What do you use for clean up after / during flights to clean up the slog on the plane? And, do you use rags or paper towels? I use a degreaser (Purple power) with drug store alcohol and the blue paper towels from the automotive store because they are tougher than regular paper towels. Plus, I use the stuff to clean my hands off with afterward.

I believe there was just a post on this somewhere, but anyways, I am going to try what someone else suggested: add 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid to a jug of windshield washer fluid. Previously I had used 409 with some ethanol in it, but it didn't seem to work that well. Also, paper towels supposedly causes tiny scratches in your covering due to the fine wood fibers, but I've used them for years and have never noticed.

You will find a lot of concoctions for cleaning the plane. Most of them probably work. For myself, I keep a roll of paper towels in the van along with a spray bottle of cheapy "window/multi surface cleaner" (Looks like Windex, smells like Windex and acts like Windex )

That's what I use too (cheap window cleaner & paper towels), but I'd like to find something that cuts the engine oils on the side of the plane better. An experienced flyer told me to NOT use engine degreaser, because it will break down either the monokote, glue, or both. Can't remember which he said.

I just end up with the "detergent streaks" on the wings and fuselage after everthing is dry. Maybe the common fix is the windshield washer / windex type of base with some dishwashing fluid in it. I think I will give it a try. As for using paper towels / scratching .. unless there is some form of dirt on the surface, I can't see the paper towels themselves causing the scratches, I haven't seen that myself yet.

detergent streaks are because you did not dilute it enough, I did that too ... not only streaks but the plane always felt greasy. Use paper towels, best to just pour the liquid on the towel and no need to spray it on the plane. That works better as the liquid will remove oil on the plane and it will smear about.

The best thing I've found is the Fantastik Orange Action wipes; cuts the grease real nice and then I just shine it up a bit with a dry cloth. Seems to work real good. Plus they fit in the drawer of my flight box (not a big drawer, either).

If this gets the stuff off of your planes then it is good enough.
I have waxed my propeller before to get the bugs and grass off easier.
You could put spray wax on your plane be able to clean it up faster

Kind of like Lemon Pledge, I used to use and carry it on my Goldwing. A quick shot of that, and the crud just comes off. I understand about the bugs on the prop, last week it looked like I had committed a homocide with my plane. Must be the mosqitoes hang in bunches, and we have a lot of dairy cattle nearby. Nearly made my wife choke looking at it.....

409 and paper towels, always worked for me.

Mark Shuman

I use a combo of a dry paper towel wipe, a methanol wipe (paper towel soaked in methanol), followed by a windex wipe. If I need to tape anything to the surface, I do an additional methanol wipe. I know that it is a lot of wiping, but it works. I own shares in Kimberly Clark.

Give bingo field a big thumbs up for doing his part to combat the West Nile Virus![sm=thumbup.gif]

I use a spray bottle with normal drug store iso alcohol and paper towels. It seems to clean and shine the mono well. Anybody have any reason this would be a detriment to the plane?

Baby wipes and paper towels work pretty good

simple green + blue shop towels (heavy-duty paper towels)

I use the cheap simple green and the cheap orange type spray. I mix them 50:50 (or close enough). It looks like muddy water but it is the best thing I have used to get off the oil. I also use paper towels as I just don't want to wash the shop rags.

Bill

I used to use Windex, but now I use a mix of 70% 409 cut with 30% alcohol - it seems to work just a little better. This does a fairly good job in getting the "slime" off. When I want to restore the original luster (on glossy finishes), I use Monokote cleaner/polish with a cotton cloth (old tee shirts) as a final step. Monokote polish is not cheap, but you only need a small amount per cleanup.

Steve

just get a good four stroke and you wont have to worry about excessive amounts of castor to clean up!

Spaceclam!!! I had a Saito .91. I think it drank more fuel and slimed more than 2 of my .60 2 stokers. They are just as bad.

But anyway. I use that Orange Clean and dump a little rubbing alcohol in there and some 409. Smells weird, but takes the crud off.

interesting. i have a ys 110 and it barely leaves a flim over my stabs. i usually dont even bother cleaning it because there is practically nothing there. Either way, get an exhaust deflector. they reduce the mess tremendously. anyway, i have found that wiping off the excess with paper towels is a must, and baby wipes will wipe the remaining oil off.

wow. I should try a ys then. Cuz that saito is a mess. I even put a dubro deflector on and the bottom of my funtana was always dripping with oil. All over my tail section and servos. what a mess.......... I guess I loved how the funtana flew but hit a tree with it and sold the Slimeee Saito on ebay for almost more than what I payed for it. Guess somebody likes them a lot.

OH. I'm so sick of Glow I pretty much am all gas now and just have glow spads. I don't care if that coroplast stays soaked with oil. It'll eventually run off. heheeheeh

That rubbing Alcohol will take some paints off and some color off some types of covering(Kyosho shelf paper)

paper towels and windex........ very high tech. Sometimes some 409 depending on what part

bye

Bingo,
I use an oil absorbent pad to get most of the heavy gunk. After that, 409 or windex is easy. Usually only one or two towels required. (You can get the oil absorbent pads at some auto supply stores and through most industrial supply houses. They're about 2 ft square and are usually used to absorb oil spilled during repairs. I take one and cut it into about 8 pieces. You can use them many times before you need a new one.)

papermache