Best cleaning solutions

[ratski]

I've seen and heard that Simple Green is a good cleaning solution for guns and parts.

I've also heard about carb cleaner blasting carbon off of parts.

If you had a really, really dirty gun with caked on carbon, what would you use?

Dave

 

[_CY_]

Simple green or most any water based degreaser will work fine.
hot soapy water work great too ....

don't forget a tooth brush... simple green will chemically clean metal so it's necessary to protect bare metal with some type of lube film.

here's a link to my cleaning tutorial for deep cleaning a 1911... same principal will work on most guns.
http://www.okshooters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59760

 

[KurtM]

Diesel fuel, let it soak, give it a scrub blow off with compressed air. Use nitrile glove and a resperator of course. No need to oil afterwards to preserve the metal cause it has oil in in it. You still need to oil for function of course.

 

[Ronk]

You have to be careful with Simple Green on some finishes. Mainly Aluminum, Nickel and anything anodized. It can surely strip the anodizing and cause aluminum to oxidize. I've been using Ed's Red and it does a decent job on carbon if you allow it to soak for awhile or run it through a cycle or two in my Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner with some Ed's Red in it. I then use some hard plastic picks to help scrap it off without hurting the finish.

 

[gsarg]

Eezox, BF CLP, Hoppes 9

 

[mr.haney]

If you decide to use simple green let me save you some time and money.Go to the dollar store and buy some extra strength mean green.Best all purpose cleaner I have ever used.I have cleaned everything from grime encrusted lawn mowers to car parts.Spray on let set a few minutes and rinse off,works great.

 

[CATM]

If you want to spend a couple of bucks I'd recommend Barrett's Bore Cleaner. It works great at dissolving copper/carbon.
http://www.barrettrifles.com/Store/product/Heavy-Bore-Cleaner-16oz,84,77.htm

 

[Warhatchet]

I use Hoppes 9, works great, but mine aren' usually that bad.
--Warhatchet

 

[tyromeo55]

Break free makes a "Foaming Bore Cleaner " that is fantastic. Kind of expensive but worth it

 

[dennishoddy]

Kroil oil is awesome to clean a gun. Its a highly distallated penetrating oil that can penetrate to .0000001 of an inch.
Its been recomended by many gun mags and gunsmiths not associated with gun mags.