Best cleaner for belly oil

flykelley

flykelley

Pre-takeoff checklist
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flykelley
Hi Guys
What is the best product to clean the oil off the belly of a plane? I belong to a club with two planes and we have a wash & wax twice a year. New operations officer and he doesn't remember what we use to use. The stuff he bought just sort of smeared the oil more than cut it. I have heard of using simple green, mineral spirits. Just looking for a good product to cut the oil and save time.


Thanks Mike
 
Go-Jo hand cleaner...non-pumice of course.

1. Smear it on the belly w/ a wad of paper towels.
2. Wash the plane and let the belly "soak"
3. Wash the belly last.
Done

Don't use any cleaner that hasn't proven non corrosive to aluminum. Simple Green doesn't pass the test (aviation simple green is OK though). Purple degreaser will EAT A HOLE in piece of aluminum skin soaked in it for a week.
 
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And like Harpo said, the creeper makes it much easier. It typically takes a full tub of Go-Jo for each wash...about a $1 at your local discount or automotive store.
 
SIMPLE-GREEN-SMP13412.jpg
 
Mineral spirits works fine on the oil but doesn't do much for the exhaust residue.

Use clean cotton rags rather than paper towels though...

I do tell anybody that uses 100LL around me that I save myself and my equipment before calling fire dept for them. :hairraise:
 
Clark1961 said:
Mineral spirits works fine on the oil but doesn't do much for the exhaust residue.

Use clean cotton rags rather than paper towels though...

I do tell anybody that uses 100LL around me that I save myself and my equipment before calling fire dept for them. :hairraise:
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100LL is very similar to Naphtha. Like any solvent when used correctly should pose no safety concern.

I keep a plastic spray bottle, and when I sump the tanks pour it into the spray bottle to use as a cleaner and degreaser.
 
Rotor&Wing said:
100LL is very similar to Naphtha. Like any solvent when used correctly should pose no safety concern.

I keep a plastic spray bottle, and when I sump the tanks pour it into the spray bottle to use as a cleaner and degreaser.
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Atomized gas out of a spray bottle.:hairraise: All it takes is one spark.

We each make our own choices in life. Choose wisely my friend.
 
Clark1961 said:
Atomized gas out of a spray bottle.:hairraise: All it takes is one spark.
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Seems to me brake cleaner or carb cleaner will be the same amount of fun with that spark.

BTW: Carb cleaner makes great bee killer. Knocks them down in mid flight.
 
I use mineral spirits in a spray bottle. YMMV.

Need to try the GoJo method - I like that stuff.
 
Steve Foley said:
Seems to me brake cleaner or carb cleaner will be the same amount of fun with that spark.
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Yep, along with a host of other commercially available solvents.

Even hair spray, spray on deodorant will make a nice flame when a spark is added.

You just have to be smart enough in using any product.:rolleyes:
 
Aircraft_Belly_Cleaner_GP.jpg


LA Totally Awesome is a bit cheaper and safe to use on aluminum

Product_FRT_%20Images_Degreasers.jpg


I use them both. I like the Belly Wash more because it leaves a wet look finish and you don't need to rinse it afterwards.
 
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Paint the bottom of the plane to match the oil color. :D
 
Rotor&Wing said:
100LL is very similar to Naphtha. Like any solvent when used correctly should pose no safety concern.

I keep a plastic spray bottle, and when I sump the tanks pour it into the spray bottle to use as a cleaner and degreaser.
Click to expand...

try adding equal parts of detergent and water, shake well, then spray, it will then rinse every thing off with water .

old fuel truck driver trick.
 
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Steve Foley said:
Seems to me brake cleaner or carb cleaner will be the same amount of fun with that spark.

BTW: Carb cleaner makes great bee killer. Knocks them down in mid flight.
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Hey, I used to do that stuff. Gasoline in the squirt can for flying insects and cleaning. We used to wash tools in gasoline every evening. Not any more. Ever know someone who was burned that way? I do. Ever been on fire yourself? I have been singed by a gas well fire, really lucky it wasn't more serious. When I use mineral spirits, it's with a rag wetted straight from the container. Absolutely no spray application.
 
I don't wash the belly of my plane. Just use Mequiars cleaner wax on it. Wipe on, let it dry to a haze and hand buff it off. Get a clean belly and waxed at the same time. And there is nothing to run down your arm. The rags end up really dirty.

Barb
 
One Short said:
I don't wash the belly of my plane. Just use Mequiars cleaner wax on it. Wipe on, let it dry to a haze and hand buff it off. Get a clean belly and waxed at the same time. And there is nothing to run down your arm. The rags end up really dirty.

Barb
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And here I thought you just used the tops of the pines to scrub it clean :D
 
images


When it's really oily I use this. It also makes the hair soft :D
 
timwinters said:
I can't say for certain...but I seriously doubt that engine bright would pass the corrosion test.

Soak a piece of aluminum skin in it for a week and let us know what you find.
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Well I don't soak the aircraft in it for weeks, I spray it on and wash it off, And if the paint is off the aluminum I repair it as it should be.

The only aircraft I see that have corrosion problems are the ones not getting washed and cared for as they should be.

Every one blames the cleaner for the corrosion, when in fact it leaves the surface too clean and exposes the surface to the elements.

but no one remembers what you should do after you wash the aircraft.

OBTW,,,,,, foamy engine bright does leave a oily film, very much like WD 40.
 
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pilot_dude said:
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When it's really oily I use this. It also makes the hair soft :D
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But does it make your airplane more manageable? Maybe that would improvie my landings...:D

John
 
One Short said:
Sage gives the plane a nice smell! and antelope hair buffs the belly up real shiny. Just watch out for the antlers, they can nick a prop.
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I'm thinkin' you and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to sage. Flowering sage makes me sneeze more than pine pollen and that stuff is bad enough.
 
But the problem is that many chemicals are "penetrating" and you can't rinse it out from between the skins at the lap joints due to the surface tension of water. That's why soaking a piece of skin for a week in a proposed cleaner is a valid test and was used by the military IIRC.
Tom-D said:
Well I don't soak the aircraft in it for weeks, I spray it on and wash it off, And if the paint is off the aluminum I repair it as it should be.

The only aircraft I see that have corrosion problems are the ones not getting washed and cared for as they should be.

Every one blames the cleaner for the corrosion, when in fact it leaves the surface too clean and exposes the surface to the elements.

but no one remembers what you should do after you wash the aircraft.

OBTW,,,,,, foamy engine bright does leave a oily film, very much like WD 40.
Click to expand...
 
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One Short said:
Sage gives the plane a nice smell! and antelope hair buffs the belly up real shiny. Just watch out for the antlers, they can nick a prop.
Click to expand...

I don't always wash the belly of my plane, but when I do, I use lemon trees.

Oops! Wrong thread.
 
Clark1961 said:
We used to wash tools in gasoline every evening. Not any more. Ever know someone who was burned that way?
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I responded on a guy who had been using gasoline as a solvent. The gas soaked into his skin, and even after wiping down there was enough to ignite and they couldn't get it out.

I would use a solvent that is more volatile and will evaporate off, rather than stick around.
 
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