The dangers of Pine-Sol

[Captainkirk]

They cleaned them in lye soap and took all the blueing off

or Pine Sol.

[Sarge]

I have used Murphy's Oil Soap mixed with HOT water for decades, with no negative effects. I pour about 1/4" of Murphy's in the bottom of a 3# coffee can and fill it it with boiling water. Cleans well and leaves a little oil on the metal when it dries.

[BerdanSS]

Anyone ever hear of the windex trick? I was told by several people (couple on this forum) to use windex to save a very rusty 51 navy I had picked up. Didn't matter what I did to that pistol, every morning after I cleaned it the rust had bloomed back up. I removed the grips, hosed the whole sucker with windex, let it sit for a few minuets and rinsed with hot water for a couple minuets. Rust gone, finish unscathed I was told it was the ammonia that does it. I've been cleaning my Renegade this same way since I bought it:

scalding water while running a brass brush---good fitting patch soaked with amonia one pass--- little more hot water---mop the bore and get everything all dry and run a patch with TC 1000.

That rifle has had Pyrodex P, RS, 777, american pioneer and even a little rear holy black shot down it ignited by noble German HOT musket caps. With that cleaning, the bore still looks sparkling new. Absolutely no damage to the finish, even around the muzzle for the ammonia

[Chestnut Forge]

I sometimes use windex or windshield washer fluid at the range for wet patch swabbing. It does do a good job.

[Rifleman1776]

I wouldn't ever even think of putting soap down any of my custom barrels.
You know what's in soap?

Kiwi, we have disagreed on this subject before. And I suspect will continue to do so.
Millions of guns have been cleaned using soapy water with no detrimental effects.
Soapy water is the way to go, followed with a water rinsing.

[Fingers McGee]

They cleaned them in lye soap and took all the blueing off

I don't believe this is correct. From 'How the Colt Navy .36 Revolver was Gunsmithed and Fired in the Field During the Civil War' by D.L. Rhea, copyright 1985. "Finally an old veteran told me 'If we had wagons with us here was always a large iron kettle on ne of them. If we bivouacked it was filled with water and lots of government issue lye soap. As soon as the kettle water was hot, we dipped in our clothes and rinsed them in a creek. Most also dipped in our pistols up to the hammer, rinsed them in the creek also. We dried them by warming them over the campfire as well as by swabbing.

A strong lye solution will blue a firearm. It is a blackish blue used by stingy gunsmiths of the day. It also accounts for our encountering Civil War rifles and Pistols with good rifling but darkened bores."