I need some help figuring out how to remove a large amount of silicone grease from my tools and equipment. I had an accident where an oiler full of silicone grease broke in my big plastic toolbox, which is now completely coated in this slippery mess. I've got a bunch of non-electrical tools in there like screwdrivers, wrenches, micrometers, drills, and more. I spent a lot of time washing my hands to get that stuff off and I've managed to clean my fingers with some extraction gasoline, but I'm struggling to clean the tools themselves. I've heard acetone works, but it can damage hard plastics. What's the best way to dissolve and then remove this grease without ruining my tools?
3 Answers
If you can, hit up a mechanic friend and see if you can use their parts washer. They have tools to deal with grease and can really help clean up your stuff. Just wear latex gloves and try to get off as much grease as you can with paper towels first.
One method I've used to clean grease off kitchen items is to sprinkle flour on the greasy spots and then scrape it off. It might work for your tools too, giving it a try can’t hurt!
That's the first thing I'll try. Thanks for the suggestion!
Start with mineral spirits to tackle the bulk of the grease, and then go for a brake cleaner for final touches. Just be careful with acetone; it’s pretty strong and can eat away certain plastics.
I think mineral spirits might be similar to the extraction petroleum I already tried. It didn’t work well on thick grease but it did great on cleaned surfaces. As for acetone, I’ll definitely avoid it since it dissolves ABS and a lot of my tools are made from that. I’ll check out brake cleaner, thanks!
Great idea! There's a service station near me—I’ll ask if I can use their washer. Thanks for the suggestion!