What's best readily available product to clean plane belly?

stevenhmiller

stevenhmiller

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Steve's Archer
I have to clean the belly of my plane. It's pretty dirty. What's the best, readily available product to do this? I just want something I can spray on, let it work a bit and wipe it off. Something I can easily pickup in Walmart or an automotive store, that isn't expensive, but does the job well.

I've heard things like a gallon of WD40 (not readily available in gallon size), or a mixture of Dawn dish soap and water.

Looking for good, cheap, easy ideas.
 
I'd be interested in hearing responses too as I am in the same boat. Simple green is alright but I would like something a little stronger.
 
100LL...and a couple of dry rags. My Bo looks squeaky clean.

Oh....and when rolling around on you're back....there's a cleaner dispenser at each wing root. :D
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
100LL...and a couple of dry rags. My Bo looks squeaky clean.

Oh....and when rolling around on you're back....there's a cleaner dispenser at each wing root. :D
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I thought about the 100LL, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Cheap enough, compared to the WD40.
 
The type of Gojo hand cleaner without the pumice works well. Wipe it on, wipe it off. Quick, easy, and available at any auto parts store or Walmart, etc. Plus since it's thick, it doesn't drip all over you quite as easily.
 
personally I use a degreaser called Oil Eater sprayed on with a trigger spray bottle and follow it with soap and water with a soft wash brush on a broom handle and a good hose rinsing. The oil crud rinses right off including around rivet heads and inspection panel seams.

Dawn dish soap is an excellent degreaser for light jobs. Put a squirt on a wet rag and wipe oil off. once cleaned follow it with a rinse rag.
 
Rich Wellner, who frequent participant on this site, sells a product called Budda belly. I've yet to see anything work better on grease.
 
I use White Gas (it is Touluene), aka Coleman fuel. It cleans like gasoline without the fumes. It is used as a degreaser in shops for that reason. I use the old Tshirts that are dirty from bug removal. Then I wipe it down with a damp cloth. Getting the bottom cleaned seems to require a degreaser which means something petroleum based. Toululene is a petroleum distillate.
 
Gunk engine brite, spray on, hit with broom handle brush, rinse off. 10 minutes MAX and no writhing on the ground.

Has been used on polished aluminum engine parts for decades.
 
I use a cleaner called Awesome. I get it at dollar general for about $3. a half gallon or so. Spray on wipe off. Works great. I rinse afterward, but it is supposed to be aluminum safe.
 
Scrubbing Bubbles is/was popular in the Cirrus community.

There is a "Caution" not to use it on painted surfaces, but used quick on/quick off did not seem to have any ill effects.
 
FastEddieB said:
Scrubbing Bubbles is/was popular in the Cirrus community.

There is a "Caution" not to use it on painted surfaces, but used quick on/quick off did not seem to have any ill effects.
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Yeah, I think I'll pass on this one...
 
RussR said:
The type of Gojo hand cleaner without the pumice works well. Wipe it on, wipe it off. Quick, easy, and available at any auto parts store or Walmart, etc. Plus since it's thick, it doesn't drip all over you quite as easily.
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This. Smear it on with paper towels. Liberally. Use the entire tub. Let it be while you wash the rest of the airplane. Come back and hit the belly with a brush after you're done with everything else. It's not corrosive at all. Be careful with cleaners like engine brite, awesome & scrubbing bubbles, they're all corrosive on aluminum to varying degrees (I've tested them all). Be careful using gas...regular or white...unless you don't mind blowing yourself up.
 
Engine Brite is harmless to aluminum. That's why car owners with polished aluminum manifolds have been using it for a half century.
 
kgruber said:
Engine Brite is harmless to aluminum. That's why car owners with polished aluminum manifolds have been using it for a half century.
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It etches aluminum and makes it nice and shiny. That's why car owners with (thick, cast) polished aluminum manifolds have been using it for a half century. Soak a piece of (thin)aluminum skin in it for a week and get back to me with your findings. o_O
 
RussR said:
The type of Gojo hand cleaner without the pumice works well. Wipe it on, wipe it off. Quick, easy, and available at any auto parts store or Walmart, etc. Plus since it's thick, it doesn't drip all over you quite as easily.
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THAT ^

Works great, find it anywhere and it's completely safe.
 
FastEddieB said:
Scrubbing Bubbles is/was popular in the Cirrus community.

There is a "Caution" not to use it on painted surfaces, but used quick on/quick off did not seem to have any ill effects.
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I thought cirrus were dish washer safe?
 
My boyfriend who is the most particular person in the world when it comes to washing his cars sometimes uses a waterless wash concentrate by Ultima. It's great for getting grease loosened up and it's cheap, too. I have yet to find a reason why it wouldn't be safe for the airplane so I'll be trying it out the next time I have the chance. Works fantastically as a quick detailer on the car, that's for sure.
 
Put me in the Gojo without pumice camp, works incredibly well.
 
Tried the Gojo a couple times, not so impressed with the bang for the buck. My aircraft detailer suggested LA's Totally Awesome concentrate from the Dollar Store (even has an aircraft mixture ratio listed). Works very well, about twice as satisfied with it compared to Gojo.
 
Gojo: Messy to apply. Messy to remove. Leaves a coating. Not a fan.
 
WD-40 in the "fogger" spray can. Can be had at any auto parts, and probably Wally-World as well. Just spray on, and wipe off.
1 can will do a typical piston single, with quite a bit left over.
 
172andyou said:
Gojo: Messy to apply. Messy to remove. Leaves a coating. Not a fan.
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Any good cleaning job is going to be messy.


Apples to oranges

It's like comparing that all-in-one car wash spray on soap/wax that hooks to a garden hose, to a real hand wash, dry and insulating 845 wax job.

You want it done right, you're going to get dirty and you're going to break a sweat.
 
Goop hand cleaner. Home Depot carries it.
 
I would love top use kerosene to clean the belly of my plane, which is readily available in the market.
 
I use mineral spirits and it works better than anything. I put a fait amount on a rag and wipe on while buffing off with a clean dry rag. I can clean my entire belly in 5 minutes and have it looking perfect. I just lay on a creeper.
Most mechanics use varsol to clean engines, firewalls etc. Mineral spirits is about the same but very easy to get.
 
Clean an airplane? My airport had the one wash rack removed and the permission /compliance to get a new one was looking at a price tag in the tens of thousands. Idiots.
 
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