I just bought a set of turbines from a 89 Laredo. They have built up brake dust, dirt and grease hardened onto the spaces between the spokes. I have used a purple degreaser and it removed most of the crud but the really baked on stuff is slow going. Is there anything that will work a little better on the residue that remains? Thanks.

 

Easy off oven cleaner, but it can remove the finish if you're not careful.

 

Hot water is the best degreaser. If you have access to a pressure washer, that would be great.

 

I do have a pressure washer. I'll give it a try. I will also try easy off oven cleaner. I believe it will be ok as the spaces between the spokes is textured not painted and if there is any clear coat on the aluminum at all it is trashed anyway. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Dollar stores. "Awesome Cleaner"

 

Oven cleaner isn't very friendly to bare aluminum. It tends to discolor and pit it.

 

And Awesome doesn't do that.

 

I like Purple Power but it sounds like the OP already tried it.
I had this sponge for washing the Jeep. One day I decided that I needed a new sponge.
Figured I would destroy the old sponge cleaning the inside of my wheels and throw it out.
Well that sponge was black and greasy as hell by the time I was done.
Just so happened I had a bucket of Purple diluted with water that I was using for some stuff.
Was done with it and just threw the sponge in the bucket till I had a chance to walk it over to the garbage.
Well couple hours later I am done for the day and cleaning up.
Went to go throw out the sponge and it was clean.
Not like new clean but back to where it was before I destroyed it cleaning the inside of my wheels.
I wish I had pictures because I can't stress enough how black and greasy that sponge was.
That is why I am sold on Purple Power.
I still have it to clean the inside of my wheels. LOL.

 

I will avoid the oven cleaner then. The purple stuff I had was Sam's Member's Mark. Maybe I should get the real branded stuff and give it a try. What about that green stuff? I forget the name. It's a degreaser as well.


I looked at the label for purple Power and it said not to use it on aluminum wheels. So, I passed on the buy. I got simple green, meh.

 

Simple Green maybe?
Never tried it but betting it decent stuff.
There is also that Super Clean Stuff.
We sell all three in the store and betting pretty equally.
If I had to give an order on what I think our customers buy it would be:
Purple Power
Super Clean
Simple Green

 

I used Easy Off oven cleaner on aluminum, once. Do not use that stuff. It contains sodium hydroxide. It eats aluminum.

 

Again, be careful with the oven cleaner on the aluminum, but it's not going to ruin your stuff if you use it right. I put on some latex gloves and use a small nylon brush to work it in after it sits for about 10-15 minutes. After scrubbing it, rinse it with a hose and apply some WD40. I use it on aluminum all the time. Just don't expect to follow the instructions for cleaning an oven and expect it to be ok after 8 hours.

 

I will avoid the oven cleaner then. The purple stuff I had was Sam's Member's Mark. Maybe I should get the real branded stuff and give it a try. What about that green stuff? I forget the name. It's a degreaser as well.
Purple power said not to use it on aluminum wheels. So no buy.

I also bought super clean. It works a lot better than simple green. I may end up taking them to a wheel preconditioner and have them do the work.

 

Never knew that.
Glad I never used it on my wheels.
Glad you researched it and did not either.
Sorry about that.

 

Depends on what you are cleaning, but gasoline works suprisingly good as a degreaser. Its even better than most stuff you can buy at the store.