Aircraft cleaning/detailing

kiloalpha

kiloalpha

Well-Known Member
What products work well on grease, aluminum "tearing/streaking", and of course bugs and oil stains? I'm looking at using Krud Kutter, from what the label says, it is safe on aluminum and painted metals. I know stuff like Simple Green is not aircraft safe, so what do you guys use to clean up your airplanes?
 
Krud Kutter is probably just OK on a/c grease/dirt/etc. We sell it where I work for paint prep, cleaning house dirt, etc. Back in my cleaning days, we used this... worked very well. I'd imagine it's not the cheapest stuff in the world, as it's designed for military use. I still have some at home that I use to clean the underbody of my car.

http://www.spraynine.ca/industrial/products/a_av-8.htm
 
n57flyguy said:
Bug n Tar, 100LL, 2+2, Fantastik, 409, Simple Green, and Carbon X are my favorites.
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In degreasing a cabin-class twin, I went through about 1 gallon of Krud Kutter, half a roll of paper towels, about 1/2 gallon of 100LL and quite a bit of Fantastik...

Worked out pretty good... got them nacelles all nice n shiny like... ready for more soot and oil!

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And to complete the detail:

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It thought you knew that Fantastik is the only cleaner approved by Al Smith and the Aero Design and Engineering Company. Now your wings are going to fall off.
 
I used bug and tar remover before oshkosh last year to clean the black off the belly of the cherokee 140 and it looked like new after I was done.
 
You know, at my last job, we just used windex, or for the really bad gunk, 409. Those seemed to work well enough. I wish I remembered what we used at my last line job, that stuff worked miracles.
 
TUCKnTRUCK said:
Simple green makes an aircraft safe version, called simple green aircraft... Works very well.
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Same product but costs twice as much because "aircraft" is in the name? Or is the same price as regular Simple Green?

I've used the orange oil based products with great success. Goo gone for the really bad stuff.
 
Pledge. At least it's safe for fabric. Be aware, however, that the chemical that gives Lemon Pledge its lemony smell is also a bee magnet... and the bees in the Southwest are Africanized. Ask me how I know.
 
STP makes a purple cleaner it it is really great. I cleaned planes for years (dooh!) with simple green and now I have a nasty allergic cough that shows up every time I use the crap.
 
StogieC said:
Same product but costs twice as much because "aircraft" is in the name? Or is the same price as regular Simple Green?

I've used the orange oil based products with great success. Goo gone for the really bad stuff.
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Simple green aircraft has additional corrosion inhibitors so that exposed aluminum won't corrode with exposure, it has been tested and passed Boeing and pratt/whittney safety requirements. It most def. Is not the same. I think it has a ph of -7.5 where as most cleaning products used have a -10 or greater... Almost like spraying hcl on your bare aluminum. Which, if you have severly corroded or gummed aluminum, a spray mix of hydochloric acid and water ( I use 50/50) will take anything off aluminum. Just make sure to wear a mask and goggles, and wash the spray off with less than a 5 minute sit time. Follow up with a corrosion inhibitor, or protective coating. Don't scrub the acid spray either, and use plenty of water to get it off. Also if you use hcl, don't let it run to storm drains or fresh water run off.
 
Blackhawk said:
Pledge. At least it's safe for fabric. Be aware, however, that the chemical that gives Lemon Pledge its lemony smell is also a bee magnet... and the bees in the Southwest are Africanized. Ask me how I know.
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pledge also works wonders for deicing light planes.. ( frost and stuff) not inches of clear.

And final note, wear a mask when spay applicating any of these degreasing cleaners. Inhalation will dammage membranes in your nose/ lungs and cause sensitivity, as Cody noted. Hcl will clear a stuffed nose instantly if you inhale the spray.
 
I had heard mention of WD40 for getting rid of the "greasy belly". I didn't believe it until I tried it....worked VERY, VERY well and was quite easy.
 
Celeste Industries makes an exterior/degreaser called SP-86000C that works great. Celeste makes chemicals for commercial aviation and goes through Aviall for GA.
 
I've always used Gojo without the abrasive to remove oil from the belly, hoppes #9 gun cleaner for exhaust, and polish with rejex. I pledge after every flight to maintain.

Brett
 
In addition to all the other suggestions so far, zep makes an airplane soap that works pretty good. Avgas for those really gunky spots. Right now we use a product called Sprayway to clean our plexiglass windows and it works great.
 
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