heard good things about Big Orange and Simple Green Chrystal but it seems all the reports are about the same. "Works, but not as good as". I hate cleaning parts and prefer something with punch however not too hip on smelling up the shop plus the toxicity. But hell at my age, what do I care, the damage has been done from the old days.

The only thing that really sours me on the water based stuff is the surface rust that can occure if you don't dry it well.
 
But hell at my age, what do I care, the damage has been done from the old days.
Hehehehe!

old-people-stuff_old-age-is-a-gift.jpg

old-people-stuff_old-age-is-a-gift.jpg
 
Water base sucks so don't waste your time with it. If you can't get solvant base in your area try diesel fuel. It works awesome is cheap easy to get and doesn't blow up like gas.
 
How about water based cleaner in a dishwasher, where it would be heated as it circulates? Have an old one that I plan to try one of these days, after I get my molasses soaking tub built!
 
clr works good as a cleaner n is safe to the enviroment, n that dishwasher idea sounds like a good idea soap n lots off hot water have cleaned stuff for years.
 
Search for old posts and should find some better answers. You also might need to use a heater to heat up the cleaner. Some have found that improved performance of the parts washer cleaners quite a bit.
 
Search for old posts and should find some better answers. You also might need to use a heater to heat up the cleaner. Some have found that improved performance of the parts washer cleaners quite a bit.

Thanks AMX, I have been. But as I'm sure you know, the search tools on this site suck @ss.
 
This what they don't tell you. Many of the water based cleaners are not suitable with aluminum. To work effectively the water/cleaner must be warmed to 100*+. If you are degreasing steel you must dry the parts immediately or they will flash rust. Then you have to mist them with an oil product to control it. A hot parts washer uses water based products and exit the washer at over 150*. They tend to dry faster and are more forgiving with the flash rust. This is what I use ,and have done so for 20+ years on a small commercial level. Scrape or power wash heavy greased parts. Cheap oven cleaner works very well but not on aluminum. Once you do that let it dry an use a mixture of 5 gallons of paint thinner(cheapest to find or kerosene works very well if the smell it not a deterrent and it is cheaper than the paint thinner), 2 gallons of lacquer thinner and 1 gallon of denatured alcohol. If you do any spraying, save all your cleaning solvent and add to the mix. The residual oil from the solvents protect the metals from rust for about 3 months.
 
For general cleaning, I've always had good luck using Simple Green diluted 50/50 with water. I keep it heated which really helps.
 
Dusting this thread off...

Anyone have any luck with Krud Kutter in their water base parts washers?
 
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