Acetone free brake/parts cleaner?

[JHZR2]

I was watching some European diy videos, and they had been using some aerosol parts cleaners. They are chlorine and acetone free. Looks like they’re mostly hexane maybe.

Does anyone know of such products that can be recommended for use in the USA? It seems that all non chlorinated brake cleaners used over here are primarily acetone with some other solvents mixed in.

Thanks!

 

[edhackett]

Check out electrical cleaners and gun scrubbers. I'm sure I seen some that meet your criteria. Unfortunately, I can't recall which ones at this point.

Ed

 

[Soft Cars]

Contact cleaner will be acetone free because electrical switches and sensors are usually plastic. I believe CRC makes two different kind.

 

[Boomer]

Hexane itself can be toxic.

 

[brianl703]

Does anyone know of such products that can be recommended for use in the USA? It seems that all non chlorinated brake cleaners used over here are primarily acetone with some other solvents mixed in.

Acetone is the ONE solvent that is exempt from almost all EPA regulations as a VOC.

 

[JHZR2]

Hexane itself can be toxic.

Most of these solvents can be/aren’t good to interact with.

I was really just interested because this was the recommended cleaner:

Rapid Cleaner | Brake & Parts Cleaner (Spray)

Makes assembly work easier, cleaner and safer. Removes oil, grease and dirt quickly and completely. Parts treated will be completely free of residues and fully degreased afterwards. Saves time and money and guarantees trouble-free repair work. Removes resin, oil and grease residues. Has...

www.liqui-moly.com

https://pim.liqui-moly.de/pdf/en_US/liqui/46/P000544

Acetone is the ONE solvent that is exempt from almost all EPA regulations as a VOC.

Of course. Couldn’t unpaint finger and toenails unless we can have acetone…

 

[RooflessVW]

This is what I use:

ITWProBrands

www.itwprobrands.com

 

[Snagglefoot]

I was watching some European diy videos, and they had been using some aerosol parts cleaners. They are chlorine and acetone free. Looks like they’re mostly hexane maybe.

Does anyone know of such products that can be recommended for use in the USA? It seems that all non chlorinated brake cleaners used over here are primarily acetone with some other solvents mixed in.

Thanks!

Yep, just to confirm your observation, in the USA and Canada, the Chlorinated cleaners have no acetone but are a no-no in California and Canada. The non-chlorinated cleaners have acetone. Not sure about non chlorinated with no acetone.

 

[JHZR2]

This is what I use:

ITWProBrands

www.itwprobrands.com

That’s chlorinated/fluorinated.

I’m sure it works great, but isn’t quite what I’m looking for.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Regarding those two CRC cleaners QM, and QD, here they are their safety sheets respectively. They are both highly hydrocarbon based but neither has acetone.

 

[JHZR2]

Regarding those two CRC cleaners QM, and QD, here they are their safety sheets.



View attachment 190763View attachment 190764

Thanks for pulling those down and the screen shots!

Theyre more $$ than brake cleaner iirc, but I own them, so… may use them for some things.

 

[Blueshound]

Simple Green (clear) or dish soap and water works well for most things.

 

[SHOZ]

Seems to me the chlorinated stuff is twice as heavy as the no chlorinated, just by picking up the can. I've been getting the FVP stuff Menards has on sale and though it says not chlorinated, it's heavier than the normal stuff and smells like tetrachloride.

It's acetone, toluene and methanol though.

 

[Astro14]

I was watching some European diy videos, and they had been using some aerosol parts cleaners. They are chlorine and acetone free. Looks like they’re mostly hexane maybe.

Does anyone know of such products that can be recommended for use in the USA? It seems that all non chlorinated brake cleaners used over here are primarily acetone with some other solvents mixed in.

Thanks!

Most of the store brand (Autozone, Advance, O’Reilly) are simply heptane and alcohol. The CRC stuff kills plastic parts quickly, damaging lights, battery cases and other tools, but the store brand, with the cheaper formulation, is better for my purposes.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Most of the store brand (Autozone, Advance, O’Reilly) are simply heptane and alcohol. The CRC stuff kills plastic parts quickly, damaging lights, battery cases and other tools, but the store brand, with the cheaper formulation, is better for my purposes.

One needs to check the actual SDS to be sure. Here is an Auto Value product that contains Toluene.

 

[JHZR2]

One needs to check the actual SDS to be sure. Here is an Auto Value product that contains Toluene.

View attachment 190787View attachment 190788

Toluene isn’t a (personally) preferred solvent, just imo.

Seems what I get has acetone. And Toluene… I run CRC brakleen usually fwiw.

 

[Snagglefoot]

While we are at it here is a non chlorinated cleaner sold at Advance Auto Parts. These cleaners have a wide variety of components and definitely cannot be lumped into “non chlorinated. “

 

[97K15004WD]

Of topic a little, but what did they use in the "old days" before the advent of pressurized cans like we have now?

I sorta remember gasoline and a brush, but that was before my time.

 

[dumkid]

Of topic a little, but what did they use in the "old days" before the advent of pressurized cans like we have now?

I sorta remember gasoline and a brush, but that was before my time.

My dad said when he worked at a tire shop they had re fillable spray cans (fill with liquid, add compressed air) and they would use kerosene to clean brakes.

 

[ripcord]

Years ago, I was waiting for some tires to get mounted and watched a guy doing a brake job in the next bay. He used a bucket of what looked like soapy water and a brush to clean everything off on some drum brakes before disassembly. I asked him what it was and he said it was plain dish soap... said it kept the dust out of the air and saved on spray cleaner.