Safe, Effective Cleaning Solutions

[RankAmateur]

After getting kicked out of the kitchen for stinking up the place . . . cleaning my rifles under the big fume hood over the stove (its seemed like a good idea to me, not sure why she didn't see it that way) I got to thinking about safer cleaning solvents.

Cleaning outside isn't much of an option here, much of the year it is too cold and the rest it is too windy. I could pick and choose my days to "dust off" the hunting rifles, but the more target shooting I do, the more I find myself not shooting because I haven't had a good weather day to clean in a while.

Normally I'm not an "environmentally friendly" kind of guy; it always seems to me that "new, safe, non-toxic" = INEFFECTIVE! but I did some searching anyway. It seems there are dozens, if not hundreds of "what should I clean my gun with" threads on all of the popular forums, but not many of them have much of a consensus and most are dominated by people posting about how sniffing Hoppes #9 gives them flashbacks to their youth.
I spend too much of my life around harsh chemicals and solvents to want to intentionally ingest any more poison than I have to.

So ....... How about it? People on this forum tend to shoot a lot and value doing things the right way (ie. I don't expect a lot of replies like "run a bore snake with some CLP on it and call it a day" the way I see on a lot of other forums)
Are there some products out there that hold a favorite shelf position with many shooters here for their effectiveness, but that won't be so toxic with long term exposure?

 

[dreever]

After getting kicked out of the kitchen for stinking up the place . . . cleaning my rifles under the big fume hood over the stove (its seemed like a good idea to me, not sure why she didn't see it that way) I got to thinking about safer cleaning solvents.

Cleaning outside isn't much of an option here, much of the year it is too cold and the rest it is too windy. I could pick and choose my days to "dust off" the hunting rifles, but the more target shooting I do, the more I find myself not shooting because I haven't had a good weather day to clean in a while.

Normally I'm not an "environmentally friendly" kind of guy; it always seems to me that "new, safe, non-toxic" = INEFFECTIVE! but I did some searching anyway. It seems there are dozens, if not hundreds of "what should I clean my gun with" threads on all of the popular forums, but not many of them have much of a consensus and most are dominated by people posting about how sniffing Hoppes #9 gives them flashbacks to their youth.
I spend too much of my life around harsh chemicals and solvents to want to intentionally ingest any more poison than I have to.

So ....... How about it? People on this forum tend to shoot a lot and value doing things the right way (ie. I don't expect a lot of replies like "run a bore snake with some CLP on it and call it a day" the way I see on a lot of other forums)
Are there some products out there that hold a favorite shelf position with many shooters here for their effectiveness, but that won't be so toxic with long term exposure?

I have a pretty sensitive nose but Bore Tech Eliminator works fine for me.

 

[swadiver]

Wipe-Out patch out

 

[Jet]

M-Pro7 products. I've been using their products (no affiliation) for a few years and when using your criteria, find them to be superior to most all products on the shelves.

http://www.mpro7.com/

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[hogpatrol]

I'm not but if I was concerned with the fumes and odors, I'd consider one of these or similar units.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SHCEVG/?tag=accuratescom-20

 

[Intheshop]

Pretty high end vent systems here.Full blown cabinet/furniture shop.All process welding.Spraybooth...yadayada.

With a little initiative and effort you can have a positive flow station built in to your reloading,or cleaning bench.

For inspiration and general drooling purposes,image search backdraft (vs downdraft) finishing tables.Look at the lighting as well.You can easily build a station that'll make the "stove" setup look Fred Flintstone.Good luck.

Edit to add,check some Filter 1 setups

 

[jpx2rk]

My wife complained one time about Hoppes #9 and the Butches Bore shine, I reminded her that fingernail polish remover does not smell like roses either. No more snide comments from the pnut gallery.

 

[dakor]

KG products is what I switched to about two years ago. Their copper remover is the best I have used and I have pretty much used them all. It is water based and has no smell and they also make a carbon remover, bore Polish, and oil along with other products.

http://www.brownells.com/manufacturers/KG+PRODUCTS/index.htm

 

[Hammer47]

Hoppes #9........they oughta make aftershave that smells like that. If the wife does not like that aroma, dump her.

 

[vtmarmot]

+1 on Wipeout (foam) and Patchout (liquid). I also use their Accelerator. Odor is almost non-existent. They say to keep it off your skin, but I have not been extra careful and haven't had any ill effects. It is VERY convenient to use once you get the technique down (ie: squirt in from the breech, use their nozzle, tilt the barrel down slightly, and don't try to contain the foam in the bore). There is no brushing and you can do other things while it works.

 

[mikea5232]

I use boretech. No smell, it does work but it's not the quickest cleaner in the world but it gets the job done with out a nagging wife

 

[slobhunter2]

+ 2 wipe out patch out

 

[coford]

TM Bore Cleaner is very effective and doesn't smell. Don't expect it to work quickly but it does work well. It will desolve copper and powder residue as good as anything I've tried.

http://www.tmss.net/tmsolutionproducts/borecleaningsolventinformation.html

 

[RankAmateur]

[QUOTE="You can easily build a station that'll make the "stove" setup look Fred Flintstone.Good luck.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I can see how my initial post sounded a bit "redneck". Its actually quite a nice set up; built in flat top range, 3 foot x 10 foot clear flat space, 24"x36" stainless vent hood. I just roll out my mat, set my cleaning center on top of that and go to work, then roll it all up and don't even have to wipe down the surface . . . but what can I say to win an argument that starts with "Oh no, Not in MY Kitchen" Hence my need for a new solution.

Thanks for the suggestions so far everyone, I will look into some of those products. I just want to clarify though that its not a matter of smell, its a matter of toxicity. I've spent some time in the past working with people who sold various solvents, epoxies, and finishers and the one lesson you pick up is that its not odor, and its not even single exposure to something that makes your head spin, its the cumulative long term effects of what those kinds of products do to a body that ingests them regularly . . Very Harmful to say the least. Not saying those products are the same as firearm cleaning agents, but without looking up all the ingredients of various products I would guess that there is probably overlap in the ingredients list.

 

[RankAmateur]

Btw, I just opened a new bottle of Hoppe #9 (its all that is available locally, so I'm using it for the moment) and I noticed something on the label . . . No Benzene . . . when did they change the formula? Unless I'm loosing my memory, I'm sure the last time I bothered to read a label on a bottle of #9 (many years ago) it contained benzene.

 

[jawjaboy]

I have a pretty sensitive nose but Bore Tech Eliminator works fine for me.

My wife is extremely sensitive to chemical fumes. Triggers asthmatic attacks. I've tried just about all the bore cleaners. Bore Tech Eliminator is very effective at cleaning bores and passes the wife asthma test. Wouldn't use anything else.

 

[xring]

Btw, I just opened a new bottle of Hoppe #9 (its all that is available locally, so I'm using it for the moment) and I noticed something on the label . . . No Benzene . . . when did they change the formula? Unless I'm loosing my memory, I'm sure the last time I bothered to read a label on a bottle of #9 (many years ago) it contained benzene.

I'm not sure when they changed it , I have a few bottles around just for display . Assuming previous users did not switch bottles and boxes , the only set dated was 1953 and did not show contents . Another bottle shows : Nitrobenzene , Ammonia , Denatured Ethanol , and Petroleum Distillates . Another shows the same ingredients except Kerosene on the Label instead of Petroleum Distillates .

 

[dc.fireman]

I use the Boretech Eliminator as well - no odor, EPA friendly. Use a synthetic brush, and don't drip it on a wood stock. I switched from Shooters Choice about 6 months ago.

 

[Intheshop]

Rank,just sayin....vent good,fumes bad.

We build kitchens and have inhouse sheet metal (hoods) capabilities,yadayada.We have to pass a bunch of regs on equipment.Handloaders need to start moving in a safer direction,pro actively.

Start paying real attention,ask informed questions about;welding fume extractors,backdraft finishing tables,spraybooths.Shoot for about 1 mph positive vent(you're in a predictable clean zone) air speed.Your wind meter is right at home here.All this can be accomplished very cheaply.

Start looking at intake location;typically kitchen hoods pull up because of smoke.Paint booths pull down because it's easier to keep the freshly painted car or whatever from being trashed.A back draft would be where a kitchen counter backsplash is...and would work the best for reloading /cleaning stations.

Sorry for thread drift,it's a subject that we have to manage constantly here at our shop for health reasons.It carries over into the guns as well.

 

[DRNewcomb]

I've recently adopted the two-step cleaning process, first using Slip2000 Carbon Killer then BoreTech Coper Remover. My wife hasn't said anything about odors since I switched from Hopes #9. No amyl acetate to give the banana odor.