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ADIDAS69 · April 7, 2011, 09:27 PM

What about Simple Green? Any danger that it might etch or embrittle brass? Great cleaner, that Simple Green... I was wondering, too. So I asked 'em, and here's their reply:

Dear Mr. Gwalchmai:

Thanks for your inquiry. We don't recommend soaking brass in Simple Green for much more than 10 minutes - not because of embrittlement, but because of tarnishing and the possibility of electrolysis.

The best way to clean those brass cartridge casings with Simple Green would be by use of ultrasonic equipment. The Simple Green should be diluted 1:1 with water. Simple Green works really well on carbon residues, so there should not be a lengthy soak time necessary - 10 minutes max should do it. After cleaning, a water rinse will be necessary. You may get tarnishing. This could be removed by tumbling the casings.

With regard to electrolysis, you also want to limit the time the casings soak in any sort of water-based cleaner so that lead residues do not plate onto the brass, and make sure that there are no other types of metal in the cleaning fluid used to clean the casings (not before or during the cleaning process.) Simple Green can chelate softer metals into solution which can then plate onto stronger metals, such as brass.

I hope that this information is helpful to you. Thanks again for contacting us and for choosing Simple Green.

Sincerely,

Carol Chapin
Environmental & Regulatory Coordinator
SIMPLE GREEN
(800) 228-0709
[email protected]

April 7, 2011, 09:27 PM	#17
ADIDAS69 Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 381	found this on another thread. What about Simple Green? Any danger that it might etch or embrittle brass? Great cleaner, that Simple Green... I was wondering, too. So I asked 'em, and here's their reply: Dear Mr. Gwalchmai: Thanks for your inquiry. We don't recommend soaking brass in Simple Green for much more than 10 minutes - not because of embrittlement, but because of tarnishing and the possibility of electrolysis. The best way to clean those brass cartridge casings with Simple Green would be by use of ultrasonic equipment. The Simple Green should be diluted 1:1 with water. Simple Green works really well on carbon residues, so there should not be a lengthy soak time necessary - 10 minutes max should do it. After cleaning, a water rinse will be necessary. You may get tarnishing. This could be removed by tumbling the casings. With regard to electrolysis, you also want to limit the time the casings soak in any sort of water-based cleaner so that lead residues do not plate onto the brass, and make sure that there are no other types of metal in the cleaning fluid used to clean the casings (not before or during the cleaning process.) Simple Green can chelate softer metals into solution which can then plate onto stronger metals, such as brass. I hope that this information is helpful to you. Thanks again for contacting us and for choosing Simple Green. Sincerely, Carol Chapin Environmental & Regulatory Coordinator SIMPLE GREEN (800) 228-0709 [email protected] __________________ "...I would walk with my people if I could find them..."