# Best chrome cleaner



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

years ago,I used to work for what was regarded as the best supplier of custom car wheels in the UK. They successfully brought in a range of painted or chromed 8 spoke steel wheels. The chrome quality was meant for South America, not the UK so they used to pit easily. We always used to advise cleaning the wheels using car polish as opposed to chrome cleaner as the polish built up layers after a period of time.

What do people use to clean their equipment, meaning nice shiny machines. I bought a 2 cloth system from Amazon which is fine, but it never looks polished. I bought some of that mouse cleaner, but I do not like it. I have Autosol if that is the right name in a tube......anyone any thoughts


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## Orangertange (Jul 4, 2013)

Is there anything wrong with using white vinegar?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Never tried it. You seem pictures of some peoples machines and they are gleaming and it always makes me feel jealous! I clean mine but I feel I need to go back to a polish or cream to get the best out of it


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I wouldn't use a chrome cleaner or Solvol Autosol on mirror finish or near mirror finish steel. if you use it on non mirror finish steel it will also stick out like a sore thumb.


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Peek-Metal-Polish-Size-100g/dp/B003VZ5K9W


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## Yes Row (Jan 23, 2013)

I am guessing an automotive product would work, maybe a search on Halfords may find a product. I would also guess that unless you are really poor at using good old elbow grease, your machine is really as shiney as everybody else's, but theirs just looks it in a photo?

I just use mild detergent and microfibre cloth


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## Bigpikle (Oct 14, 2014)

CARE - most automotive metal cleaners are abrasive and used on chrome will result in fine scratches just like using a metal wool - avoid those like the plague! Most car 'polishes' will also do the same thing and even a surprising number of glass cleaners contain micro abrasives. Just because it doesnt feel gritty it doesnt mean it wont contain abrasives.

A car 'wax' will add a slightly protective finish and a true finishing wax will be non abrasive (but watch out for anything called a 'cleaner wax' or similar as that is also likely to abrade the finish) and most car waxes have a fairly high % of solvents in them that will also easily remove finger prints and minor dirt marks as well as adding a little shine. High temps will quickly cause them to fail though so they wont last long on any parts that repeatedly get hot.

Answer is to just make sure you get a 100% non-abrasive product or just use a soft cloth and water.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> <snip> I have *Autosol* if that is the right name in a tube......anyone any thoughts</snip>


I'd double check the spelling.... just in case


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Autosol has a mild abrasive cutting agent in it -like T cut - great for removing light surface scratching on the drip tray. Don't recommend using it on side panels as the abrasive property can leave a haze.

For day to day cleaning - micro cloth is great. For real TLC, Tableau Stainless Steel Cleaning Mousse is brilliant and will restore the panels to new.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Drewster said:


> I'd double check the spelling.... just in case


Wouldn't recommend Autosol on rear end probs, Drewster


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

The Systemic Kid said:


> For real TLC, Tableau Stainless Steel Cleaning Mousse is brilliant and will restore the panels to new.


Do you think it would remove haze?


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## "coffee 4/1" (Sep 1, 2014)

cape-cod-cloths, has a bit of a vanilla scent, instant shine, will have it shinning like the shiniest thing thats shinny


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## grumpydaddy (Oct 20, 2014)

BRASSO. It does have micro abrasives though. That said, it has been around for 100 years and it just does the job.


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## Bigpikle (Oct 14, 2014)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Autosol has a mild abrasive cutting agent in it -like T cut - great for removing light surface scratching on the drip tray. Don't recommend using it on side panels as the abrasive property can leave a haze.
> 
> For day to day cleaning - micro cloth is great. For real TLC, Tableau Stainless Steel Cleaning Mousse is brilliant and will restore the panels to new.


Autosol and T-Cut are NOT mildly abrasive - they are like coarse grade sandpaper!

By the way, never use T-Cut on a modern car paint finish unless you fancy a respray to correct it again. Its terrible and way outdated. There are much better modern products available these days that wont actually destroy the paint.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I am intending to, er, polish my Rocket (fnarr fnarr) with this from Bella B. It's a fiver. Or free if you filled in their survey and haven't spent it on beans.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Daren said:


> Do you think it would remove haze?


Dunno but the tin is purple!


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Beg to differ - Autosol is not like coarse sandpaper. I've used it to remove light scratching from a drip tray and it did a great job. Wouldn't use it to buff up panels as explained above.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

hotmetal said:


> I am intending to, er, polish my Rocket (fnarr fnarr) with this from Bella B. It's a fiver. Or free if you filled in their survey and haven't spent it on beans.
> 
> View attachment 10336


That's the fellow - leaves a protective sheen - recommended.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Daren said:


> Do you think it would remove haze?


Yes, if it's just gunge but if the haze is caused by very light scratching - probably not.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I have some Tableau.....maybe it is time to give it a shot!

thanks chaps


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## grumpydaddy (Oct 20, 2014)

dfk41 said:


> I have some Tableau.....*maybe it is time to give it a shot!*
> 
> thanks chaps


Is that some kind of coffee colloquialism ??


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## Dave.wilton (Dec 24, 2012)

Just an e-cloth with water. Those things are amazing. I was really dubious but they really do work


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Actually, and this sounds a bit scuzzy, I usually just dip a cloth in the puly caff froth after back flushing and give the chrome a wipe. Comes out really nice


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> I have some Tableau.....maybe it is time to give it a shot!
> 
> thanks chaps


It's what I have used on every machine I have ever reviewed....I advised BB to stock and sell it. Unfortunately my current tin has nearly run out, It's only the second one I ever bought, because you don't need much. In between a Tableau clean I usually spray with a non toxic food surface cleaner and clean with a damp then dry Microfibre cloth. One thing...NEVER presss or rub hard on any mirror finish stainless!

P.S. I am not sure if Tableau is still being made...most places don't stock it now?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

DavecUK said:


> It's what I have used on every machine I have ever reviewed....I advised BB to stock and sell it. Unfortunately my current tin has nearly run out, It's only the second one I ever bought, because you don't need much. In between a Tableau clean I usually spray with a non toxic food surface cleaner and clean with a damp then dry Microfibre cloth. One thing...NEVER presss or rub hard on any mirror finish stainless!
> 
> P.S. I am not sure if Tableau is still being made...most places don't stock it now?


I think BB still have it, but Amazon certainly do.


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## Hoffmonkey (Apr 28, 2014)

Spazbarista said:


> Actually, and this sounds a bit scuzzy, I usually just dip a cloth in the puly caff froth after back flushing and give the chrome a wipe. Comes out really nice


I have a classic with a polished finish which was unfortunately scoured by its previous owner, however I also noticed how amazing the scuzzy puly caff backwash worked. I haven't had to polish up my new pride and joy yet (Verona) but I'm going to try a VERY inconspicuous area if I try the puly route...


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> I think BB still have it, but Amazon certainly do.


Neither at the moment.


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## Hoffmonkey (Apr 28, 2014)

Dave.wilton said:


> Just an e-cloth with water. Those things are amazing. I was really dubious but they really do work


Damn, they look good! I think I might have to invest in some of that.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

If Tableau is silicone base, it has been discontinued apparently. Wilkinson used to be a really good mousse cleaner in a spray can for oven hoods and the likes. I used it many times, but Claudette tells me she has a new cleaner which will be tried out today and she will report back


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

It is silicone based, David - why does this matter vis a vis it being discontinued?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

cos claudette did not specify the name


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Tableau is on ebay and earlier, on the strength of this thread, I bought some from Mortens, cheaper than the bay:

http://www.mortensofilkley.co.uk/items.asp/catid/385/y/Tableau-Products


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## Orangertange (Jul 4, 2013)

Daren said:


> Do you think it would remove haze?


White vinegar works a treat, tried a few other things but nothing else did it, wipe with a bit off water then dry before use


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## emin-j (Dec 10, 2011)

Might sound strange but olive oil and a soft cloth works great, I read this tip on the net and it works !

I have also used duraglit wadding on my machine.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

emin-j said:


> I have also used duraglit wadding on my machine.


Nooooo......

Unless it's no longer abrasive...it used to be slightly abrasive and not good for Mirror finish steel.


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## emin-j (Dec 10, 2011)

Won't be using duraglit again then !


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

emin-j said:


> Won't be using duraglit again then !


The concern is, if it starts to introduce a haze into the finish over time...


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## El Cabron (Nov 23, 2013)

I'd say autosol too, or brasso which i use to polish and clean my guitars chrome parts. Or maybe jewellers rouge in conjunction with a buffing wheel. Whenever i polish my scooter i use auto glym resin polish and that makes the chrome shine too. On my coffee machine puly caff in warm water makes my fracino cherub sparkle.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Definitely *NOT* Autosol on any shiny area of your beloved machine's shiny bits unless you want to be annoyed with hazing visible at certain angles - it has an abrasive in it - abrasive = scratching.


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

I used autosol on my Faema the other day before reading this thread. I found it allright but wont use it again after reading this


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I posted a link earlier in this thread to Peek metal polish, but it seems to have been ignored. Shame as it is excellent and non-abrasive.

Use only on a cold machine as you have to apply the polish and remove it before it dries.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

So, do people agree that a polish, whether wax based or something else ought to be fine as long as it does not have any abrasive bits in it?


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Spazbarista said:


> I posted a link earlier in this thread to Peek metal polish, but it seems to have been ignored.


Funny you should say that because I was waiting for someone to comment before I added to basket. Nice avatar BTW.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> So, do people agree that a polish, whether wax based or something else ought to be fine as long as it does not have any abrasive bits in it?


Yep.


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## Yes Row (Jan 23, 2013)

I note Lakeland do a aerosol s/s cleaner called House Mate. Anyone tried it?


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Spazbarista said:


> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Peek-Metal-Polish-Size-100g/dp/B003VZ5K9W


Just finished cleaning my baby with the above and I can thoroughly recommend it


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

My Bezzera has to sit relatively close to the sink so from time to time a few drops of water end up on the side panel and leave a stain when they dry. It's a PITA to clean them as I have to wet the spot and then clean it with a soft cloth which leaves new marks.. rinse and repeat. I can see the Peek is still available on Amazon but the Tableau has been discountinued. I'm not sure if the Peek is what I need because I'm after a cleaning product rather than a polishing one. Could you recommend something? I'm also in need of microfiber cloths - anything good on Amazon?


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

What about this or this ? You'd be surprised what these e-cloths can remove and if it's mainly dried water marks, they certainly should cater for that.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

You can get microfibre cloths from everywhere, they're normally cheap in Wilko.

Bella Barista had a chrome polisher but it was discontinued by the manufacturer IIRC, not sure if they ever found a replacement for it.

The L1 is never as shiny as I wish, even with lots and lots of elbow grease


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## 7493 (May 29, 2014)

Made the mistake of using Autosol to attempt to remove a mark produced by the steam arm on a Rocket. It IS abrasive and marrs the mirror finish stainless. Now only use the mousse.


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I'm not sure what this is but how do I make my machine shiny again? Water and dish soap didn't do much. I think the silicone-based stainless steal cleaner I used might have left a slight film on the panels but it's been like this for months (yes, I know I should clean my machine more often







)


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

It looks like it needs some kind of polish rather than cleaner. You could try Maas metal polish on a hidden part and see if it will bring the shine back. Solvol too, but remember they have abrasives so be cautious. Not sure what you'd use beyond that.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

If it's mirror finish be hugely careful any or even very slightly abrasive product will cloud the finish. On Quick Mill machines the higher end ones are mirror finish and really cloud up easy!

The problem with stainless is the word "stainless", people think it absolutely cannot corrode, but unfortunately there are different grades on machines. The case is often different from the front panel (technical reasons) as it makes it easier to machine the front panel (Vesuvius is an exception). If you can try a cleaner with Limonene, good quality microfibre cloths with the label torn off. *Prior to a specific cleaner, you can make up a strongish solution washing up liquid and hot water...see if you can degrease it a bit*. Don't rub too hard if it's mirror finish.

Limonene is sometimes not just called Limonene and can be called, I use "Method stainless steel cleaner":




1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)cyclohexene

4-Isopropenyl-1-methylcyclohexene

p-Menth-1,8-diene

Racemic: DL-limonene; Dipentene

®-p-mentha-1 8-diene


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

Thanks, I'll try. It's a Bezzera Magica. If all else fails, I'll be heading to the local car detailing shop.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Actually car polish.....*not cutting compound *is very slightly abrasive, but might work. Choose a polish for metallic finishes, this will be the most gentle abrasive, but has lots of solvents. Choose a portion of the machine that is either not visible or an area that already has light scratching and try it. Remember, must use Microfibre cloth.


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

A simple degreaser (Meglio) did the job.


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

Could you post a link to the degreaser? Thanks!


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

This is the one - http://www.meglio.eu/en/products/10/lemonscent-degreaser.html Not sure if it's available in the UK.


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

bronc said:


> This is the one - http://www.meglio.eu/en/products/10/lemonscent-degreaser.html Not sure if it's available in the UK.


Thank you! I'll look for it or something with the same active ingredients!


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

Duplicate


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