Airplane cleaning products

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Hi all, I'm a new Private Pilot (about 85 hours) and purchased a Cessna 152 that is in very nice condition about half way through my training. I don't regret the purchase at all, in fact if I had to do it again I probably would have bought it on day one instead.

I'm wondering what techniques/products others here use to keep their aircraft clean. I have typically been using a microfiber cloth to clean the leading edges and windshield after flight. While it works okay, it does require a good bit of elbow grease to keep clean and I was wondering if I was missing something that would make the task easier. I do fly off of a grass strip currently, so I imagine that makes my bug problem a little worse than for those flying off of asphalt.

So...do you have any products and/or techniques you can recommend to keep the exterior of my plane a bit more presentable? Thanks!
 
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Lemon pledge takes the bugs off pretty good. You can also use a plastic scrapie thing to help get the baked on ones off your cowling. We wash and wax the Free Bird twice a year. You may have to do so more often depending on where you live.

Welcome to POA.
 
steingar said:
Lemon pledge takes the bugs off pretty good.
Welcome to POA.
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+1 on Lemon Pledge, not only does it get the bugs off and makes them easier to get off next time, it leaves the plane smelling Lemony Fresh.

I use the credit card style hotel room keys for the really sticky bugs.
 
Wash-Wax-All is good stuff. It is a waterless 'wash' that comes in a gallon jug that you can use to refill a squirt bottle. Squirt it on, let it sit for a few seconds (or longer) on 'bad' areas then wipe off with a cloth.

A good coat of wax on the leading edges will make life much easier later in the year when bugs are flying. (This is coming from a guy that used to wash cropdusters during the summer - literally 1/4 - 1/2" of smashed-bug buildup on leading edges.)
 
Every once in a while someone will recommend Simple Green. I think that's a really bad idea for anything made of aluminum.
 
I use Wash Wax All. Blue for everything except the belly which gets the heavy duty Red or I might try their new belly cleaner product when I run out of Red, but that gets the job done. Water hasn't touched my plane since the last time I flew in the rain.
 
Trapper John said:
Every once in a while someone will recommend Simple Green. I think that's a really bad idea for anything made of aluminum.
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Best advice right there - stay the hell away from Simple Green on airplanes. Even their special 'airplane safe' products are questionable and many claim they still cause corrosion. There are so many better products out there that it just isn't worth taking the chance.
 
I've ordered both the red and blue Wash and Wax All products and will try those out. I greatly appreciate all of the great product info and tips and will try them out to find out what works best for me.
 
Lots and lots and lots of water on the windshields as you're getting the bugs off. Lots and lots and lots of water on the edges for same reason. Softens up the little buggers which means less effort for you.

I keep 2 sprayers in the hangar - one filled with water and the other with degreaser. I use diluted Extreme Simple Green because I have a birdbath nearby, but there are others that may be more convenient for you (the Wash-Wax-All doesn't require rinsing). The degreaser sprayer is one of those 1 gal garden hand-pump gadgets, about $10 or less at the local hardware store (thank you Clark for the idea). The water sprayer is smaller, one-handed model.

As soon as I park in the hangar, I use the water sprayer on the edges and windshield. Then I grab a towel (cotton or microfiber) in one hand, the sprayer in the other and Spray/Wipe (repeat) along the edges. Takes almost no time. Meanwhile, the water on the windshield is softening up the bugs. Still got sprayer in one hand but now, I use my other hand (no towel!) to Spray/Wipe on the windshield.

Icky? Probably, but it minimizes scratches. And washing your hands is easier and cheaper than replacing a windshield. Once the bugs are gone, then it's the Pledge with a soft cotton towel (walmart or target for baby diapers, but wash before first use and NEVER use fabric softener...)

Every once in a while, I'll take a deep breath and look under the belly and accept the fact that I need to clean it. That's when I go over to the BirdBath (we built a do-it-yourself wash station at the airport), take the sprayer with degreaser and get very messy.

Ah yes, the trip to Austin....I remember the days driving between Austin & Dallas. I'd have to stop half-way and find a car wash to get those stupid little black bugs off so I could see well enough to drive.
 
Trapper John said:
Every once in a while someone will recommend Simple Green. I think that's a really bad idea for anything made of aluminum.
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True, but there's another version that is acceptable, under the name of Extreme Simple Green. Different formulation, but you need to rinse it off.
 
I squirt dawn dishsoap over the whole plane and then go fly in the rain.
 
Also, Plexus is a good product to use on the windscreen. It's a little pricey, though. Seems to clean better than Pledge, though Pledge leaves a hint of wax residue that makes the next cleaning a little easier.
 
CJones said:
Also, Plexus is a good product to use on the windscreen. It's a little pricey, though. Seems to clean better than Pledge, though Pledge leaves a hint of wax residue that makes the next cleaning a little easier.
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I use Plexus on my motorcycle with great success.
 
Trapper John said:
Every once in a while someone will recommend Simple Green. I think that's a really bad idea for anything made of aluminum.
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Its not a big deal at all as long as you wash with good clean water afterwards.

I use simple green mixed 50/50 and rags to clean the belly. Then I wash everything down with tons of water. dry and a good spray wax.


In the spring I like to "clay bar" the planes, nothing and I mean nothing works as good as that.
 
taters said:
Its not a big deal at all as long as you wash with good clean water afterwards.
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My big concern with Simple Green is that it can "crawl" into skin laps because it has a lower surface tension than the water you use to try to rinse it off with. Exceptionally low pH products like Simple Green want to increase their pH by reacting with whatever they're in contact with. If they have to munch on aluminum to do that, they will. If they do that in a concealed skin lap joint, you won't see it.

Spray a little Simple Green on your thumb and then rub your index finger on your thumb. The reason it's so slippery is that the Simple Green is dissolving your skin cells. You can replicate effect that with oven cleaner or Drano, too.

Why use Simple Green when you can use something like Lemon Pledge or a wet towel?
 
Trapper John said:
My big concern with Simple Green is that it can "crawl" into skin laps because it has a lower surface tension than the water you use to try to rinse it off with. Exceptionally low pH products like Simple Green want to increase their pH by reacting with whatever they're in contact with. If they have to munch on aluminum to do that, they will. If they do that in a concealed skin lap joint, you won't see it.

Spray a little Simple Green on your thumb and then rub your index finger on your thumb. The reason it's so slippery is that the Simple Green is dissolving your skin cells. You can replicate effect that with oven cleaner or Drano, too.

Why use Simple Green when you can use something like Lemon Pledge or a wet towel?
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the stuff works great on the thick junk (on the belly) IMO but I have never used pledge..might give it a try sometime...

best part of washing a plane is the "fly dry" around the patch
 
+1 on the Wash-Wax-All. I've been using it for years. When the flight is over I apply some to the leading edges(and cowl) -- clean as a whistle.

HR
 
taters said:
the stuff works great on the thick junk (on the belly) IMO but I have never used pledge..might give it a try sometime...

best part of washing a plane is the "fly dry" around the patch
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Back in the day we used to get a bucket full of Jet-A to clean off the belly soot and oil. But I'm pretty sure it was because Jet-A was cheaper than No. 1 Diesel. And we used carbon tetrachloride to get the coffee and potato chip stains off the upholstery. There's probably some connection between underage lineboys and pancreatic cancer...
 
Trapper John said:
Every once in a while someone will recommend Simple Green. I think that's a really bad idea for anything made of aluminum.
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No one uses any alkaline soaps on bare aluminum. they polish it.

most aircraft are painted. and don't care what they are washed with.
 
Trapper John said:
Back in the day we used to get a bucket full of Jet-A to clean off the belly soot and oil. But I'm pretty sure it was because Jet-A was cheaper than No. 1 Diesel. And we used carbon tetrachloride to get the coffee and potato chip stains off the upholstery. There's probably some connection between underage lineboys and pancreatic cancer...
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While we fueled the Connie, and the cowl was open, we washed the engines with 115/145.

we did ask if any of the mechs were smoking below.
 
Ditto's on the pledge for all the windows it works great and leaves a nice smell inside the plane.
I use WD40 for degreasing the belly. It cuts through the grease easily and is non corrosive so no need to wash it with water afterward. It leaves a slight residue which makes the next cleaning easier.
 
I used WD40 last time I washed and waxed the aircraft and it worked fine.
 
Join Cessna Pilots Association. Best place on the web in my experience for help in Cessna matters. Well worth the money. One of their FAQs is an article on cleaning and cleaning products.
 
Trapper John said:
Every once in a while someone will recommend Simple Green. I think that's a really bad idea for anything made of aluminum.
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Do not use normal "Simple Green". It will cause corrosion. There is an aircraft version but probably not worth the effort of finding it.
 
Graueradler said:
Do not use normal "Simple Green". It will cause corrosion. There is an aircraft version but probably not worth the effort of finding it.
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How does it come in contact with the aluminum when the aluminum is painted?

If any soap cleans away all the protective coatings on the aluminum won't it corrode too ?

If any aircraft is washed with any product, and then waxes as it should be, and it corrodes anyway, can you blame the soap?

IMHO Simple Green got a bad rap. because it did its job too well.
 
Tom-D said:
How does it come in contact with the aluminum when the aluminum is painted?
IMHO Simple Green got a bad rap. because it did its job too well.
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I feel the same way..5 years of doing it often to multiple airframes (nice paint) ..no issues....not saying **** cant happen...but its yet to prove me wrong.



I do "fly dry" most of the time..maybe that sucks it out of the laps....also I cut it 50/50 with hot water and used rags drenched in the mixture....belly only..plain soap for the rest.
 
taters said:
I feel the same way..5 years of doing it often to multiple airframes (nice paint) ..no issues....not saying **** cant happen...but its yet to prove me wrong.
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The US Army was convinced enough by what they saw happening to their aircraft while using standard Simple Green that they stopped using it, and pushed the mfr to come up with what is now Simple Green Aviation Cleaner. You want to disbelieve the Army and use the regular Simple Green, mighty fine, but given the other available known non-corrosive choices, that seems a poor choice to me. Personally, I use the AeroCosmetics Wash/Wax-All products, and those are known non-corrosive and work really well.

http://www.washwax.com/
 
Ron Levy said:
The US Army was convinced enough by what they saw happening to their aircraft while using standard Simple Green that they stopped using it, and pushed the mfr to come up with what is now Simple Green Aviation Cleaner. You want to disbelieve the Army and use the regular Simple Green, mighty fine, but given the other available known non-corrosive choices, that seems a poor choice to me. Personally, I use the AeroCosmetics Wash/Wax-All products, and those are known non-corrosive and work really well.

http://www.washwax.com/
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We were using Simple Green on the TC-4C and it was removing the Grade 4 paralkatone. It takes off every thing that is a petro chemical protective agent.

Of course the Navy always re-greases the aircraft and reapplies the Grade 4, and we had no problems in 9 years.
 
I don't know what's been used on this one -- yet. But it's only been this far East for a couple weeks.
 

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Challenged: You would be challenged to do this one.

:eek:)
 

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Quote from the Simple Green Web Site:

http://www.simplegreen.com/solutions_faqs.php?search_query=aluminum

"The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green® product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation."

Capillary action will wick it into over lapped joints and there is no good way to flush it out.
 
I guess that's one nice thing about owning a 152; less airplane to clean.
 
Another Wash-Wax-All fan here. I also use their Belly Wash for the tough stuff and their Plexi-Clean on the glass. The Wash-Wax-All leaves a very nice slick protective coating that makes it a lot easier to wipe off the bugs after a flight.
 
I did order the Wash Wax All products, but I haven't tried them out yet, since I'm out of town. That said, over on the AOPA forums a few guys rave about Collinite 845, or Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax. Does anyone here have any experience with that product as well?
 
Graueradler said:
Quote from the Simple Green Web Site:

http://www.simplegreen.com/solutions_faqs.php?search_query=aluminum

"The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green® product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation."

Capillary action will wick it into over lapped joints and there is no good way to flush it out.
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If you have a painted aircraft with open seams, you have a poor paint job.

No one should use any products that clean away the protective coatings of the aluminum and leave it open to the elements. That doesn't mean the the cleaner is corrosive, it means the cleaner has removed any protection the aluminum had and left the surface exposed to the elements.

If you don't understand what I mean, look at any polished aircraft that has been rained on. see the water spots that are etched into the surface..
 
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