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Cleaning that oil from the belly, what to keep around?

Rookie

Rookie

Registered User
WA
I'm trying to figure out what I want to keep in my hangar to use to keep my bird clean-ish. Candidates are:

Inexpensive citrus cleaner (without perfume and dye, I hope):
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=76204&catid=33265&trx=GFI-0-PLP

Gallon of concentrated "310" Alkaline Cleaner from the folks who make paint:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/neworderform.php?cmd=add&p=310-1G&q=1

Other suggestions?

I just want something to help clean the oil off the belly and the bugs off the leading edges.
 
The only experience I have is from washing Jeff Jones' bird. He uses an engine de-greaser such as Gunk on the belly oil. I think he uses a car wash soap (possibly mcguires car shampoo would be good) on the wings. Additionally he uses a super mild abrasive nylon sponge on the bugs. think similar to one of those loofah sponges that some people use in the shower. Hopefully he'll see this and provide a better answer, but I hope this helps.
 
Rookie,
I use "Oil Eater" from Costco. It's a biodegradable orange-based degreaser. It's affordable, works great, and it's clear. I've never had to scrub. It comes with a spray bottle taped to a 1-gallon jug. Mist it on, hose it off.
SB
 
oil n bugs

I use nothing but 409. It can be purchased in 1 gallon jugs at SAMS club or Wal Mart. Works really well on the oil n not too bad on the bugs. Here in MN. we have plenty of them. After cleaning with 409, I rinse with water and then apply a coat of pledge. Its quick n easy. The pledge makes it easier to clean next time n also leaves a nice shine, I even use it on the windows n wind shield.
 
Cleaners

Be careful of high alkalinity cleaners such as 409 or Simple Green on aluminum. Probably ok on fabric but definitely has proven to be corrosive on aluminum
 
Back when I was working at a cargo air carrier in high school, we found that Armorall had a good soap for use on the CASAs, 402s and 207s we were running. Shined them up all purty. As stated earlier all cleaners (not just the high alkaline) should be completely removed.

Bill
 
belly stuff

I buy cans of charcoal lighter fluid, which is just naptha,(stoddard solvent) and cuts everything petroleum-ish. Then it takes 409 to clean up the remaining traces. Simple Green tends to leave a film of something behind, so I quit using it. Bugs on the leading edge are waxy, so Pledge and a mild abrasive pad(nylon) works well. The remedy in wet climates is to wipe them off in the mornings after they have absorbed a load of dew and softened....not practical in the desert.
 
I use Simple Green, It also does a great job on that exhaust residue that accumulates on the gear legs and boot cowel.
 
Simple Green purportedly attacks/corrodes bare aluminum. I have no personal experience with this, other than I've been told not to use it before.
 
for the belly the best stuff is the orange hand cleaner. avoid the pumice ones but if you use them just be careful not to rub too hard. add some water to your hands and a gob of cleaner and wipe around , then wipe off with a cloth or blue shop rag. works like a charm and doesn't mess up your hands. rinsing helps too.
it is best not to use pledge or anything else with silicone in it on fabric. for the leading edges wax with pure canuba wax from meguires or mothers. make sure it isn't the cleaner wax.
the secret to getting the bugs off is to wet them and wait ten minutes. after they are softened they come off easily.
for those that have them encrusted, add a little meat tenderizer to the water. this breaks them down and off they go. remember to wait and let it work.
 
I use mineral spirits or naptha to get the heavier oil films off, then a mild household cleaner to remove the remaining oil film. Never needed anything abrasive, let the cleaner do the work.
Wilbur
 
I believe it was Aviation Consumer that did a test on belly cleaners and then wrote a great article on the results. The hands down winner in their test was Tomar. A cleaner cut 50% with water. I bought some and it is the best I've found. Mix it in a spray bottle, 50/50, spray it on let it sit for 30 seconds and the grease melts off. In the test they also researched the chemical and found it to be noncorrosive. Goood Luck
 
I use it but most people don't follow any advise that I give, so with that warning given, try WD40. Works fast and good. Follow up with pledge or a simple kit type of wax and your done, no mess.

Good Luck,

Jeff
 
In reality, if you guys had seen my Cub, you would see that when given the choice of cleaning, or flying I've been flying. Maybe this winter the weather will force me to take the time to give it it's first thorough bath. Actually I think my cub is really happy being dirty, like a dog that loves to roll on dead animals and cow shit.
 
After I washed my cub this summer, I waxed it with carnuba wax (makes it smell real nice, too). I waxed just the leading edges, gear legs and covers, and the cowling (wasn't ambitious enough to do the whole plane).

After flying, I clean it off with some dish soap (like Ajax or Palmolive) mixed in a spray bottle with water (very little soap, otherwise it gets foamy and hard to wipe off) and paper towels. Mineral spirits helps if the belly gunk doesn't come off with the soap and water.

Anne.
 
Hmmm, that's interesting.

What I've always heard, is that people who do professional car detailing, use dish soap to remove the carnuba wax... No harm, but your wax might be gone. "Dawn" has been mentioned to me as a brand that cleans without harm. It's too thick to spray on. I used to use Simple Green on my old spam can, but stopped when I heard about the corrosion issue (not that it made a difference for that airplane).

I ended up buying some of the stuff Costco has on stewartb's recommendation. I can't remember if it's really called "Oil Eater", but I'd guess that's right. It came in a gallon jug, with a handy spray bottle attached. Seems to work great. I don't know if it cuts carnuba wax...

-->Aaron
 
Any alkaline based cleaner (Dawn, Ivory, etc.) will remove all trace of wax including carnuba in one wash. It is what detailers use for doing so.

Anything you wax and leave outside will have virtually nothing left on it after 30 Days, the Sun just melts it off.

For a show quality shine, that really lasts, and is easy to apply, I like the Zaino Products. www.zainobros.com

A plus on dark colors is that you don't get the white residue around rivets screws, lap joints etc.
 
Sporty's sells Carbon X which works great on the belly. If used often you just spray it on with a squirt bottle and hose it off. If let build up a creeper and rag to agitate it works real well.
 
Would plain water take the bugs off without removing the wax? And does dish soap take off only carnuba wax, or any kind of wax?

Anne.
 
Anne,
I've learned that the best time to get them off is right when you land (if you can) or if it's been out over night and there's dew on the wings. Both ways the bugs can still be soft and water will do it. Some people I know use Pledge furniture polish. I use Meguiar's #34, or Wizards final detailers. Like pledge they have a higher lubricity than water. They also leave you with a high gloss slippery surface, and don't remove the wax. If that doesn't take em off, I use Sparkle cleaner, unlike Windex, it doesn't contain amonia. I use these same products on the plexiglass, and never use paper towels (only teri cloth).
Bill Rusk cleaned the 185 windshield with car wax before a trip, and it was super clear and next time the bugs came off quick.
Wilbur
 
I have allowed the exhaust soot to remain on the belly of my 180 too long, and it has discolored the white poly finish. Have tried hand cleaner, mineral spirits, turpentine, gasoline, and maybe a couple of others. Looking for something to remove it, but fear it may have actually penetrated the finish, and will have to be stripped, and repainted. Somebody told me to try acetone. Another suggested Jet-A. Does anybody have any experience with these, or others.
 
Ron,
If by 180 you mean a metal airplane, and by poly you mean polyurethane paint, you can buff it out with a mild abrasive polish and a low-speed buffer. Any auto paint supplier will have the right stuff.
SB
 
ron,

for really tough stuff use castrol super clean. you should dilute it and wear gloves. but it will take it all off and not the paint. make sure you rinse it clean as the stuff is powerful. first try the orange hand cleaner, it works.
 
Go Jo hand cleaner works well on the oil and grime , the Castrol Superclean will get most stains out but you have to be careful when using it full strength. A generic brand spin off "Purple Power" is the same product and a little cheaper. A product called "Wash Wax" is good for cleaning where you have no water available. The bugs come off the leading edge easier with regular use.
 
Anne

Yes the dish soaps will remove ANY kind of wax. If you want a soap that will not remove wax get one of the special Car Wash Soaps that are made by one of the Polish Mfg. like Zaino Brotheres, Meguires, Etc.

Frank
 
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