Review: Budda Belly vs Gojo

Sinistar

Sinistar

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Brad
TLDR Version: B+, better than Gojo

I've done the Gojo (no pumice) scrub the past 2 years. This year I thought I would try Budda Belly instead. So I changed the oil last weekend and then scrubbed the belly. I will definitely use this next time vs gojo. I think it could be a little better though.

Pros:
  • Much easier to apply. Just spray it on vs trying to grab the perfect sized "glop" of Gojo that will be enough to actually clean it but not so much that it falls right back on the floor or you.
  • It seems to break the heavier oil down quicker than gojo (but not fast enough).
  • It smells better
  • If it falls on the floor it doesn't seem to be quite as bad on the concrete. I can still see spots where some of the gojo fell onto the concrete the past 2 applications.
  • The smallest sized bottle seems to be enough for the piston single. Not sure if would be enough for a TBM Avenger LOL! I had about 1/4 left over from the smallest bottle.
  • A second pass half way through the year would be far less mess than another gojo scrub. I'll use the remainder of the bottle right before the annual in October.
Neutral:
  • Being much more viscous than gojo I was hoping that as it was sprayed on and wiped off there would be less residue around each rivet...nope...same as gojo.
  • I was hoping it might do better on the few deeper brown oil stains in the white paint - nope...same as gojo.
  • You will probably use about the same number of shop towels using either method.
  • Price.
Cons:
  • I wish it would break down the heavier oil quicker. It is marketed at being a great product for on thing: scrubbing oil off the plane's belly. With that I figured it would just mean give it a squirt or two, wait a few seconds and wipe it all off. In reality the heaviest spots required a first pass to get part of it and the second pass was enough to completely get it all.
  • The spray nozzle could be more practical given its #1 use...laying under a plane and spraying up. Eventually there isn't enough fluid in the bottle and you then have to start tilting it back upright again to get the last 1/3 or so out.
 
Thanks for the comparisons.

I wonder how WD40 compares? That’s all I’ve used the last 2 years of plane ownership and it seems to work fine. Just don’t have any other frame of reference. For me, it’s what’s available in stores and my garage, applies and wipes easily.

Safety tip - At first I thought the whitish stuff on my towels was oxidized paint, but realized it’s probably lead from the exhaust, since there’s more on the towel closer to the pipe. Wear disposable gloves or wash your hands well!
 
One of the A/Ps I've been working with recently introduced me to "WAG," a heavy duty alkaline degreaser he gets from truck stops and various other heavy machinery type places. AMAZING stuff, and it doesn't seem to harm paint...but stings like blazes if you get it in a cut in your hands. Dissolves the worst caked-on greasy gunk almost instantly. Want to try it on my plane's belly soon.
 
I haven't dared try using WD40 yet. When I see what it does to rusty bolts I figured it was maybe to harsh and wasn't sure if it would get in around each rivet and do something unexpected. There is also the kerosene approach mentioned in another thread about this.
 
biplanebob said:
use caution with over the counter non-aviation cleaning products...some are corrosive to aluminum.
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This. Many touted the original Simple Green for years until someone with brain cells dropped a piece of aluminum in it for a couple of days.

Simple Green DOES now make an aviation version that doesn’t eat aluminum.

Do the test or find someone who has (or if you’re one of those people smarter than the rest of us, know your chemistry and read the MSDS), before you put it on an aircraft
 
Hot rodders have been using "Engine Brite" on their aluminum engines, manifolds and various parts for 75 years. Me....on airplanes........only 50. No corrosion.

It was the ONLY thing we used on the soot trails on the King Air for decades.

You hand cleaner washers must just like to suffer.
 
Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner is popular among Cirrus owners. Works well. The label says “Not For Use On Painted Surfaces”, but seems harmless if sprayed on and wiped right off.
 
denverpilot said:
This. Many touted the original Simple Green for years until someone with brain cells dropped a piece of aluminum in it for a couple of days.

Simple Green DOES now make an aviation version that doesn’t eat aluminum.

Do the test or find someone who has (or if you’re one of those people smarter than the rest of us, know your chemistry and read the MSDS), before you put it on an aircraft
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Exactly. We tested dozens of cleaners about a decade ago when I was associated with a pilots club in Harrison, AR. The results were eye opening. Engine Brite eats aluminum, as does simple green. Many other products, such as scrubbing bubbles aren't as bad, they simply etch the aluminum...still not acceptable though. The worst though was Castrol's Purple degreaser.

You might say "I put it on and hose it off, it doesn't have time to damage anything" But that's not true if any weeps into the seams of your skin. it'll likely sit there for days since the surface tension of water will not allow it to get into many seams to flush out the cleaner.

What I've found that works well on exhaust stains, etc., and that passes the test, is Awesome. A whopping $1 at Dollar General & Dollar Tree.
 
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kgruber said:
You hand cleaner washers must just like to suffer.
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I don't know what the big deal is. Get a tub of gojo, a big wad of paper towels, a floor creeper, and smear the entire tub on the belly...that takes maybe all of five minutes. Wash the rest of the airplane while the belly soaks in GoJo and then come back and hit the belly with a long handle brush at the end, done. Might have just a few exhaust spots to touch up with the aforementioned awesome cleaner.

I can't imagine any other cleaner being much easier than this. it's not like you scrub it on and scrub it off while laying on a creeper with all the crap falling in your face or anything like that. and if you're doing it that way, the above method is far far easier.
 
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timwinters said:
Exactly. We tested dozens of cleaners about a decade ago when I was associated with a pilots club in Harrison, AR. The results were eye opening. Engine Brite eats aluminum, as does simple green. Many other products, such as scrubbing bubbles aren't as bad, they simply etch the aluminum...still not acceptable though. The worst though was Castrol's Purple degreaser.

You might say "I put it on and hose it off, it doesn't have time to damage anything" But that's nott if any weeps into the seams of your skin. it'll likely sit there for days since the surface tension of water will not allow it to get into many seams to flush out the cleaner.

What I've found that works well on exhaust stains, etc., and that passes the test, is Awesome. A whopping $1 at Dollar General & Dollar Tree.
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Tim - what do you look for in the ingredients that tip you off it is corrosive for aluminum?
I was going to pick up a couple bottles of that spray and give it a try.
 
Jim_CAK said:
Tim - what do you look for in the ingredients that tip you off it is corrosive for aluminum?
I was going to pick up a couple bottles of that spray and give it a try.
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I don't.

I do "the military test" and that is to soak a piece of skin in straight cleaner for a week (or is it two??...I don't recall)* and see how it fares. And I use a old dull piece of skin, that way it's easy to see if the cleaner etches it.

Cleaners like scrubbing bubbles and simple green will etch the skin...it comes out nice and shiny!

Awesome slightly etches, so I use it very sparingly. (BTW, Aviation Simple Green does also...never fully trust something just because it says "aviation".)

GoGo does absolutely nothing.

Castrol Purple degreaser will literally eat a hole in the skin and what's left will be pitted and black.

Engine Brite is somewhere between Scrubbing Bubbles and Castrol.

Most of my tests are dated...10...12 years ago. Formulas may have changed so I would highly recommend that you test any of the above for yourself.

Just like all things in life, you can either educate yourself or take your chances and hope for the best!

*I was taught to fly by a full bird colonel who was retired from the army. He gave me the military test document as a guide when we did the testing a dozen years ago or so. Somewhere along the way though I've misplaced it, probably failed to copy it from an old computer to a new one. If anyone has it, I'd love to have a copy again!!
 
Hmmm.... 100LL in my fuel sample cup. Put a little on a paper shop towel and wipe on, wipe off. Takes the oil right off. I get about half the belly of my Tiger with one cup used sparingly.
 
I’ve used WD 40 and GoJo. Both worked great. I’m not keen on breathing and rubbing leaded fuel (dripping down on the applicator). Gonna try Awesome because, well $1...
 
TheFB said:
Gonna try Awesome because, well $1...
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Be forewarned, it's in very low-key packaging. It took me forever to find it the first time I bought some after being told about it. I looked right past it numerous times. But then again, I can't find milk in the frig either.

77910109-98AC-41CF-8B6C-9A847F36BC81.jpeg
 
Another thing that may be worth mentioning is...

Keep ALL cleaners away from windows. The cleaner my not be caustic to aluminum but that doesn't mean it won't haze/craze "plastic" over time.

Don't know how many times over the years I've watched folks cleaning fuel stains off of the bottom of their cessna's wings at the sumps and, in the process, they cover their side windows with overspray. Then they wonder why they can't see out of them after 4 or 5 years of that.
 
timwinters said:
Be forewarned, it's in very low-key packaging. It took me forever to find it the first time I bought some after being told about it. I looked right past it numerous times. But then again, I can't find milk in the frig either.

View attachment 76805
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Tim, I tried this product yesterday, worked really well especially given it was only $1. Thanks for the tip. And you were right about it being hard to find on the shelf. I found a cherry scented version before the clerk found it for me. The belly of our airplane was really filthy. The old engine was burning a quart in about 3 hours and then breaking in a new engine also contributed. I spent about 3 hours on just the belly and washed it thoroughly twice. Now to get it waxed - maybe tomorrow?
 
Buddha could be stronger, but it's not harsh like the other alkaline cleaners and is pH neutral so won't corrode. Anything alkaline causes corrosion. Aviation Simple Green has a pH of 11 - Buddha is 7! Buddha also has no petroleum distillates in it's formula, it's a citrus cutting agent and two surfactants so completely safe. If you have grime on the paint, use Buddha to wipe it down and then follow with Wing Wipe for shine. Don't spray any cleaner on a hot surface or you'll stain the paint!
 
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I wanted to use the Buddha belly I had bought, as it worked well in previous years. But when I went to get it I found all the liquid had leaked out of the cheap ass spray bottle they send it with and wound up on my hangar shelves. Took an hour to clean off. Wound up using WD40 as that was all I had. Washed it off good afterwards, so I doubt it'll be that bad. Still, don't leave anything you get form Pane Perfect in the spray bottle. The stuff will leak out and make a mess.
 
We've found that turning the spray nozzle off helps. In hot hangars the water will evaporate.
 
daboss said:
We've found that turning the spray nozzle off helps. In hot hangars the water will evaporate.
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Nozzle was off, stuff still leaked out and made a mess. Never seen that happen with any other spray bottle ever.
 
Yeah, that's odd. Send me an email to info@planeperfect.us and I'll send you some product. We're in the process of testing new sprayers now, that is an identified weak point for sure.
 
Kerosene baby! Cleans and polishes single stage paint in one quick and simple step... wipe on, buff off, everything is clean and polished, and no, no oily residue left for dust. Did a polish side by side with sprat wax, I’ll keep the kerosene...
 
steingar said:
Nozzle was off, stuff still leaked out and made a mess. Never seen that happen with any other spray bottle ever.
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I had the same thing happen with two bottles of PlanePerfect. It was in my plane in the hangar in a carrying case and had product spray/leak out. It was dried up in the bottom of my carrying case. Wasted product and was gone...
 
Used Gojo for years. It’s so easy. Wipe on with a shop towel starting at the nose. By time I get to the tail, it’s already broken down the stuff under the cowl. Wipe clean with the old T-shirt. Plus getting under the plane on a creeper gets me looking at the undercarriage components.

GOJO ORIGINAL FORMULA Hand Cleaner, Fragrance Free, 14 fl oz Crème Style Hand Cleaner Plastic Container - 1109-12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00065TSSO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_2KmvDbAMKQ80J
 
Gmonnig said:
Used Gojo for years. It’s so easy. Wipe on with a shop towel starting at the nose. By time I get to the tail, it’s already broken down the stuff under the cowl. Wipe clean with the old T-shirt. Plus getting under the plane on a creeper gets me looking at the undercarriage components.

GOJO ORIGINAL FORMULA Hand Cleaner, Fragrance Free, 14 fl oz Crème Style Hand Cleaner Plastic Container - 1109-12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00065TSSO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_2KmvDbAMKQ80J
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Is the original formula the pumice free Gojo? The Amazon page does not have much of a description.
 
Jim_CAK said:
Is the original formula the pumice free Gojo? The Amazon page does not have much of a description.
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Yep, its pumice free. The white jug with red lettering is the one you want. I normally get the big one thats 4.5lbs. It lasts about 2-3yrs of belly cleanings.
 
steingar said:
I wanted to use the Buddha belly I had bought, as it worked well in previous years. But when I went to get it I found all the liquid had leaked out of the cheap ass spray bottle they send it with and wound up on my hangar shelves. Took an hour to clean off. Wound up using WD40 as that was all I had. Washed it off good afterwards, so I doubt it'll be that bad. Still, don't leave anything you get form Pane Perfect in the spray bottle. The stuff will leak out and make a mess.
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My Eyes Outside did the same thing. My Adams sprayers and Griots sprayers don’t do it.
 
Well my new bottle of Buddha belly arrived in the mail the other day, so these fellows stand behind their products. I still think the wax is the Bee's knees, I've never seen a shine like that on anything.
 
Huckster79 said:
Kerosene baby! Cleans and polishes single stage paint in one quick and simple step... wipe on, buff off, everything is clean and polished, and no, no oily residue left for dust. Did a polish side by side with sprat wax, I’ll keep the kerosene...
Click to expand...

I sometimes mix Collinite with kerosene. Leaves a nice shine when buffed off.
 
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