Is there any side effect with using brake cleaners as a general grease or oil cleaner?

Question

The brake cleaner spray I use is relatively cheap and does a great job cleaning my tools. After an oil change, I spray oily stuff and they become clean. The sprayed brake cleaner evaporates and dry fast. I found the approach quite easy and efficient.

I like to expand the use of the brake cleaner to the actual engine area such as the dirty oil cap and inside the oil filter area. Is there any side effect with that?

In general, what are the side effects when I use brake cleaner spray on stuff other than the actual brakes?

Answer 1

Avoid spraying the carburetor cleaner on plastic or rubber

If you like carburetor cleaner and want to spray it everything that has oil, dirt or grease on it because it makes it better (cleaner) then I suggest you avoid all contact with plastic or rubber components.

This would include

• wire harness

• various sensors

• rubber mounts

• windshield wiper blades

• vacuum lines

• radiator hoses or any hose for that matter

• plastic covers

• inside alternator cooling slots

Carburetor cleaner can effect the integrity of plastic and/or rubber components.

You may want to consider citrus based cleaners

You can spray these cleaners everywhere and they are water soluble and can be hosed off once your done scrubbing your engine bay and they are more environmentally friendly than your standard petrochemical based carburetor cleaners.