Cleaning plane with no water.... What to use?

Unit74

Unit74

Final Approach
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Unit74
Airport rules....no plane washing. What can I do to keep it clean?:idea:
 
Fly it to another airport. Ask what others at your field do.
There is a field about 10 min from mine that has a big hanger that was converted to a coin operated plane wash. Might see if there is something like that near you.

Otherwise you probably gonna need degreaser and lots of paper towels.
 
Spray bottle, Simple Green diluted 1:1, a scrubber sponge (the one enclosed in white mesh, not scotch brite), and some clean white cotton towels.

This is what we use for our club hangar on our two aircraft. Spend about 15-20 minutes "de-bugging" the leading edges with the scrubby sponge, and then a general wipe down of everything. Now the aircraft is nice and clean for the next club member who uses it.
 
NO Simple green on aluminum airplane parts. none, nyet :hairraise:

GoJo hand cleaner (without pumice), paper towels, and elbow grease will do the job nicely.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Spray bottle, Simple Green diluted 1:1, a scrubber sponge (the one enclosed in white mesh, not scotch brite), and some clean white cotton towels.
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The Simple Green you use is likely Simple Green for aircraft, not the Walmart variety. If it is the Walmart variety, stop using it and get the stuff for aircraft. Aircraft Spruce will be happy to sell you a gallon and it will last a long time.

The Walmart variety will cause corrosion in the worst places - overlaps and rivets...
 
Clark1961 said:
The Simple Green you use is likely Simple Green for aircraft, not the Walmart variety. If it is the Walmart variety, stop using it and get the stuff for aircraft. Aircraft Spruce will be happy to sell you a gallon and it will last a long time.

The Walmart variety will cause corrosion in the worst places - overlaps and rivets...
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You can also might be able to get the aircraft safe version at auto parts stores -- my local Pep Boys sells it, but the spray bottles, not the gallon jugs.
 
Airplane wash and wax ,comes in two strengths ,one for grease ,one just dirt. Can also try 409 for grease ,then any good wash and wax boat or airplane wax.
 
I use Wash Wax All. It works great.
Try it.
 
Clark1961 said:
The Simple Green you use is likely Simple Green for aircraft, not the Walmart variety. If it is the Walmart variety, stop using it and get the stuff for aircraft. Aircraft Spruce will be happy to sell you a gallon and it will last a long time.

The Walmart variety will cause corrosion in the worst places - overlaps and rivets...
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It is for aircraft.
 
ejensen said:
Second this product. I use on every surface including the plexi. And a bucket of water can help if the bugs are real bad.
http://washwax.com/store/
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Speaking of water, just plain water works on bugs. We keep a spray bottle of water and freshly laundered terry cloth towels in the hangar for after flight touch ups.

Just hit all the leading edges with water, wait a minute or two, and scrub/dry with the towels. The bugs come off easily. Hard to believe but works very well.
 
I use the $1 bottles of window cleaner at Dollar General. It does have ammonia. Test before using. It works great on painted surfaces and glass
 
For the wash wax, what products do you guys use?
 
tinerj said:
I use the $1 bottles of window cleaner at Dollar General. It does have ammonia. Test before using. It works great on painted surfaces and glass
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Be sure to keep that stuff away from your plexiglas.

We use Meguillar's touch-up wax spray. Spray on, wipe off. Degrease the belly once in a while with SuperClean, followed by an immediate Meguillar's "rinse".

Once or twice a year, supplement with a good paste wax job.

From my motorcycling days: Water never, EVER touches my airplanes, unless it's rainwater, and I'm parked in it. By accident. :wink2:
 
Unit74 said:
For the wash wax, what products do you guys use?
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I use the blue wash wax all for normal cleaning. Just spray it on and wipe/scrub with a micro fiber towel. For stubborn bugs and oily spots there is a degreaser formula (red). Spray the red and then scrub it with there scrubbing pad. It's good stuff. I buy the red and blue by the gallon. Spruce sells it as well.
 
Just used the blue Wash/Wax All for the first time recently. Was very pleased with the results. Could have used something stronger (W/WA Red?) for bugs/heavy grease areas, but extra elbow grease also did the trick.
 
Cheapest place to get it? I was looking at the started pack. Should I buy it by the gallon instead for an Archer?
 
Order it direct from Aero Cosmetics; by the gallon. It'll last many applications, probably more than one season. No waiting for a cleaner to dry to a haze before buffing off. Spray it on and before it dries, buff it off. Bugs picked up during flight? Give the areas a light spray, bugs will come right off with a soft wipe.

HR
 
N801BH said:
OK.......... I give up..... Why no plane washing ..:dunno::dunno:......
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To avoid soap / grease / oil in the storm drains.

At ONZ, they have a spot to wash airplanes with a diverter valve on the drain in the pavement to switch between the storm sewer (not washing mode - goes straight into the river) and the sanitary sewer (for washing - goes to the sewage treatment place then into the river).
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
To avoid soap / grease / oil in the storm drains.

At ONZ, they have a spot to wash airplanes with a diverter valve on the drain in the pavement to switch between the storm sewer (not washing mode - goes straight into the river) and the sanitary sewer (for washing - goes to the sewage treatment place then into the river).
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Thanks.. Altho I don't understand how all the "green" cities address the oil and grease and other contaminants that drip from all the vehicles on roads not get into their storm drains......

And the tens of millions of houses that have a septic system and the clothes and dish washing machine discharging into them...:dunno::dunno:
 
I use "No Rinse Wash and Shine" mild and safe and it works well. If you by the concentrated bottle dilute per instructions and it will last a long time.
 
I got the starter kit of the Washwax so I'll give it a go.
 
N801BH said:
Thanks.. Altho I don't understand how all the "green" cities address the oil and grease and other contaminants that drip from all the vehicles on roads not get into their storm drains......

And the tens of millions of houses that have a septic system and the clothes and dish washing machine discharging into them...:dunno::dunno:
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Well for starters I don't know many city dwellers with septic systems! Second, when you live in a congested area there are so many sources of pollution that it's even more critical to control runoff as much as you can, where you can.

Also another vote for the Wash Wax All.
 
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dukeblue219 said:
Well for starters I don't know many city dwellers with septic systems! Second, when you live in a congested area .

Also another vote for the Wash Wax All.
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Hmmmm..

Airports are located in rural areas and I bet 99% of them are NOT on town sewer system......

As for your other point.. " there are so many sources of pollution that it's even more critical to control runoff as much as you can, where you can"

Let's do the math... There are 100,000 cars that get washed to every ONE plane that gets washed...:dunno:....:idea:.....:confused:
 
N801BH said:
Hmmmm..

Airports are located in rural areas and I bet 99% of them are NOT on town sewer system......

As for your other point.. " there are so many sources of pollution that it's even more critical to control runoff as much as you can, where you can"

Let's do the math... There are 100,000 cars that get washed to every ONE plane that gets washed...:dunno:....:idea:.....:confused:
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Airports are located in rural areas.... As an exclusive statement it makes me laugh having learned to fly in Southern California where there are dozens of airports far from anywhere one could call rural. Florida isn't much different really. From Palm Beach south there's a good few airports in the middle of congested cities.
 
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Henning said:
Airports are located in rural areas.... As an exclusive statement it makes me laugh having learned to fly in Southern California where there are dozens of airports far from anywhere one could call rural. Florida isn't much different really. From Palm Beach south there's a good few airports in the middle of congested cities.
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Florida was ALOT different when I lived there 30 years ago........

I bet,,,to this day.....most wash areas are still on septic systems / french drains....:yes:
 
In metro areas - airports are in metro areas. In rural areas, airports are in rural areas....
 
N801BH said:
Florida was ALOT different when I lived there 30 years ago........

I bet,,,to this day.....most wash areas are still on septic systems / french drains....:yes:
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LOL, you haven't been in South Florida for a while! They've had our streets torn up for the last decade running sewer systems. No more septic.:no: and the car washes have to filter and recycle the water.
 
N801BH said:
Thanks.. Altho I don't understand how all the "green" cities address the oil and grease and other contaminants that drip from all the vehicles on roads not get into their storm drains......

And the tens of millions of houses that have a septic system and the clothes and dish washing machine discharging into them...:dunno::dunno:
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EPA.

When I flew in the US for an airline we would cycle our planes through Mexico to have them washed because so many airports don't want to comply with the EPA regs on wash racks.

Look for tightening of EPA regulations on "brown water" storage and runoff for homeowners and businesses. I foresee the time coming that washing cars will have to be done at an "approved" facility.
 
When you know it's getting ready to rain, especially a downpour, pull the plane out of the hangar, pour whatever soap you are going to use to wash it on before the rain starts, and do nothing. If they *****, tell them to pass legislation that prohibits it from raining.
 
I'd just do it anyway. If they complain, ask to see the law. 9 times out of 10, its a "policy," not a "law." Same as the fuel dumping that is supposedly outlawed by some EPA regulation or another (people usually call it the Clean Water Act or something). Unless it is illegal, it ain't illegal.
 
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