The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oven Cleaner to clean old Parts

I have used regular Oven Cleaner for years now to clean old, baked-on-grime Engine and Running Gear parts.

Works very well, just spray on, let sit in the Sun an hour, Hose off.

Often it takes several applications, or some easy Wire Scrub Brush brushing between applications, to get it all off.

Anyone else use this method?


Small Parts or larger, I also use a Five Gallon Plastic Bucket of how-ever much Water, ( with a wire Basket for smal parts ) with a good dose of 'Draino' or other Lye or Caustic Soda type Drain Cleaner Crystals.

This also works very well to clean old Parts, and it will remove some rust also.


Both of these are only for Cast Iron or Steel parts not for any Aluminum or Magnesium Alloys. It would damage or eat those. But, Iron or Steel, it is fine, no worries.

Of course both of these are potentially damaging to Skin or Eyes, so use caution - wear Rubber Gloves and a Face Shield if need be, and be sensible and aware of others in the area or others who may access the area.

Children or other Pets of course need to be kept away from Oven Cleaner or Buckets of strong Lye or Caustic Soda Solutions.

Keep a Gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar Handy to use as a Neutralizer if any splashes or spills.

I have heard of folks using drain cleaner for removing scale inside the engine water jacket, but I have no first hand experience.

Does oven cleaner work as good or better than products made expressly for engine degreasing?

It was recommended to me by an auto parts supplier often on this site to take my rear axle housing to a self serve car wash to use oven cleaner. There at least the run off is captured and not allowed to enter any ground water before being treated. Just a thought.

this isn't exactly on the topic, but I was told that simple green works to clean carbon off of pistons and what not. Apparently it makes it just fall off. I haven't tried it for my self.

I bought and used 5 cans of it from the 99-cent store to clean my entire front and rear end of the 52. Worked great. Laid painter's plastic under the truck before beginning and let it melt off. Tossed the whole thing when finished.

Nothing frustrates me more than going to a car wash and having to deal with the mess that some guy left blasting grease all over the place.....

Good Luck

Did you spray with water? I need a similar solution because the undercarriage is a mess and I can't move the truck out of the garage right now. I was wondering if the solvent (be it oven cleaner or something else) would eat the plastic. My thought was to line a blue kiddie pool with some sort of plastic sheet, and use as little water as possible.

Yes, I have used oven cleaner on greasy engine parts and found that it works well. It also works well to remove graffiti.

Regarding "draino" in the coolant system: I have not tried or heard this, but it makes sense because I understand that some drain cleaners contain a mild solution of phosphoric acid (rust remover).

The active ingredient in oven cleaners is sodium hydroxide or
potassium hydroxide other wise known as Lye.
When I was a very young man, my uncle was restoring
an early John Deere model 'D' tractor. Lots of large
castings, in fact I think the entire tractor was a
casting. He cleaned all the castings with lye and
they came out looking like a fresh cast part.
Only problem with it is it is really bad stuff to work with,
very caustic, eat your skin right off the bone if your not
carful with it.
I suppose the Easy-Off oven cleaner is quite a bit weaker than
straight lye and because of that it wouldn't work as fast as
the full strength product.
I've always been very leery of using caustic products
such as lye or acids because of the disposal. That's
what has prevented me from using the electroplating
kit's that I've had on the shelf for years.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Both of these are only for Cast Iron or Steel parts not for any Aluminum or Magnesium Alloys.

Everyone considering using cleaning chemicals PLEASE re-read the sentence posted by the original poster concerning metals.

LYE USED ON CERTAIN ALLOYS OF ALUMINUM CAN GIVE OFF TOXIC FUMES.

We do not need to lose any stovebolters, or worse, innocent children that might be playing in the area, from improper cleaning techniques.

Chemistry CAN be fun. But chemicals CAN cause harm.

Be careful!

Jon.

Yes yes yes!!


The fumes even when spraying on Steel or Iron are nasty...mind the Wind or Breeze!

Anyone who has used 'Oven Cleaner' in their Oven, would know the experience...

Breeze can carry fine over-Spray on to your Arms or Face...so, be mindful...have a Gallon of Apple Cider ( or any other ) Vinegar handy in case you need to neutralize the Lye.


I have been very pleased with Oven Cleaner for cleaning off old Engine Sides and Bell Housings and Rear end Axel Housings and so on, while they are in place.

The old Cars and Trucks which had Oil seepage and Oil Fumes, mixing with Road Dust, can end up really being seriously dirty with old, baked on grime.

Solvents generally do not work very well to remove it.


Olive Oil can work quite well, if one has time...soak it in let it sit a day, scrub off with strong Soap and Water and a Scrub Brush.


Crystal or Granular Drain Cleaning Products, are really good for letting parts Soak iin a Bucket or 55 Gallon Drum.

I used to have a steel Drum with the Band-Held Lid, which I used to clean Parts with Caustic Soda in Water.

Old Backing Plates, Linkages, whatever, just scrape off the worst first with a Putty Knife, then lower into the Drum with an Iron Wire, and let stew a few days.

And again, Kids, Dogs, Birds, uninformed visitors...you really need to practice good cautions with these things.

Keep a secure Lid on any Cuastic Soda 'Tanks', whether they are 5 Gallon Buckets, or a 30 or 55 Gallon Drum...and or keep unauthorized personel or pets well away from the stuff.

The 'Hot Tanks' used by engine rebuilding places, were simply Caustic Soda which is kept warm or Hot.


A Steel Deum of the same Solution, left in the Summer Sun, can get pretty warm for free, or, it is easy if one wants to have a Burner under it.

I found it works just fine at ambient temps, with no need of being heated...so I never bothered heating mine.


Anyway, 'Oven Cleaner' is Lye...as are most of the Powder/Granular/Crystal "Drain Cleaners".

These are for cleaning Iron and Steel only.

Probably be okay for Brass or Copper also.

But not for plastics or Aluminum or Magnesium Alloys or Pot Metals, as Jon relays, you can get poisonous fumes, as well as that it will 'eat' the Pot Metal or Aluminum/Magnesium Alloys.

Olive Oil can ruin some plastics, but would be fine for Aluminum/Magnesium Alloys...soak it in well, let it sit, scrub with an appropriate Brush with strong Soap and Water.

Remember the Chevy Vega aluminum blocks without liners? They etched the bores with oven cleaner.