What's your favorite remover for hardened gunk?

ObsoElitist · Feb 1, 2015

I am talking about that 50+ year-old rock-hard stuff the pressure washer won't touch. After scraping and chiseling with putty knives and gasket scrapers, gasoline seems to work better to soften it than anything else I have tried, but has serious hazards. What do you use?

87nassaublue · Feb 1, 2015

I like lacquer thinner for general cleaning and stripping. It will dissolve most anything.

Stephen Newell · Feb 1, 2015

You might use Kleen Strip paint and varnish remover. Scrape as much as you can and brush a abundant coat of the remover on and keep it wet for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse with the power washer. Still this is a bad time of the year to use removers. They don't work well below 70 degrees. In cold weather steam cleaning might be a better option.

notjustair · Feb 1, 2015

Soak it with oven cleaner. You have to loosen up the thick stud
and spray again. Don't use the hose until the end. From that
point on it is diluted by the water remaining on the machine
and doesn't work as well. There is also this stuff called Super
Clean. It is in a purple jug and it is amazing.

Dick L · Feb 2, 2015

Needle scalar and stiff wire wheels has been my way. I never seem to want to take time for something to soak in. By the time soaking would work I would be off to something else and not get back to it in any time soon.

bill b va · Feb 3, 2015

i keep things sprayed down with diesel fuel for a few days . then pressure wash . gasoline evaporates too fast.

ObsoElitist · Feb 3, 2015

I own and have tried all of the above except Diesel. My problems are when it's cold i don't want to mess with it, and when it's warm whatever i use evaporates. Diesel is not a bad idea, I suppose ATF will do as well, it's a 10 weight hi-detergent oil.

D beatty · Feb 4, 2015

I scrap what will come off and then soak it with diesel fuel and then pressure wash it with steam jenny if you can get a hold of one.

Worldpowerlabs · Feb 4, 2015

Depending on the type of surface below the gunk, and on what you intend to do to that surface... I've had fairly good results with a wire brush in a drill or angle grinder. Not such a good idea if you're trying to preserve paint, but on bare steel or on parts you intend to paint, it can help. I'll use a brass brush for more delicate surfaces and a steel one for harder substrates.

mb58 · Feb 5, 2015

Easy-off oven cleaner.

Fatamus · Feb 6, 2015

We use to use Muriatic Acid to clean that old concrete off the trucks. Anybody ever use Muriatic Acid to clean up grease n oil?

bison · Feb 6, 2015

(quoted from post at 01:24:36 02/06/15) We use to use Muriatic Acid to clean that old concrete off the trucks. Anybody ever use Muriatic Acid to clean up grease n oil?

uriatic acid vapor rusts everything it gets in contact with or is close by , i keep that stuff outside the shop.

Wemedeeres · Feb 8, 2015

Steam.

What's your favorite remover for hardened gunk?

ObsoElitist

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87nassaublue

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Stephen Newell

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notjustair

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Dick L

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bill b va

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ObsoElitist

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D beatty

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Worldpowerlabs

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mb58

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Fatamus

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bison

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Wemedeeres

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