# How Should I Clean My Saws?



## StihlRockin' (Feb 7, 2008)

I'm looking for a basic way to clean a chainsaw of mine. It's dirty, caked on saw dust and some oil, etc.

I've never really taken the time to clean a saw. They've always seem to not get that dirty to begin with. I've used misc. cleaners before and scrubbed them a little with a paper towel.

I don't mind putting in some elbow grease, but if there's a product I can use that helps break down the crud, etc, I'll be glad to hear what you use. I would like to clean the exterior and remove the clutch cover and pull rope cover and soak them.

I think I've used just 409, a tooth brush, paper towels and elbow grease. Anyone have any good ideas or a good cleaning agent, besides gas?

How do you get your saws spic and span? Hmm, think I just came up with an idea there. LOL!

*Stihl*Rockin'


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## wood4heat (Feb 7, 2008)

I dont use paper towels on plastic because they can leave it hazy. The blue scott towels work good or an old t-shirt.

As for a solvent diluted simple green works good but will stain aluminum if you don't get it all off. S-100 is better but expensive.


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## raindogt (Feb 7, 2008)

I know it doesn't help your situation as it stands right now, it sounds like your saw(s) is plenty dirty... 

BUT, I take the 5 minutes to take apart the saw and blow it off with compressed air after every use.

Keeps everything clean and tidy. No build-up, easy to look over the saw after every use to be sure that it will run fine next time....


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## Thillmaine (Feb 7, 2008)

*Compressed air*

Compressed air, take it arpart and blwo all the #### out..


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## mryb (Feb 7, 2008)

I run mine through the dishwasher. (When the ole lady ain't home.) I take the bar off so it fits in, then blow what will come off with the air hose, throw a splash of Simple Green in & set it on a short cycle...Rick


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## Ironbark (Feb 7, 2008)

Oregon do a spray cleaner which I've found to be excellent. It's very expensive but will clean old resin off bars in no time. It washes off with cold water and leaves no residue.


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## West Texas (Feb 7, 2008)

Clean it often and you will never regret it; I clean mine each time I come in from the field.

Three good cleaners: (1) Purple Cleaner by the gallon from Wal-Mart and rinse with water before it drys; (2) Condensed version of Simple Green by the gallon from Home Depot; and, (3) Kerosene. In all three instances I use a plastic or flexible metal scraper to get rid of the heavy crap, followed by an air hose. Then I apply a cleaner with an old stubby paint brush, set briefly, rinse, followed by an air hose. Just be careful with the air hose; don't stand downwind or do it near your car or spouse as the dirt flies. In a pinch I've used diesel fuel; just don't use gasoline as it's too dangerous.

A good plastic or flexible metal scraper is neat to remove all the heavy crappy stuff before you use the brush and cleaner.

So far I've been talking about the saw, bar, and chain guard cover.

On the air filter, take it apart with a screw driver tip, soak it in a good cleaner (I use old coffee cans for this) then blow carefully from the inside out with air hose, they will look like new. If the filter is heavily coated, I use a scraper or air hose to gently remove the bulk of it; before taking it apart to soak, etc.

Having said all of the above; soap and water are still good cleaners.


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## gremlin (Feb 7, 2008)

armorall multi purpose cleaner works wonders. never had any problems with residue or fading. just follow directions on bottle pretty cheap too


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## woodchux (Feb 7, 2008)

I like to use cans of carb cleaner... I pick up a case every time i go to w-mart [$1.14 per can.]


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## StihlRockin' (Feb 8, 2008)

Hey, thanks guys! Looks like some good ideas to me. I'll pick some of each. Unfortunately my air compressor is not that good and is yet another thing I'll be picking up this season. I do have an air hose attached to an air tank and will use a blow nozzle on that to remove the looser material.

I appreciate the help. Can't wait to get this bad boy cleaned up looking spiffy again!

Thanks.

*Stihl*Rockin'


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## COLD_IRON (Feb 8, 2008)

I have used foaming engine cleaner on my string trimmers with good success.


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## Themadd1 (Feb 8, 2008)

Compressed air with a good gun. We use a blaster style gun. High volume, get most of the debris out of the nooks and crannys. I would steer clear of cleaning products or putting your engine in the dishwasher. 

There are a few issues here, getting water in the air intake/filter. Also could cause problems with the clutch/bearing end of the things. These engines are made to be a little dirty. 

Just use a good compressor on a daily basis. It's like having your whte baseball pants bleached by your mom when you were a kid. Whats the point? They are just going to get dirty again. 

I have a good one for you guys. The other day I am doing a land clearing job with a rented chipper ( I was way outside my normal work area, different state)

The chipper was ridiculously dull and I had to use my 338 to cut up the brush as it went into the chipper. I set my saw on the ground with the brake on and pushed some brush through. When I turned around my saw had sunk into the saturated ground to the bar. The engine was still running and the only thing left sticking out of the ground was the bar. 

To make a long story short I have to clean all the dirt out of the saw, I mean I have to take off the entire cover, and then do the cleaning. I am thinking this might be best left to Husky certified

Any suggestions?


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## Wortown Mick (Feb 8, 2008)

Get a lighter saw :spam: 
Like a dolmar or stihl :greenchainsaw: 

Kidding, but wow thats crazy hahaha. Torture test on your own saw, I imagine the flywheel spun mud into every recess.

All the previous mentioned methods will work. Its not like you want to get the thing sterile clean. Just functionally clean.


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## safeT1st (Feb 9, 2008)

*Cleaning saws*

At the end of each day or soon after that . Old toothbrushes ,picks ,small can of solvent . Don't be afraid to remove all covers, panels ect . It's amazing how much gunk will collect around coils , fins , wiring ,hoses ,within the handle . In my opinion if it's not meant to be there get rid of it promptly as it can only lead to trouble , ie: cooling restrictions , chafing and rubbing wear . It's so nice to pickup your saw knowing it is clean , serviced and ready to run .


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## jus2fat (Feb 9, 2008)

I'm surprised no one mentioned GUNK in spray can.
Basically just kerosene in a can..cheap & easy to use.
Varsol was the best...imho...but hard to find now.


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## StihlRockin' (Feb 10, 2008)

Themadd1 said:


> *The other day I am doing a land clearing job with a rented chipper... was ridiculously dull and I had to use my 338 to cut up the brush. ... I set my saw on the ground with the brake on and pushed some brush through. When I turned around my saw had sunk into the saturated ground to the bar. ...the only thing left sticking out of the ground was the bar.
> 
> Any suggestions?*



Yeah, get it some therapy. Obviously it discovered what brand of saw it was and was so ashamed, the first chance he got, he stuck his _power_head into the sand...err ground.






*Stihl*Rockin' 

"Thanks for the tips! "


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## StihlRockin' (Feb 10, 2008)

Thanks for the additional tips guys. I cleaned up a little of it by soaking the clutch plate and rewind side cover in warm water with soap & Spic N' Span. I also sprayed some concentrated Simple Green on it as well. The pine pitch really made it dirty and was difficult to remove. It really took some elbow grease to do a satisfactory job. It's still not as clean as it could be, externally, but looks like part of the crew now. At least I'm not embarassed by it. LOL!

Thanks again for the help. I'll be trying several of y'alls tips as well.

*Stihl*Rockin'


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## BRICH60 (Feb 12, 2008)

i like using compressed air. if you clean it after each days use, it`s not so hard to keep clean.


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## czar800 (Feb 12, 2008)

*Starting fluid ?*

anyone else use starting fluid & compressed air. I use starting fluid to clean all kinds of things it drys fast and leaves nothing behind.


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## beowulf343 (Feb 12, 2008)

Themadd1 said:


> Just use a good compressor on a daily basis. It's like having your whte baseball pants bleached by your mom when you were a kid. Whats the point? They are just going to get dirty again.



Yep, works for me.


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## Kogafortwo (Feb 14, 2008)

woodchux said:


> I like to use cans of carb cleaner... I pick up a case every time i go to w-mart [$1.14 per can.]



Great price on carb cleaner. I have been paying $5 a can. Arghhhh!


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## StihlRockin' (Feb 17, 2008)

I also forgot to mention that what appeared to work well is a hand cleaner called Fast Orange. The reason I said "appeared" is because the pine tar was dried on the saw for a long time and was uncertain if it was the many cleaners I used or the elbow grease with some umpf behind it, that did the real work. Fast Orange has grit or some sort of abrasive in it, so when you use it be sure it's not on a surface you don't mind being scratched or after it has soaked wipe it up before scrubbing.

*Stihl*Rockin'


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## hydro2 (Feb 17, 2008)

U guys don't mind hitting your saw with water? I don't think I would want to spray water all over my saw. I use compressed air and then spray Honda Cleaner Polish and the plastic and use a soft rag. Honda Cleaner Polish is no longer avail. in PA. They claim the kids were huffing it. I go to Ohio and pick up several cans at a time. When I had my Harley I would use it on the bike. You could even use it when the bike was dusty without scratching. It is really good stuff.


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## JeffL (Feb 17, 2008)

Daily the saws get blown out entirely after use, and generally once a week or every two, the saws will get torn down a little better, clean and de-burr the bar, blow out all the nooks and crannies in the casing, blow out the clutches and chain locks, filter, etc etc.


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## juststumps (Feb 17, 2008)

hydro2 said:


> U guys don't mind hitting your saw with water? I don't think I would want to spray water all over my saw. I use compressed air and then spray Honda Cleaner Polish and the plastic and use a soft rag. Honda Cleaner Polish is no longer avail. in PA. They claim the kids were huffing it. I go to Ohio and pick up several cans at a time. When I had my Harley I would use it on the bike. You could even use it when the bike was dusty without scratching. It is really good stuff.



just a tip for all the cleaning methods,,,,,,,,,,put the choke on,,,, before you start cleaning,,, or working on your saw......if you pull the air filter out,, you don't need that stuff falling into the motor... same goes for using compressed air to clean,,, you don't need to force grit into your motor....

to clean my saws,, i spray them with brake cleaner,,, then wash them down with a hose....

i guess you don't have to work in the rain,, if your worried about water....

our saws work 8 hours a day,, 5-6 days a week , all year....it aint about showing,, its about going !!!! shine don't cut any faster !!!!!! JMO


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## BC WetCoast (Feb 17, 2008)

hydro2 said:


> U guys don't mind hitting your saw with water? I don't think I would want to spray water all over my saw. I use compressed air and then spray Honda Cleaner Polish and the plastic and use a soft rag. Honda Cleaner Polish is no longer avail. in PA. They claim the kids were huffing it. I go to Ohio and pick up several cans at a time. When I had my Harley I would use it on the bike. You could even use it when the bike was dusty without scratching. It is really good stuff.



You don't work in the rain????


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## hydro2 (Feb 17, 2008)

Working in the rain and snow is a wee bit different that taking the pressure washer to the saw with the covers off. I suppose you could, it just never occured to me to hose one down. I use my pressure washer on my four wheelers, skid steer, Rhino, log splitter. Maybe I will give er a try.


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## Slvrmple72 (Feb 19, 2008)

I use old toothbrushes to get the crud off with the simple green cleaner. I also like to use a set of dentist tools for the hard to reach spots. Do any of you have a workbench set up for all of your saw maintenance? The wife seems to be getting upset with me using the ole coffee table.


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## mryb (Feb 19, 2008)

hydro2 said:


> Working in the rain and snow is a wee bit different that taking the pressure washer to the saw with the covers off. I suppose you could, it just never occured to me to hose one down. I use my pressure washer on my four wheelers, skid steer, Rhino, log splitter. Maybe I will give er a try.



The dishwasher rules with a splash of Simple Green. Leaves no residue. Send the ole lady on a long shopping trip & set the timer on "short wash". Like mentioned before, close the choke...Rick


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## woodbine (Feb 19, 2008)

By far the most effective cleaner I've used is Stihl's Special Cleaner (Part no.
0000 881 9400 - in the UK). Expensive-ish but very good .


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## handyhelper (Feb 20, 2008)

100% Mineral Spirits works wonders. Some are familiar with "Varsol"..... Varsol is 100% Mineral Spirits (aka Paint Thinner). Don't worry, it wont hurt or fade any of the plastics. I just brush it on, let it sit for about a minute, then blow it off.


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## StihlRockin' (Feb 23, 2008)

Thank you gentleman for the additional replies. You can bet I'll be trying several of the ideas to get this saw nice and spiffy.

It is hard, however, to pass up advice from a father with multiple children when giving advice on how to clean up marker stains. LOL!

Thanks,

*Stihl*Rockin'


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## mryb (Feb 24, 2008)

StihlRockin' said:


> Thank you gentleman for the additional replies. You can bet I'll be trying several of the ideas to get this saw nice and spiffy.
> 
> It is hard, however, to pass up advice from a father with multiple children when giving advice on how to clean up marker stains. LOL!
> 
> ...



Let me know how the dishwasher works for you. Don't forget to close the choke. Thanx/Rick


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## mryb (Mar 3, 2008)

StihlRockin' said:


> Thank you gentleman for the additional replies. You can bet I'll be trying several of the ideas to get this saw nice and spiffy.
> 
> It is hard, however, to pass up advice from a father with multiple children when giving advice on how to clean up marker stains. LOL!
> 
> ...



Ok, its been a week now. Any verdict? My moneys on the dishwasher...Rick


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## StihlRockin' (Mar 6, 2008)

This post ended up being confusing to me because someone who stated they had multiple children used such-and-such product with excellent results and I wanted to try that method first... but when I went back to search the posts for that particular reply, I could NOT find it! I looked through each post 3 times.

I'm not sure how the dishwasher would do internally, but I gather it would do just fine for outside the saw. However, my dishwasher hasn't been used as a dishwasher for at least 20 years! It's used as a storage place now.

I ended up using concentrated Simple Green and some other products and still am not sure what really worked because I used all of them... plus I did a lot of physical scrubbing, so I think good ol' elbow grease worked the best. I also submerged some parts I removed in hot soapy water which seemed to help as well.

========================

Since then fellows I have purchased a 25gal 5.5hp air compressor and have a standard blow nozzle along with one that has a long narrow neck to blow into tight spots and really concentrate the blow stream in one spot. I waited long enough for the compressor and you can bet I'll be using it to clean my saws!

Thanks for the replies. 

*Stihl*Rockin'


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## Stryker777 (Mar 15, 2008)

I like Zep degreaser and carb cleaner. What the Zep wont get, the carb cleaner will make sparkle. Of course blow it out and let it dry good before trying to start it again if you used carb cleaner!


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## capetrees (Mar 15, 2008)

Compressed air is the only thing my repair guy tells me to use. And remember to lightly blow out the air filter. Blow it too hard and you'll make larger holes that fines can pass through. Also, keep in mind, any wet materials that don't dry will collect dust and dirt that much faster next time you use it. So long as the air cleaner is clean and the vents are clear and she runs fine, who cares what it looks like IMO.


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## AllCape (Mar 16, 2008)

I agree with ThrillMaine and CapeTrees. Compressed air is strong enough to get all the grease and oil and caked on sawdust off. When your done the saws look like new. As long as you have a compresser (And I imagine it would be hard to own a tree business without one) its much cheaper than going through cleaners and shop towels and such. Just get a long compresser hose and run it outside because is sure can get messy... By the way If you don't mind me asking Capetrees, whats your company name, I live in Mashpee so I must have seen you around.


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