Cosmoline remover

[Michael J Evans]

I've read various posts over time about people having trouble removing cosmoline or other rust protectors.

This may already be known, but brake cleaner works excellent, like the stuff just wipes off.

I bought a miter trimmer from a antique store. Pretty sure it was unused as it was literally caked in yellow cosmoline (or I assume thats what it was). I was sitting there with alcohol trying to get rid of it. The alcohol was working but very slowly and I had to use a bristle brush. So I went to my cabinet with all my solvents and seen the brake cleaner. I've used brake cleaner before and it's removed anything I've ever asked of it so I thought why not... Sprayed it on and literally wiped it all off.

Just FYI.

[Mel Fulks]

Mike, thanks. You have given us a break...but ....strangely: there’s no stopping you now ! Take care.

[Tom M King]

I buy it by the case. There never seems to be as much as you think in a can though, and can never get it all out before the propellant is gone.

[Erik Loza]

I use brake cleaner for all sorts of stuff but the aerosol-part sometimes backfires: I permanently damaged one of the headlamps on our old 4Runner with overspray. That stuff is like Alien-blood. Not as fast but my go-to for heavy coating removal is turpentine. Smells nice and won’t eat a hole in things or put you to sleep in an enclosed space.

Erik

[Michael J Evans]

Eric
I agree about the alien blood. I once sprayed it on our stainless steel counters at work and the overspray hit our counter keyboards. It melted some keys...