Not sure if right section, this seemed to be the most appropriate section without putting it in the members lounge.

Just got all my tools home, after leaving my job (yay) and I want to get them clean to store them for occasional use. A lot of them are built up with grease, grime, oils etc, I worked in a mechanical workshop. How would you suggest cleaning them? Wipe down with metho? I would love some advice, I have googled this, but have only got 10 step recipes on how to clean your tools which includes ~$100 worth of cleaning material. Please keep in mind the tools include spanners etc and also tools with rubber handles, screwdrivers and the such.

Thanks in advance :)

Grab a rag and wipe it all off? :P Soaking them in a bucket of degreaser (with the handles out of the liquid) overnight might help too, and wipe them clean in the morning?

Grab a rag and wipe it all off? :P Soaking them in a bucket of degreaser (with the handles out of the liquid) overnight might help too, and wipe them clean in the morning?

Forgot to add to the op, i have around 600 or so tools to clean lol :(

You'll need a bloody big bucket then :P if you're keen on getting them clean, do some tests and find out what chemicals work best, or combos (degreaser + grill cleaner, de-greaser + engine cleaner, etc) then get one of those storage containers and fill it half chemical half water, or something, and dump all your tools in there then.

20L drum, cut the top off - use degreaser concentrate and dilute to appropirate amount and soak tools for about 15 mins each set (Workshop grade degreaser is a lot stronger), wipe off with clean rags. Use gloves or you'll lose a couple of layers of skin off your hands :P

i wouldnt soak ratchets in degreaser as it will strip alll lubricant from the mechanisim. rest should be fine

Ultrasonic tank will do the job you can find big ones around the place.

If the tools were not too dirty which if working in a mechanical workshop I would hope would be the case, just use WD40 in then and do them one at a time.

For spanners and sockets, go to ripco or somewhere similar, get a 4l bottle of degreaser, like the one in the spray cans, chuck them all in and then lift out one by one and dry.

If they are reasonable quality there should be no issues with rust at all

If the tools were not too dirty which if working in a mechanical workshop I would hope would be the case, just use WD40 in then and do them one at a time.

For spanners and sockets, go to ripco or somewhere similar, get a 4l bottle of degreaser, like the one in the spray cans, chuck them all in and then lift out one by one and dry.

If they are reasonable quality there should be no issues with rust at all

Unfortunately, i work for a bunch of idiots, and cleanliness was not top of the priority list >.<

Rags, turps, gloves. Turps should dissolve most grease and oil, and wash away dirt, without doing too much damage to skin or plastic. I still don't suggest soaking ratchet heads in it.
Wipe most of the gunk off with a turps soaked rag, then go over them all again with a clean turps soaked rag, maybe with a little oil mixed in to act as a barrier against moisture.
Metho will attract water from the atmosphere and might promote rust.
If you go get some thin plywood/chipboard/mdf and put a sheet of that in the bottom of each toolbox drawer/tray, it will absorb excess air moisture on humid days and dry out on dry days also helping to prevent rust.
Hard plastic handles on things like stanley screwdrivers should have no problem with turps, those foam-rubberized grip/slip/anti vibration coatings might swell up or come un-stuck. Test on a small area first.

Thanks for the help, will probably just go the turps and rags as per Timi suggested, seem to fit in with what i want, and wont destroy my wallet :)

A clean oil drain pan, some petrol or kero and a stiff brush does wonders. Good for engine parts too.

Dont use petrol ffs, it is dangerous, kero perhaps, turps definately no as it is horrible stuff to use.

Still say the cheap degreaser is the best bet, will be cheaper, is designed to remove greese and will bring them up better

If you are dead set on using a fuel, use diesel. It is a common cleaner and has far less chance of accidental ignition.

Dont soak or coat socket/ratchet drives, can remove the lubriant, just a rag with a cleaning solution is best....

Without meaning to hijack this thread - I'm in a similar boat as the OP - half my tools are filthy thanks to a recent 'friend' who borrowed my beaute kingchrome socket & ratchet set (paid $300+ for them) and my 3/8" drive ratchet is rusty. I'll follow the above advice to clean the tools but does anyone have any advice on what to do with the rusty 3/8 drive ratchet? The nib on the end that clicks in the socket has some rust. The socket still clicks and does it job but I'm concerned the internals may not be lubricated enough. Sure hope they have not started rusting otherwise my friend owes me good money for a new ratchet.

Dont use petrol ffs, it is dangerous, kero perhaps, turps definately no as it is horrible stuff to use.

Still say the cheap degreaser is the best bet, will be cheaper, is designed to remove greese and will bring them up better

Not much difference between a petrol fire, kero fire, turps fire or degreaser fire. Metho is probably worst, no visible flame. The cheap degreaser is probably kero - smells like it anyway.
I forgot to mention I do this sort of thing near my swimming pool, if it catches fire I can throw the whole lot in the water and jump in myself if needed. Same when I refuel the lawn mower.
A fire extinguisher kept close by would be handy instead of a pool.
AND it's important to sit upwind, so the fumes don't get to you.
Are there any degreasers out there that are guaranteed non-flammable?

EDIT: If you use rags and degreaser of any kind, wet them down when finished and pack tightly in an air tight plastic bag. Greasy rags are known to self combust. Plastic rubbish bins don't fare well with a fire inside them. lol

Flash point for petrol is far different to kero

Flash point - that's important if you use solvents in an enclosed space, and the vapours are allowed to build up. Needless to say cleaning with volatile solvents should be done in the open air, and in the shade. I guess some diesel fuel would be safest. Or water and detergent, which can work quite well, followed by a squirt of WD40 when clean.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_point#Examples

Went for the kero, put some in an oil pan and used a cloth to mop a tiny bit up, then wiped off with a fresh cloth. Turned up well, blemished the rubber handles slightly, but can hardly notice it, and worked a dream on the spanners :D
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2428/imag0135e.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/341/imag0135e.jpg/)
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4100/imag0136pf.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/33/imag0136pf.jpg/)

Throw them in the washing machine the sound will be awesome.

Autosol
>_>