Favorite Cleaning Options - Post Polishing and Smithing

[Scarlett Pistol]

I've been looking through old posts. Lots of opinions for cleaning dirty guns, so I wanted to get some clearer guidance specifically for post polishing and working through a new gun. I have a sonic cleaner (have the solution for steel parts), have the Gun Scrubber that turns out to be overpriced brake cleaner, Corrosion X, and All temp Tactical gun lube. My frame and parts have Flitz all over and some of the oil and gunk my CZ 75 Compact came with. Under those circumstances what are your favorite ways of getting the gun squeaky clean and ready to go?

I hear mixed things on the Gun Scrubber/brake cleaner. What parts should it not contact? I know night sights and blued finishes for sure (don't ask how I know about night sights, ugh). Is there a safer/less toxic option that is cheaper and as effective? Or is my best bet just throwing it all in my sonic cleaner and scrubbing it down when it comes out? Alright, I'm getting carried away... Thanks for all the input and options!

[copemech]

I use brake cleaner, but if you want something a bit more gentile you can use mineral spirits paint thinner then blow it dry.
Not too many plastic parts in a 75 to worry about though. I stay off my FO front sights with the brake cleaner.

[1SOW]

For me,  I use  Hoppes Semi-Auto on exposed sooty areas followed by spray Dechlor' brake cleaner.  Keep the brake cleaner off plastic, your eyes, grip tape and especially F.O. rods.
It gets into the nooks and crannies fast and leaves the pistol dry.  Be sure to relube.
Blowing the pistol off with air after spraying helps provide the push to remove any loose crud left --if any.  JMO

Added:  I do this only when the pistol is waaay dirty.  Normal is a wipe and Mobil 1 like bugboy below, often JUST the Mobil 1

[bugboy]

I wipe stuff off as I reassemble it using Hoppe's #9 and Mobil 1.  I don't sweat all of the nooks and crannies too much. Q-tips help a lot.

[jwc007]

Is there a safer/less toxic option that is cheaper and as effective?

Yes! 

For a general solvent, I used to use Ballistol, which is basicly thinned Mineral Oil, until I found that Baby Oil was similar enough so as to suffice very nicely.  It can also be used as a Lubricant and Metal protectant, but I rarely use it for that.  Baby Oil is quite Polymer safe as well, coming in a plastic bottle.  For a Grease, generic Petroleum Jelly works very nicely. 

For a seriously carboned up barrel, I will sometimes use Apple Cider Vinegar as a Solvent, but no where else but the bore should it be used. I will rinse out the Barrel with Water after it's use and then carefully dry it out with patches and also spray it down with Disc Brake Cleaner.

For a Polymer Safe Spray Cleaner, CRC Electrical Contact Cleaner works very nicely, evaporating just like Disc Brake Cleaner, the latter which I also use. You can find CRC Electrical Contact Cleaner in the Automotive sections of many Department Stores.

[tdogg]

I only clean every 2nd or 3rd match.  That equates to about 500 rounds between cleanings.  I generally use hoppes and a tooth brush to scrub all the grim loose.  I then use brake cleaner to blast all the crud away.  I relube with FP10 and CGW moly grease on all sliding/wear surfaces.  I use the small hose and the brake cleaner to flush out the firing pin and extractor.  I then spray silicone spray down the firing pin hole to lube it up (it evaporates and leaves a thin film of lube).  Once assembled, I wipe down the exterior with lightly oiled patch then polish it off with a clean rag.

Never had an issue with brake cleaner and rubber grips or the FO front sight.  I do use compressed air to blast dry the frame/parts.  I'm still waiting for the trigger over travel screw to migrate due to the brake cleaner usage removing the loctite.

I recently purchased some Iosso bore paste for my wifes Savage 7mm-08.  It is new and needs the bore smoothed out a bit to aid in cleaning.  The next time I see leading in my barrel I am going to try the Iosso paste to aid in removal.  Otherwise I use a combination of foaming gun scrubber, TM solvent, and hoppes on the bore.  I have been looking into the KG1 and KG12 solvents but haven't tried them yet (for benchrest gun).

Cheers,
Toby

[Scarlett Pistol]

Thanks everyone for all the input! I gave isopropyl alcohol a try this time after all my polishing. Scrubbing everything with that and a toothbrush over a little bowl worked great. Don't know if it would be useful after lots of carbon build up, but I'm not planning on using it unless I'm totally gutting and cleaning my pistols. Going to give frog lube a try on this new 75 compact steel frame. Comparing it to a locally produced lube called All Temp Tactical that I've tried on a few other guns.

[J Lee]

How about Shooters Choice "Polymer Safe Quick Scrub"? I have some and have used it on the FCU on my Sig P320 and seemed to work ok.  My SP01 is getting pretty dirty around the sear cage but I'm a little nervous about pulling it out. Need to watch a few videos.  Would like to be able to give it a good cleaning sometime without sending a box of parts to someone for reassembly.

[pdxrealtor]

Gun cleaner - soon to be non - chlorinated break cleaner since it's cheaper.

I clean with a boresnake and hoppes 9 after every range trip until the barrel and feed ramps are clean. Add slip 2000 oil to the three main lube points, wipe the gun down and call it good.

If I strip the gun I blast it with gun cleaner and compressed air. This is the most efficient method I've found in my quest to spend less time cleaning. After stripping the gun I add slip 2000 EWG, which just doesn't disappear after use. It's simply awesome stuff.

[mrmackc]

I have used Hoppes #9 and a small child's toothbrush inside the pistol, a brass bore brush and a chamber brush, then a good wipe down with a patch saturated with the same Hoppes on a cleaning patch for over 60 years, no rust ever.

AMAZON has a Qt. of Hoppes #9 for $10.62 PRIME!
A Qt. will last me a year, for about 20 guns rifles, pistols, revolvers and shotguns.