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Post by brianbutler on Jan 29, 2023 22:21:04 GMT
I tried a new solvent, Simple Green Pro HD, on a bike I recently disassembled and cleaned. I have been using mineral spirits for years and have experimented with other, less volatile, solvents several times. These included various "citrus" degreasers, regular Simple Green, dish detergent, and laundry detergent. They were generally not as effective as mineral spirits and/or damaged aluminum parts, sometimes turning them white, other times black. However, Simple Green Pro HD is supposedly safe for aluminum aircraft skin and parts, so I decided to give it a try. Some time ago I bought a used Cuisinart Slow Cooker for $15 and used it for this project. I made about a gallon of Simple Green Pro HD solution using three parts water to 1 part product. I set the cooker to "Simmer", which is about 185F/85C and cooked parts for two hours with occasional agitation. The results were excellent. Everything was completely degreased, steel/chrome parts were shiny, and aluminum parts such as brake components and derailleur bodies were unharmed. I cleaned everything on the bike except the chain, which was discarded due to wear. Everything also got a subsequent overnight soak in Evaporust, which took care of any residual rust on steel parts. The Simple Green Pro HD solution was pretty well saturated by the end. It was still cleaning but was starting to leave a residue. The product is non-toxic so there is no special handling required for disposal. Recommended.
As a technical aside, this product is a surfactant but not a detergent. I have had problems with detergents because they tend to coagulate the grease, which then ends up back on the parts as clumps. This product seems to dissolve grease completely and keeps it dissolved. Also, some products, particularly citrus degreasers, have a high pH that damages aluminum. Simple Green Pro HD states a pH of 8.5 to 9.5, apparently depending on dilution. This is in the range of baking soda or toothpaste and did not damage aluminum at 3:1 dilution and 185F/85C temperature for 2-3 hours.
Brian
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Post by oldroadietehachapi on Jan 30, 2023 5:36:28 GMT
I will try it; always looking for a better cleaner.
Thanks
Jim
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,390 
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Post by Jem on Jan 30, 2023 7:37:36 GMT
Interesting info Brian. I'd never heard of Simple Green , and just had a search here in UK. The only one I can find is a 1 gallon concentrate , and is £81/$100. I would guess that with it being labelled up as a gallon, it is imported in from the US and consequently very expensive.
I'll look for a cheaper alternatives - what are the ingredients of a surfactant?
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Post by brianbutler on Jan 30, 2023 12:27:37 GMT
Interesting info Brian. I'd never heard of Simple Green , and just had a search here in UK. The only one I can find is a 1 gallon concentrate , and is £81/$100. I would guess that with it being labelled up as a gallon, it is imported in from the US and consequently very expensive. I'll look for a cheaper alternatives - what are the ingredients of a surfactant? You can probably find a replacement. Here is the ingredient list from the Simple Green web site. You might have to scroll to find Pro HD:
Beware that many of the products on that page are similar and I have tried several, but the Pro HD formulation is the only one so far that has done exactly what I want.
Tip for US readers: The best source for this product is Home Depot - $15.58 per gallon.
Finally, I am not a chemist but my understanding is that a surfactant is a "surface action agent", whose purpose is to reduce surface tension, allowing grease and other dirt to release. All detergents and soaps are surfactants, but not all surfactants are soaps or detergents, so it is a more general term. The surfactant in this product does a good job on the types of crud we encounter on old bikes and holds it in solution instead of creating clumps or films like I have experienced with strong detergents.
In the ingredient list I noticed Pro HD contains a chelator, which is a chemical that absorbs metal salts (like rust) and holds them in solution. This must be partially responsible for the brilliant finish on chrome and steel parts when they come out of the cooker.
Brian
Brian
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Post by brianbutler on Jan 30, 2023 12:42:39 GMT
I will try it; always looking for a better cleaner. Thanks Jim Winter was the big motivator. I can't use mineral spirits in the basement and it is too cold outside. It is also cold inside so its effectiveness is limited and there is no way I am going to heat mineral spirits indoors or out for that matter. Jay Leno has convinced me. Better to find something I can heat in the garage without starting a fire, and dump it on the driveway when I am done with it. And surprisingly it actually works better.
Brian
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Post by wheelson on Jan 30, 2023 14:24:28 GMT
Thanks, Brian. I’ve tried other products with less than great results, and I’m always looking for safe products for home and the shop for all the above mentioned reasons.
Best,
John “wheelson”
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Post by oldroadietehachapi on Jan 30, 2023 16:00:32 GMT
Brian wrote
"I can't use mineral spirits in the basement and it is too cold outside"
I am jealous of anyone having a basement. Basements (in houses) are rare here in California as the building codes (must be engineered with a lot of steel) makes them very expensive; we can't have a pit for the house to fall into during earthquakes can we.
Cheers
Jim
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,390
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Post by Jem on Jan 30, 2023 19:20:37 GMT
Interesting info Brian. I'd never heard of Simple Green , and just had a search here in UK. The only one I can find is a 1 gallon concentrate , and is £81/$100. I would guess that with it being labelled up as a gallon, it is imported in from the US and consequently very expensive. I'll look for a cheaper alternatives - what are the ingredients of a surfactant? You can probably find a replacement. Here is the ingredient list from the Simple Green web site. You might have to scroll to find Pro HD:
Finally, I am not a chemist but my understanding is that a surfactant is a "surface action agent", whose purpose is to reduce surface tension, allowing grease and other dirt to release. All detergents and soaps are surfactants, but not all surfactants are soaps or detergents, so it is a more general term. The surfactant in this product does a good job on the types of crud we encounter on old bikes and holds it in solution instead of creating clumps or films like I have experienced with strong detergents.
Thanks Brian |
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Post by triitout on Jan 31, 2023 3:10:38 GMT
I've been using the basic Simple Green that you find in the cleaning aisle in supermarkets for years and find it adequate for my needs. My wife uses it for general house cleaning so there's always some around. I'm also a fan of "Fantastic" as well for a bit deeper cleaning. I'll admit that my standards are to get things passable and I'm a bit lazy to get things sparkly new. I used to use "White Lightening" but without decent ventilation in my little basement utility room workspace, the odor/fumes were too much. This winter has not been too productive yet. Only 3 down with11 to go.  |
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