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OT: CRC brake cleaner - safe on rubber bellows / rubber accordian, plastic , acrylic?

Spud

Diamond
Joined
Jan 12, 2006
Location
Brookfield, Wisconsin
Need to clean some machines. Mostly raw metal or painted metal, but some plastic parts, acrylic and rubber bellows and washers.

CRC Brake clean is safe to use ? Product Data Sheet and Safety Data Sheet is not saying what materials to NOT use on.

 
I know for a fact on certain plastics is does cause some deformation almost like a solvent
Not sure on what type of plastics but it has happened to me on other things
 
CRC pro series brake cleaner is tetrachloroethylene which is a nonflammable solvent. If you take your clothes to a dry cleaner in the USA this is what is most commonly used for fabric cleaning as it disolves body oil and many other organic compounds.

It is also used in paint remover and many other products.

It will attack some plastics. As you most likely don't know what type of plastics you are cleaning you need to test it on a small area.
 
I bought the regular / original CRC brake cleaner. Will it attack the paint on machine tools? Suppose I will have to test on a small spot to find out.
 
Mineral spirits. Or, most people don't realize the local coin operated car wash is an excellent starting point for cleaning an old, greasy machine. It uses organic water, with eco-friendly detergents, along with high pressure to remove paint and grease. Rest easy.....once you leave, the car wash attendants will carefully empty the drains using solar-powered pumps and run the dirty water through a series of filters after picking out any larger pieces with their hands. The debris is sent to a certified recycling center for re-use in things like animal and human food products and flavored condoms. The water is used to irrigate hemp plants, which are harvested and used to keep the populace as complacent as possible. It's the Life Cycle at work.
 
I would suggest a mixture of Simple Green, water, and isopropyl alcohol. I've used it for all kinds of things including vinyl siding and rubber parts and never had an issue.

One of the gentlest cleaners I know of is a 70/30 solution of isopropyl alcohol and deionized water. This was what was listed on the lab wipes we used for general cleaning including computer keyboards and various instruments and surfaces. I believe the 70% isopropyl alcohol from CVS is pretty close.
 
For rubber, only Kalrez, Teflon, and Viton are safe from tetrachloroethylene. EPDM will immediately swell like crazy because it's a non-polar molecule. Only the fluoronated polymers tolerate it. Now that I'm thinking about that, Fluorosilicone does OK, but you probably aren't looking to spray brake cleaner at anything made from fluorosilicone.

For plastics, polyethylene is listed as "immediate damage" and I can tell you acetal will not like it because it's chlorine.
 
I have mineral spirits, simple green, denatured alcohol, acetone, lacquer thinner, goo gone.

Anyone have experience with Zep's industrial purple degreaser or their heavy duty citrus degreaser?

On the Purple degreaser, the container states it is for " heavy machinery, tools, engine parts "


 
New formulation non chlorinated CRC does not clean for beans. May as well use Cool aid
The old Chlorinated stuff eats some plastics and rubbers and in some cases paint.
It's also dangerous to weld on anything cleaned with old formulation CRC, creates a dangerous gas.
 
Hot water pressure washer..... I do understand the fear or water, but its just so easy with a hot water pressure washer.
 
not entirely sure what it was, but after my wife washed my trousers with my flip phone in them my uncle gave me a spray can of "cleaner/ water displacer" and said to give it a good spray. So I did. Then my phone literally disintegrated into two large pieces and lots of small pieces.

Not a super helpful anecdote for sure, but from that point on I am very careful what I spray on what. I didn't even like that phone, but I liked have to buy a new one even less.
 
I do agree with using a pressure washer. My Lathe and mill were both cleaned this way. Do it on a hot summer day and the water will be gone fast. Also after washing, spray WD40 everywhere. Any of the important electronics are hidden out of way and won't get wet.
 








 
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