Cleaning Fabric and Wood Aircraft

[stick&rudder]

I'm looking for advice on how to clean a wood/fabric aircraft. What type of cleaner (if any?) should I use? Water is fine for getting mud off, but the oily deposits are a little tricky!
thanks

[Sensible]

Ordinary liquid car polish seems to do the trick, the polish contains solvents to remove road grime which seems to work just as well for oil. Also leaves the surface a little less attractive for future dirt and grease.

[DubTrub]

Thinks: stick&rudder aught to change handle to avoid confusion with the more established Pprune handle of stiknruda
Maybe?

[Monocock]

My thoughts exactly.....

[LowNSlow]

Hose and a soft brush to get the mud off. Bucket of warm water and washing up liquid or car cleaner to do the rest. T-cut in extreme cases of staining. Finish off with autoglym or other propriety car polish.

Use Plexus to give the windows a good clean and polish and carry a can of Sparkle to get the dead bugs off after flying. Use a soft cloth for the perspex rather than paper towels.

[M14P]

Watch ot using washing up liquid - it has a fair salt content and could set off corrosion of any aluminium bits and bobs. You're safer with a specifically formulated product. Meguirs (www.meguirs.com I think) produce some really good stuff and it's now becoming more widely available in the UK...

[AerBabe]

I thought I'd seen a post from the 'real' Stik on this not that long ago... (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=144509)

[Sensible]

The warning by M14P is a valid one, it is very unwise to use washing up liquid for your aircraft or car for that matter, the salt content will cause corrosion on all unpainted surfaces and will accelerate corrosion where this has already started.:(

[LowNSlow]

sensible thanks for the reminder about the washup liquid.

[Skylark4]

Once again I repeat my warning not to use anything that has silicone in it. If it doesn't say that it has NO silicone, assume it has and do not use it.

Mike W

[LowNSlow]

Skylark refresh my memory, what's the problem with products containing silicon?

[Monocock]

As far as I'm aware, silicone is fine until about ten years later when it must be handled gently and sometimes needs replacing.

Modern implants can last for up to 25 years so this has less importance but it is the earlier versions that run a high risk of popping especially when handled carelessly or vigorously...

Err, i'll be off now.

[AerBabe]

And there was me thinking I'd be good and not say anything... :p

[Skylark4]

LnS,
Once silicones have got onto your aircraft, you can never get them off. You can also never trust a repair which involves any sort of adhesion as the silicone will coat all surfaces and prevent same.

Mike W

[aerobatic_dude]

Rinse the aircraft with water first thoroughly to get off any dust. There's no point in rubbing dirt into dirt. Then use a sponge and some suds ( we use karcher good's ) and some luke warm water. Then wait till it's thoroughly dry ( take it for a quick circuit to speed up the process ) then use something like " Turtle Wax ".

[Warped Factor]

This short video (http://www.fromtheflightdeck.com/videos/videos/planetakesoffintoawave.WMV), lifted from the Mil Forum, looks like the best way to wash an aeroplane to me :eek:

[Sensible]

But remember only to do that in fresh water since sea water will have a similar corrosive effect as washing up liquid:O

[LowNSlow]

Skylark thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten about silicon's staying power.