Ultra sonic cleaner question

[yak face]

Hi all , just a quick pick of the collective brain. Ive just got myself an ultra sonic cleaner , primarily for cleaning the airbrush but other things too ( watch bracelets, jewellery , glasses etc.)
My question is what do you guys use as the cleaner - water , soapy water , or some other medium ? I dont want to go and fill it up with IPA or anything too harsh if it doesnt need it or might damage the cleaner. , cheers tony

 

[john]

I use 1 part clean slate to 3 water, seems to clear most stuff

 

[Tim Marlow]

When we did things like that at work we just used to use a squirt of dish soap. Must admit I haven’t used one since I retired though.

 

[Jim R]

I use warm water and a squirt of washing up liquid.

 

[stillp]

When I bought my u/s cleaner I ordered some jewellery cleaning solution. Put my black mesh Skagen watch bracelet in it and 10 minutes later I had a bare steel bracelet! Since then I've just used water and washing-up liquid to clean the airbrush and various car parts.
I'm sometimes tempted to try IPA though. My cleaner is stainless steel so it shouldn't come to any harm.
Pete

 

[stona]

Similar to others - water and dish soap or liquid laundry detergent.

I would avoid any of the acidic or alkaline cleaners on the market for airbrush parts.

 

[Dave Ward]

Warm water & Tesco Lemon washing up liquid - which I also use in the airbrush in a normal end of session clean out. Lemon? 'cos it smells nice!
Dave

 

[stona]

Warm water & Tesco Lemon washing up liquid - which I also use in the airbrush in a normal end of session clean out. Lemon? 'cos it smells nice!
Dave

I have a four year old grandson who claimed, as four year olds sometimes do, to like eating lemons. I don't need much of an excuse to experiment on defenceless children and guess what? He definitely does not like eating a lemon! He much prefers a pack of Haribo

 

[minitnkr]

My uncle Bud......"you think that looks good? Here, lick my finger" Everything from beer to beets.

 

[Jakko]

Years ago, I purchased a bottle of this specific ultrasonic cleaner fluid:



Every time I put my airbrush into the ultrasonic cleaner (which is not that often), I put a little splash of this into the water, as it appears to clean things better with than without. I don’t recall at all what I paid for it, and when I look now it seems to be fairly expensive (in the order of €25 per litre) but that one-litre bottle has lasted me for probably about a decade now and it’s still mostly full.

 

[stona]

That's got a bit of ammonia in it. That's good for shifting acrylics, I doubt it is anywhere near concentrated enough, but in the long term it might attack the chrome of an airbrush.

 

[langy71]

I have a four year old grandson who claimed, as four year olds sometimes do, to like eating lemons. I don't need much of an excuse to experiment on defenceless children and guess what? He definitely does not like eating a lemon! He much prefers a pack of Haribo

Now that's the best kind of 'science' experiment ever, the faces folk pull are hilarious ....

 

[Jakko]

That's got a bit of ammonia in it. That's good for shifting acrylics, I doubt it is anywhere near concentrated enough, but in the long term it might attack the chrome of an airbrush.

It might in the long run, but like I said, I don’t put it in it very often and when I do, the cleaning fluid is thinned something like 100:1 (rough guess ) and the airbrush stays in it for ten minutes at a time or so before being thoroughly rinsed under the tap. I’m not worried of the chrome starting to wear thin, if I’m honest

 

[Tim Marlow]

Now that's the best kind of 'science' experiment ever, the faces folk pull are hilarious ....

On the other hand, some of us actually like eating lemons, and limes……I’m known for hoovering up the slice out of herself‘s G and Ts…..been eating them since I was a little kid.

 

[langy71]

On the other hand, some of us actually like eating lemons, and limes……I’m known for hoovering up the slice out of herself‘s G and Ts…..been eating them since I was a little kid.

You and me both, I never found them 'too sharp' and always enjoyed the 'refreshing' taste..

 

[stillp]

My uncle Bud......"you think that looks good? Here, lick my finger" Everything from beer to beets.

Lucky he started at the letter B.

Pete

 

[minitnkr]

......the Ws were cool. I acquired a taste for reds.

 

[stona]

@ Chris and Tim - There's something wrong with the pair of you!

 

[Tim Marlow]

@ Chris and Tim - There's something wrong with the pair of you!

Only something……..

 

[yak face]

Thanks everyone for your input , the general concensus is water and washing up liquid (or similar) although the stuff John mentioned looks good for a deep clean now and again so I might order some of that .
Ive had a play and been trying with water and washing up liquid , I cleaned one of my cheap airbrushes and not much crap seemed to come out , so either it wasnt that mucky or i need something stronger.
It cleaned several of my stainless steel watch straps nicely though .