Ultrasonic cleaner - what solution for rust and grease?

[JoeH]

I'm in the charity bicycle refurbishment world.
The goal is an ultrasonic solution that is affordable which eats rust and grease.

The team love white vinegar as a relatively safe rust eater. Plus it's cheap.

The thinking is, stick white vinegar in the ultrasonic and it will help remove rust on components.

The big question is, what degreaser can we add to the white vinegar?

Bearing in mind the white vinegar is acidic and typically soap or degreaser is alkali, I don't want them to cancel each other out.

Any advice or experience much welcome.

 

[fguki]

I dont know if an ultrasonic cleaner is even capable of removing "rust and grease". Its more for the end-cleaning and a little "smaller" jobs.

Maybe your expectations are a little high there! Unless we are talking about a very radical industrial machine here. But the "usual" household ultrasonic cleaners (I got one for 300,00 Euros, even!) Might be a little overwhelmed by what you think you can do with them!

Keep that in mind.

 

[JoeH]

We have a creeworks 15litre

So ideal for loading up with cassettes and chains etc.

Or a couple of chainsets.

I suppose another way to ask my question is, is there a ph neutral degreaser or an acidic degreaser out there?

 

[Tootyred]

No. An ultrasonic cleaner wont really remove rust any better than just putting the thing in the solution in my experience. Your trying to convert the rust and whist the ultrasonic might move stuff about and remove dirt, it can't convert rust.

We use 30l creeworks and a .5l for smaller stuff.

The best off the shelf product I've found is evaporust.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

I go for citric acid with a bit of washing up liquid. Cheap and readily available although the postman probably thinks I have a massive heroin problem. I just order “food quality” acid.
Like people have said though, just leaving it in the solution will do for the rust. Neutralise in bicarbonate of soda or at least rinse in water. Dry and oil to avoid flash rusting.

 

[JoeH]

No. An ultrasonic cleaner wont really remove rust any better than just putting the thing in the solution in my experience. Your trying to convert the rust and whist the ultrasonic might move stuff about and remove dirt, it can't convert rust.

We use 30l creeworks and a .5l for smaller stuff.

The best off the shelf product I've found is evaporust.

I think the idea is we leave items to soak in the ultrasonic - hence the rust solution request.
AND
Also turn it on, and put up with the annoying noise which may as you suggest degrease better

 

[doctor-bond]

I’m going to give this a try: (citric acid an washing soda)

 

[highlandsflyer]

We use oxalic. You can add that into a solution.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Odd one, the point of the ultrasonic is it does the work forming tiny bubble and exploding (actually I think) implode to knock bits off.

A slight detergent is there to help that out, reducing surface tension.

Nothing else should really be used.


So scrub it as clean as you can, then water and some detergents.
Then clean it all out and you can use solvents etc.
A vat of WD40, or IPA depending on what you are cleaning. Be very caution of ignition.

Or just vinegar (dilute ethanoic acid), water and detergent.

Dilute Citric Acid if you are descaling anything, but hen you need to get that water warm too.
oxalic acid based iron rust cleaners.

You could probably get SLS Sodium lauryl sulfate (aka SDS, also check spelling) , the 'soap' in many things as the detergent.

Depends how DIY you wish to go.


Something I miss not being a technician with hundreds of chemicals to hand :-(

 

[JoeH]

Odd one, the point of the ultrasonic is it does the work forming tiny bubble and exploding (actually I think) implode to knock bits off.

A slight detergent is there to help that out.

Nothing else should really be used.

Citric acid works by chelation that is 'clawing off' the rust, so agitation helps the chelation, to reveal more rust to allow complete chelation.
Anyone who stirs a rusty item in citric acid will see this.
Furthermore a warm citric acid solution works quicker.
Therefore my logic is an ultrsonic cleaner would be brilliant with a citric acid solution (or any chelating solution)