Absolute best automotive degreaser???

[flight17]

What is the best automotive/aircraft style degreaser? I have been cleaning the bellies of our planes which are caked in grease/oil and it seems like the method/cleaning I'm using is just not cutting it. Its taking me between 3-5 hours to clean the belly and underside of the wings per aircraft! To me that just seems way too long. Now granted I'm making them spotless, but i still think it should only take me 2-3 hours max per plane.

I'm using Grease Lightning, a scrub brush and a sponge with a scrub cloth on one side. I'm spraying the bellies down first with warm water, letting it drip off. Then I'm spraying the entire belly with the grease lightnight. Then i get on a crawler and get underneath it and start scrubbing with the brushes. it doesn't take long for them to get saturated with grease and instead of taking the grease off, they just spread it. Once i have the grease down to a pretty thin layer, i then use the sponge's scrub side to get the final bit off and then the sponge to get any residue off. Between all that is multiple reapplying of grease lightning to try and break down the grease.

Any ideas on what else there is to use? I'm hoping i Can find something that can just get right through the grease and lift it up so that a simple scrubbing can get it off.  

I'm half tempted to just use a scrapper and start scraping it off as it would be a lot quicker, but I'm worried about scratching the paint. But then again, they have let them go like this for so long, what will a little paint hurt lol.

[PFactorDave]

Dawn dish washing liquid is an excellent degreaser

[Reschke]

I have some degreaser that I sell as part of my weapons coating products. If you will PM me with your email I can get you pricing and information on it...it is a new product on the market called Froglube Super Degreaser but you cannot get much info about it online.

[CAP1]

gunk works pretty well when i need to degrease an engine....but that depends on getting the engine warm first..........

[icepac]

Is the paint "imron"?

[Slash27]

I use Simple Green but I'm clueless if that would work for you.

[Widewing]

Go back 30 years ago and 1,1,1-Trichloroethane was the best degreaser you could get, just keep it away from rubber seals... Banned now due to ozone depletion.. These days I use Alconox products.

[MaSonZ]

some high test gasoline works best for me... then again I dont normally have to remove caked on grease. The few times I do though, it works like a charm. of course, Its only useful when theres minimal chance of ignition for it too....

[Hawk78th]

Varsol

[mcboi]

we used to use Purple Power @ the mechanics shop i worked @ seemed to work very well gettin grease and oil up off the floor

[BERN1]

I use Suzuki motorcycle wash on my bike I spray it on give it a few minutes and spray it off,kinda expensive but it works! in the old days we used a product called formula 409 on our model airplanes it cut the klots oil on contact,and wiped right off

[flight17]

I should have mentioned, these are real planes, not models... Cessna 172s, a 182, piper warrior IIIs, an arrow and Seminole.

Reschke, do you mean you formulated it when you say "a part of my"...

[Hawk78th]

A&P  29 years

 Varsol

[flight17]

A&P  29 years

 Varsol

where can you get it and how much does it cost? Did a search, is it a brand name or the actual product name? Based off this I couldn't tell... http://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/Chem-English/brands/hydrocarbon-oxygenated-fluids-products-varsol.aspx?ln=productsservices

Is it just mineral spirits like I would use to clean paint brushes with?

[Belial]

Alchohol/acetone/simple green/kerosine   all work well just make sure you wash with soap after if you use anything harmful.


But you should try getting some scotch brite pads for taking the thick stuff off it's kinda like a brillow pad.
then the towel or sponge like you said.

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=615057-130699&ucst=t

fastenal has pads that would work well...I work with stainless and use it for polishing on a air tool...but as a hand pad it would shine it up for you...