Parts Washer Solvent - Need something good!

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My parts washer is in need of a solvent replacement. Last time, many years ago, I purchased a petroleum based solvent and it's worked great! But I see now that apparently petroleum based solvents are no longer available. I've tried the water based ones in the past but have hated them. Them don't clean well and they rust my tank.

My washer says on the label that I can use Kerosene and diesel. I gave plenty of both on hand. To me, diesel may be safer as the flash point is higher than K1.

Thoughts? What do you all use in your washers?
 
I've filled my parts washer with 5 gallons of K-1 and a gallon of GUNK degreaser the two times I've filled it. With the price of K-1 I may try #2 diesel fuel next time.

I WILL NOT use water based solvents.
 
Kerosene or paint thinner. The real deal is called Stoddard solvent. Check with a wholesale oil distributer on availability .
 
varsol is the thing to use, but add i quart of auto trans. to the washer also as varsol is very dry and drys your hands out. or wear gloves if you can stand them. diesel is a poor cleaning solvent.
kerosene is good.
 
Thanks everyone. I may go with a 50/50 on K1 and diesel. I'm all for protecting the environment but the replacement products don't seem to be worth much and are super pricey. 5 gallons of CRC is 95 bucks. Not interest in paying 300 to fill up a washer.
 
Varsol or paint thinner. Currently I'm using paint thinner. I get it in quanties at a local oil dist.
 
I tried the water based stuff. Turned into a slime pitt. Never again. I don't care what the EPA says. That stuff is nasty.
 
This post got me enthused, so I cleaned out my parts washer today. There was about 1/4 to 3/8 inch of gunk on the bottom, would guess it has been 5 or 6 years since I filled it. I bought 2 5 gallon pails of fluid when I bought it, so will refill with clean fluid once it is good and dry.
 
Steve &ACSam - GREAT lead on the TSC solvent. Looks like they carry Crown PSC 1000 which according to the spec sheet is petroleum based. And this has a high flash point of 141 degrees. Price is decent at 40 for 5 gallons. Higher of course than K1 per gallon but I like the added safety margin.

Thank you!
 
I think you'll like it. I have tried all different kinds and types including K1, diesel, water based, anything really. This has been my go to cleaner for more than 10 years. After you clean parts, they will be mostly dry overnite too. I use an old milk strainer and filter out some of the crap from time to time. My tank is a Graymills brand. I had a small lawn mower repair shop and used it a lot.
 

It can't get cold in NC like in NH, but if your washer is in an unheated space I would go with the K-1 because #2 gets thick when cold.
 
Ten years ago or so I tried that water based enviro friendly stuff when I bought the first parts washer. It didn't clean worth a darned and metal parts of the parts washer started to rust. I drained it out after a year and went to using mineral spirits. This summer when I did the yearly clean out I found holes rusted through in the bottom. That water based stuff was hard on paint and I think it permeated the paint that lined the parts washer enough to start the rusting process. I wasn't planning on getting a new one but I had no choice but to get another one. The old one is now storing potatoes, thoroughly cleaned out first, of course.
 
I mix 10 gal. of TSC parts cleaner with 1 gal. of Gunk concentrate. Works pretty good. I clean the washer about every 6 months and I made a strainer/filter out of 2- 5 gal. buckets and some rags to clean the liquid every couple of weeks.
 
I'm sure you guys have all already bought yours, but someone try Citrol

Its a Schaeffer product, which we have started using their products such as this, and their oil and chain lubes on the farm since a salesman stopped by. Its all actually pretty good stuff.

The Citrol you can buy in a spray can, or in a gallon can (like for the parts washer) You mix the gallon stuff with water, and it does work well. We have it in our washer and it eats grease. It also isn't nasty like solvent and eats your skin or feels like it gives you cancer. Its a natural citrus based product.

How we bought our first can was the salesman came when we were tarring the outside of a bin, and we had some on our hands and it took it off right away!

Heres the link to their site, explaining the products. We have a salesman in this area, so I'm not sure if you can purchase online or not.

http://www.schaefferoil.com/citrol-cleaner-degreaser.html
 

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