Cleaning up plastic parts
This is probably for many a slightly 'noddy' how to guide but it has neverthless proved really useful when restoring cars, specially those with plastic parts that cant be purchased very easily. Set yourself up a saucepan large enough to hold the parts and to be covered by water (make sure there's at least a third of the depth left in the saucepan). Get the water on the boil and set it simmering. Then add your plastic parts but be careful when putting them in - you dont want to get burned. And finally, the magic ingrediant is a dishwasher tablet. I've tried various kinds, but the ones that burst (ie come in there own little bags) like fairy seem to work better than the solid ones. If its really really mucky you could try using a couple. Below are the pics of me doing this with Top Force Evo wheels that had 20 yrs of grime on them!!
In reaction to your questions.. As yet i've had no problems using this method. I usually put them in 10-15 seconds before the tablet, then they only need to be in there while the detergant is active. Once the reaction stops they can come out straight away. Like everything, its not perfect but it is pretty thorough, and gets the grime and grease off from corners and folds that you usually cant get to.
Interesting Recipe..
In the Pan
Look at the colour of the water!!!
Finished result
Comments
Cinnamon
Looks delicious !! maybe a pinch of garlic......
Seriously,how long do you cook them and aren´t they very soft when ready?? ( thinking of deformation )
Singapore_959
Now that is interesting. Are the wheels softer as a result?
super gripper
Lovely bubbly! Beats the old tooth brush & washing up liquid malarky!
Skottoman
I tried that one time, and the water melted the wheels enough to leave them out of round. How do you do this without that happening?
DI Joe
Dont have the water temp too high, simmering very gently is just fine (remember dishwasher's wash at 40-60 degress), and keep them moving in the pan!!
DeeMiller
Plaese beware as plastic easely deforms when cooked at 80-90 deg. Celsius!!! Better to keep temp. below 60!!! Better safe than sorry: I've lost 4 wheels doing this...
Devilsome
great ' how to ' fella!
Tamiya Tim
Just use Castrol Super clean in a bucket...
wonder
you can also put this directly into a dishwasher machine. There you can control the temp to 55 Celsius. A TC Member told me this, as he does this all the times. Have to try it also once.
swedishwiking
But my stowe is electric....
scaletamiya
cif or vim does it for me...
bugged
*What you get for dinner* When you visit a tamiya nut ! lol...Quality how to, All joking aside
hugger19
the best way to remove pait and or muck put your parts in simple green or royal purple degreaser make sure all parts are covered. let sit for a couple of hours or a day and the paint just falls off.
Henk4Focus
For paint on plastic I use brakefluid. It takes a while but it works well. The fluid must be constantly 'renewed' because it loses its effectiveness quite quick. For oil and grease I use Q10 solvent, it degreases and repels water. Still hate the whole cleaning up bit though.
DI Joe
Thanks for all the different tips chaps... useful for everyone to see how its done..!
OldRCer
Wouldn't simmering be just about 99 degrees C? And yes I have warped parts before using this technique. I usually just let them soak in strong dish soap (not much water) for a couple of days. Even old yellowed white parts get 'whiter' this way. I have used simple green or purple stuff too which is OK on the parts but really hard on your hands.
in south africa we got a Wynn's product called KleenGreen, i soak my parts in it overnight (full strengh) then brush them the next day to get rid of stubborn dirt then lay them in the kleengreen again for a few hours shaking/irratating the bowl every now and then. Then wash them in the shower and wha la, mostly clean!
GozoZapu
when its really dirty that all the usual stuff don't get rid off for me there's only one solution. Rim clean products that clean brake dust from normal car wheels. a couple of sprays and it will clean in a couple of seconds. then simply a little air compressor unless u wanna polish the thing.
Origineelreclamebord
Do you have any photos from before the cleaning? maybe it will also work when you put them in the dishwasher itself
I might just try this one on some old wheels, Since some of my parts could use a good clean...
Want to leave a comment?