Grease - How do you get it off

[SPYDERLK]

A cloth moistened with a little diesel fuel removes grease easily. If the diesel fuel odor is a problem, deodorized kerosene works just as well.

Take some care when disposing of the wet (and now greasy) cloth since it is flammable.

Lou Braun

I try to conserve. Just enuf grease to extrude new stuff to the outer edges of the joint. The old stuff forms a dirt cake and eventually falls off at the extreme periphery. Not messy. No wasteful solvent cleanup. I think the old dried up grease donut helps seal the joint.
larry

 

[Glowplug]

I try to conserve. Just enuf grease to extrude new stuff to the outer edges of the joint. The old stuff forms a dirt cake and eventually falls off at the extreme periphery. Not messy. No wasteful solvent cleanup. I think the old dried up grease donut helps seal the joint.
larry

What he said.

 

[Harry c]

DO NOT USE SYNTHETIC GREASE!!!
If you have any intention of keeping your tractor relatively clean, do not use synthetic grease! It is completely waterproof and resistant even to steam cleaning. I ran out of regular grease once and hit my loader with one shot of synthetic in each bearing. The next time I tried to clean the tractor, the stuff ended up smeared and blobbed everywhere and was almost impossible to get off! Took about 3 hours to clean the machine using a variety of soaps, solvents and vigorous language.

Normally, I wipe off the big chunks with a finger and clean up the rest with Diesel fuel and a rag. I wipe down my grease gun with a fuel dampened rag after each use. I can grease the tractor without getting dirty. Learned that back when I sat on one all day every day. Makes the day more comfortable if you're not covered with crud.

By the way, I use the synthetic grease on Seadoos, outdoor electrical connections and anything else I want to waterproof.

 

[DieselPower]

DO NOT USE SYNTHETIC GREASE!!!
If you have any intention of keeping your tractor relatively clean, do not use synthetic grease! It is completely waterproof and resistant even to steam cleaning. I ran out of regular grease once and hit my loader with one shot of synthetic in each bearing. The next time I tried to clean the tractor, the stuff ended up smeared and blobbed everywhere and was almost impossible to get off! Took about 3 hours to clean the machine using a variety of soaps, solvents and vigorous language.

Normally, I wipe off the big chunks with a finger and clean up the rest with Diesel fuel and a rag. I wipe down my grease gun with a fuel dampened rag after each use. I can grease the tractor without getting dirty. Learned that back when I sat on one all day every day. Makes the day more comfortable if you're not covered with crud.

By the way, I use the synthetic grease on Seadoos, outdoor electrical connections and anything else I want to waterproof.

Being synthetic has nothing to do with it's water resistance. Additives are used in grease (conventional or synthetic) to make them water resistant.

 

[BTI]

We use the cheap engine degreaser from the local parts store.
Use a can to hit the bad spots, walk away for awhile then hit it again.
Then hit it with pressure washer.
Works pretty good.

BTI

 

[GaryM]

I've purchased a tube of soy based grease but not yet used it. Has anyone switched to soy based grease?

 

[firefighter9208]

I've purchased a tube of soy based grease but not yet used it. Has anyone switched to soy based grease?

Just remember that different types of grease are not compatible. When changing types of grease you are supposed to completely clean out the bearing, spindle, fitting, or whatever your greasing...


Chris

 

[stevevdw]

Plastic scraper & rag for the big globs so I don't blow them all over the tractor. Then I use some engine brite degreaser to soak a little & clean off with the pressure washer supplied with hot water. Then re-grease to push the water out of the areas just washed. Most of the time I just scrape off the blobs & leave the rest there since I don't like exposing the paint to solvents if I can avoid it. It is a tool after all.

 

[Ronbo]

Simple Green. The best thing (almost) on earth. I use it on my clothes to get grease out, I use on my hands, I use it on vehicle parts. It is also biodegradable. Buy the large bottle and dilute it with water.

Clean Ron

 

[PineRidge]

Simple Green. The best thing (almost) on earth. I use it on my clothes to get grease out, I use on my hands, I use it on vehicle parts. It is also biodegradable. Buy the large bottle and dilute it with water.

Clean Ron

hahahahahaha

Every time I hear of yet another use for Simple Green I gotta laugh. Bob_Skurka has found the best use for the stuff. Maybe he'll jump in here and intercede.

 

[charlz]

There is a degreaser called Purple Power or somesuch that I get at the motorcycle store, works like a champ, don't really even need the power washer just a hose with a nozzle will work. I have seen a similarly named/colored cleaner at Walmart in gallon jugs but I am not sure it is the same/works as well.

Charles

 

[charlz]

Oh, and to help get it out of your clothes... pour a can of coke in the washer along with the detergent. It actually works, used to do it with my work coveralls all the time. Something to do with the acid in there helping to breakdown the grease. Probably not going to make your whites perfectly white again but sure helps with the work clothes.

 

[higgy]

for grease on clothes and most other things that I have found there is a product sold at costco called grease eater. It is an amazing product, it will remove most anything that has a grease component to it.

 

[higgy]

Stoddard solvent is a colorless, flammable liquid that smells and tastes like kerosene. It will turn into a vapor at temperatures of 150 to 200ｰ C. Stoddard solvent is a petroleum mixture that is also known as dry cleaning safety solvent, petroleum solvent, and varnoline; its registered trade names are Texsolve Sｮ and Varsol ｮ.

White Gas is a slang name for unleaded Gas produced by Amoco Gas Co.

They are hardly the same but probably still not a good idea to spray any flammable liquid under press.

just use Stoddard solvent on a shp towel and wipe would be my suggestion.

Sorry been outta town for a few days. Yes stoddard is a product that you want to be careful with, as are all degreasers, not all are flammable, but some are carcinogens etc. I would suggest that a person should know all of the properties of chemicals that they use, however, I should have stated the flammability in my original post.

Get the MSDS for any chemical that you use, the supplier is obligated to give it to you on request. By the way there is a very warped side of me that asks the likes of home depot and lowes etc to give me an MSDS when I buy a product there. The mayhem starts at that point.

 

[Solo]

I agree with Ron on the Simple Green, but I never dilute it.

Solo

 

[_RaT_]

This not a problem to me. When I brush against grease on the tractor I wipe it off of myself. The grease on the tractor belongs there.
larry

I thought you answered this question the best. I leave my grease there right up to the point I sell the tractor, then what my clothes didn't get, I wipe off all nice and pretty with shop paper towels. It takes time, but is does look good. With compacts, grease, grease grease, they need it with the small diameter pins and bushings, they wear quickly. You will spend as much time cleaning grease as you do on the tractor if you grease like I did. Similar to a helicopter maintenance shecdule.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Just wanted to throw this in. I use what professional painters use before they paint. Wax and grease remover, works great, doesn't hurt the finish and requires very little to clean up a fair size mess.