What degreaser do you use?

[IslandTractor]

I'm tired of ruining jackets, shirts, hats, pants etc on the grease goo that collects around all my zerks and oozes out around bushings etc on the FEL, BH etc. I'm even more tired of being yelled at for unwittingly tracking in grease by the queen of cleanliness in our household. I am not a clean freak but I'd like to try cleaning things up on the tractor and use a degreaser that will be effective, not very expensive and importantly compatable with tractor paint and other potentially vulnerable parts/materials.

I've found about a hundred degreaser products in the Grainger catalog and other sources but cannot figure out what specifications are appropriate for my intended use. Does anyone understand the various specifications from NSF, Boeing etc? Would you use a solvent or non solvent based product?

I kinda have the image of being able to walk around the tractor after greasing it and just using a spray and rag/paper towel to swipe off excess and keep it cleaner. I'd prefer not to have to powerwash after applying a degreaser.

What are you guys using?

 

[wushaw]

I use a rag to wipe off excess, especially around the fitting that has the potential to mix with my shirt when refueling.

 

[IslandTractor]

I use a rag to wipe off excess, especially around the fitting that has the potential to mix with my shirt when refueling.

I've done that too in order to remove gross excess but it tends to just smear even more grease around in a thin layer which then picks up dirt/dust and then gets on clothing a bit later.

 

[Ductape]

If I need to clean up painted surfaces I only use Simple Green. Doesn't hurt any paint. Vehicle undercarriage gets Purple Power. I've had Purple Power dull paint on me in the past...... but its definitely stronger than Simple Green.

 

[Inspector507]

I'd prefer not to have to powerwash after applying a degreaser.

What are you guys using?

I've found that a power wash just tends to spread some little gobs of the grease everywhere. Besides, a power wash can force water in where you don't want it. Just my experience.

 

[Scooby074]

Mineral spirits. Wont hurt paint and its cheap. Just put in a compatable trigger bottle (i like zep bottles from home depot) or take a 500ml pop bottle and drill a small hole in the cap.

Other than that i like the purple type cleaner concentrate mixed with water.

 

[plowking]

I've had good luck with my pressure washer, it has a burner. I can turn up the heat to 310 degrees,it will strip off the wax if I'm not carefull. plowking

 

[PILOON]

I use a pump garden sprayer with varsol (and occasionally old gas, yep- should not do that).
Sometimes I need to scrub a bit to loosen heavier accumulations but it works for me.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I get wax and grease remover from the local auto paint supplier. The stuff is not cheap, but the grease just disappears with no harm to the paint. The first gallon lasted me about 3 years, so about $1 a month or so.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks guys. I am impressed with the variety of solutions y'all have employeed. Somehow I thought this would come down to two or three favorite products but this is all over the map. No PBblaster equivalent that most can agree on I guess.

My dealer uses a spray on stainless steel cleaner just to add another oddball alternative.

I guess I will start with green soap or mineral spirits as I have those already. Still would like to hear from anyone who knows the technical side of this issue as there are clearly standards and science behind this issue.

 

[AchingBack]

Ammonia and water in a spray bottle. Cheap and easy. Follow the directions on the jug. I get mine at the dollar store.

 

[LRH]

Most of the purple type ( strong alkali ) cleaners will remove grease, but as Ductape states, it will dull/etch paint. No need to get expensive, just some diluted purple type on a rag, then rinse with water hose, not pressure washer. I like EB1 GUNK original better, basically just mineral spirits with an emulsifying agent to make it water rinseable, and it leaves a very thin film behind that doesn't attract dust. Some of the grease fitting manufacturers sell rubber grease fitting caps, with or without retaining tethers, if those can't be found; vacuum caps work ok. In the old days of straight enamels, farmers used to wash/wipe down the complete tractor iron/sheetmetal with kerosene, kept the tractors looking newer for longer.

 

[Egon]

Do any and all of the above but wear a pair of coveralls when around the tractor. After leaving the area of the tractor and at least 20 feet away you can remove the coveralls, head protection as well as your footwear and you pass the grease free test as long as you keep your hands off everything!

 

[Conservation]

I use brake clean a lot, but you have to be careful with your eyes, and paint.

I have also modified how I grease. I used to pump until it oozed out thinking that it pushes out dirt. Now I just do a couple pumps in the smaller cavities and call it good. You can hear and feel when it is about full. I clean off the zerk before and after greasing with a rag.

 

[RWolf]

When I do a general cleaning I use dawn in a bucket (strong solution) with my power washer. I do a low pressure rinse so I don't spread an globs of grease where I don't want them. For spot cleaning I use 95% alcohol in a spray bottle.

 

[mwb]

As a kid I worked at an equipment rental yard; we used a product called Crownite 500 and it worked very well. Just spray it on with a fruit tree sprayer and let soak for a few minutes; pressure wash and the machine was spotless.
I have tried to find a source of it it but no joy. I could certainly use it on my tractor.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I use Gunk concentrated degreaser mixed 50:50 with kerosene. Let it soak for 10 minutes then hose off or pressure wash

 

[IslandTractor]

I continue to be amazed at the variety of approaches people have for degreasing or cleaning their tractors.

I expect we will soon hear from the Shammie Wow guy.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I expect we will soon hear from the Shammie Wow guy.

You know we can't do this all day