Favorite Degreaser
- Thread starter nocash247
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Pau7220
Well-known member
Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Grease and filth on an engine? Kerosene in a spray bottle.
Light oily film and general crud? Zep or Sams Club purple cleaner. Castrol and Purple Power were reformulated to meet foodsafe rules... which means it no longer works the way it should.
Light oily film and general crud? Zep or Sams Club purple cleaner. Castrol and Purple Power were reformulated to meet foodsafe rules... which means it no longer works the way it should.
Russell King
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
I use the walmart purple power at zero dilution if it is really dirty. You can dilute it if it isn't that bad though. Sometimes a few applications are necessary. Also that stuff is kind of nasty and leaves a weird dull finish after it is cleaned. I will spray everything down with wd-40 or the Blaster brand general purpose lubricant, not the penetrating oil. It shines things up and prevents corrosion.
I use Zeps Super Citrus I cut it 50/50 for most work and 25/75 SC to water. I also use dawn dish soap to get oil and grease off. I spray it on let it sit then pressure wash it off. If I have to scrape I use a plastic putty knife. My yard and driveway water drain into a lake so I have to be careful what I use to clean with. A simple engine de-greaser works well on the engine.
Late to the party but...
Purple ZEP for me. Used to use Purple Power but as of late it's not too good. Zep is better Purple Power also leaves a white film. ZEP don't.
I put mine on with a Foam Cannon on my pressure washer. The foam cannon is the best 15 bucks I ever spent. Works just like a fire department's foam fire hose. Mixes the degreaser with air and water and applies it to the dirty parts. Use 'Chemical Guy's' car was and the foam cannon to wash the buggies too.
Purple ZEP for me. Used to use Purple Power but as of late it's not too good. Zep is better Purple Power also leaves a white film. ZEP don't.
I put mine on with a Foam Cannon on my pressure washer. The foam cannon is the best 15 bucks I ever spent. Works just like a fire department's foam fire hose. Mixes the degreaser with air and water and applies it to the dirty parts. Use 'Chemical Guy's' car was and the foam cannon to wash the buggies too.
Curious... When did this happen and how do you know this to be fact?
I have been a big user of Castrol and Purple power over the years, but have't bought any lately.
Pau7220
Well-known member
Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
It was probably 12-15 years ago. Info came from my neighbor who was an Auto Zone manager. Both items were removed from the market (by selling out inventory) for a few months. While waiting I was using a product from Novick Chemical in Scranton called Chem Eeez. Worked great but they were very proud of it at $60 for 5 gal. And tacked on a $35 haz-mat fee to every invoice!!
The Purple Power returned with the tiny little "REFORMULATED" on the corner of the label. When it hit Auto Zone, the commercial dept ran a great sale. I ordered a few cases... I tried it and it wouldn't even take the (weekly) dirt off my painted shop floors. Needless to say I returned it all.
Went to WMT for a 2.5 gal jug of Castrol Super Clean. Same "REFORMULATED" statement on the label, same crappy results.
BTW, The jug worked fantastic!! I still use it for kerosene..............
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Pau7220
Well-known member
Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Just read the label on the Sams Club / Members Mark Degreaser... It is an Ecolab product.
Thanks for replying.
I was thinking it was something recent and I just missed that it happened.
Years ago I sprayed some of the Castrol Super Clean on a JD750 LTB and the green paint on the backhoe started to turn yellow. It did remove the caked on grease around the pins though.
I'm guessing this might have been the old formula.
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Just bought a 5 gallon tote of Purple ZEP at TSC. Stuff works very well. I'm done with Purple Power, it's purple junk.
To me 'reformulated' is a nice way of saying 'dilluted'.
I leak so much hydraulic fluid from the backend of both tractors (from constantly changing implements and hydraulic hoses,) the back end of both mine are usually covered with hydraulic fluid and being that hydraulic fluid mixes with water, I just pressure wash the back end off and it's clean again. Ready for another oil / dirt cycle.
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
I use both ZEP purple and Citrus.
Purple on the really nasty caked on greasy stuff, DO not use it on non sealed polished aluminum!
And Citrus on milder cleaning jobs.
One note:
Get Purple cleaner on your hands and it will feel slimy...
This is it eating all the dead skin off your hands, so unless you're headed to a beauty contest or like having to rework all those well earned blister fighting calluses off wash your hands immediately with regular hand soap.
Purple on the really nasty caked on greasy stuff, DO not use it on non sealed polished aluminum!
And Citrus on milder cleaning jobs.
One note:
Get Purple cleaner on your hands and it will feel slimy...
This is it eating all the dead skin off your hands, so unless you're headed to a beauty contest or like having to rework all those well earned blister fighting calluses off wash your hands immediately with regular hand soap.
That’s due to a powerful oxidizer ingredient.... same thing will happen with bleach.
Permatex grez-off
and a pressure washer
better yet-steam.
I used the grez-off stuff on my truck's engine, 200,000 miles plus, and it looks brand new and does not fade the paint like some of the other caustic stuff does (like purple power, etc)
Use a lot of it at work too, works wonders on dirt/caked mud. I actually bought a gallon and diluted it in a garden sprayer, use it often at the shop. Daily.
and a pressure washer
better yet-steam.
I used the grez-off stuff on my truck's engine, 200,000 miles plus, and it looks brand new and does not fade the paint like some of the other caustic stuff does (like purple power, etc)
Use a lot of it at work too, works wonders on dirt/caked mud. I actually bought a gallon and diluted it in a garden sprayer, use it often at the shop. Daily.