Windshield washer fluid for swabbing?
 

Just curious if anyone uses windshield washer fluid for swabbing or cleaning their muzzy?


I was reading the msds and was kind of blown away by what it had. Methanol or Methy-alcohol is highly poisonous and can cause you to go blind, along with affecting your nervous system. I checked out a bottle in the truck and its marked with a Danger, poison print.

Really surprised me to see such a typical house hold item containing that stuff. I guess its there to keep it from freezing, plus it melts bugs off.

My dad a couple years back was exposed to that methanol in the gas fields and had to constantly have his blood work monitored due to high levels of something it caused. I don't remember exactly what the high level was but it took months to get his blood levels normal afterward.

Even more screwed up was reading in books and online about CLEANING your muzzy with pure methanol! Works better than water they say :eek2:

Very corrosive
 

MD54,
I don't know what all is in windshield washer fluid, but it sure causes rust. I did a country-boy wheel weight treatment on my lawn tractor. Well, finally I broke down and replaced the front wheels, and went to air down the old ones so I could spoon them off to take them to the recycling place. The rust that came out of those tires was so thick it looked like mud!

There are enough cleaning products, none of them really expensive, that I would never treat anything I valued with some internet "miracle." Its false economy. JMO.

OldBob

The main ingredient in Windex is ammonia & yes a lot of window washing fluids have that in them as well as alcohol. Yes it likewise WILL clean muzzleloaders but be mindful of such rust & corrosive solvents & keep the then bared steel oiled!

Brake cleaner is what I use & prefer for quick mzldr clean ups. Just be sure & try to keep it off (or wipe off quickly if you get some on it) plastic stocks & other plastic pieces like say cleaning rod ends & sabots! Again, it will also strip the steel to bare metal so put oil or your favorite preservative fluid back on the metal before storing it.

I use and really prefer a orange based citrus household cleaner name brand "fantastic" for cleaning up my Whites. It just takes a couple patches inside and a brush then another patch an its clean. The citrus cleaner doesn't hurt the finish either as it was meant for cleaning. I drop the BP in a container of this as well and it does the job along with a wire brush an pipe cleaner. This is with triple seven powder.

Works for me...

I have used diluted Windex
for many years followed by a light coat of oil.

Did you ever wonder what is in non-chlorinated Brake Clean?

The main ingredient is methanol
http://ebpaving.com/wp-content/uploa...eaner-2015.pdf

Windex has several versions without ammonia. Even the regular Windex has very little. Numerous copper removing center fire solvents contain ammonia.

Um, take a look at the Safety Data Sheet for good ol' Hoppes No. 9. Many, many cleaners and solvents read like a horror show.

It's a question of duration and exposure.

If you are concerned with harsh solvents try:

Hoppes Elite
M7Pro
Ballistol

All of those are far less toxic. I would follow up with a good oil though if using Hoppes Elite or M7Pro. Both are water based solvents.

Well 64 years and I still like the smell.......