Are you tired of cleaning your rails in the garden dry? Are you tired of buying gallons and gallons of expensive track cleaning fluid, well your prayers have been answerd with my new, fulproof recipe or track cleaning fluid that uses ordinary, everyday mateirials.
After several hours slaving away in my “Lab”, and trying several cleaning chemical combinations, I have the solotion. This track cleaning fluid leaves your brass rails and or stainless silver rails or any knid of rails shining and clean like a Dutch Wistle. The fluid is very easy to make and it takes less than 2 minutes to mix it all togeather. Here is the recipe:
2 parts Rubbing Alchol (To kill the germs and disenfect the rails)
2 parts Windex or STRONGER (To give the rails a brand new squeaky clean shine that can’t be beat)
1/2 part Water (To mildley dilute the mixture and wa***he dirt away)
Note: DO NOT USE ANYTHING WEAKER THAN TOP NOTCH WINDEX. If you do, the rails will not shine and electrical conduct will not be better than with Windex or stronger.
Also, becareful not to add more than the stated amount of water. It will dilute the chemicals to much and the fluid will not work as well.
By parts, I mean cups. This will make a heftey amount that will clean agood bit of track.
I have tested it on the following scales and brands of track: N (All brands), HO (All brands), O(2 and 3 rail), and G (LGB and Aristo code 332. it works on 225 as well)
[:O] Sorry Nick, I’m sure that your formula may work on YOUR layout,but not on others.Putting any kind of a liquid track cleaner on ANY type of track is a big NO NO !! Granted I am sure that there will be alot of people who will disagree with me,but you should know that Windex contains ammonia,and ammonia IS a harsh chemical.Yes you are diluting it a little,though you are putting that on your track, and yes it will “clean” the track to your liking,though deeper results will show that the fluid WiLL start to eat away the track. Why do you see that there are no liquid track cleaners on the market,such as Bachmann,and Life-like made years ago.It contained an acid that was eating the track away.It may not show it soon,but it will over time,and I dont think you want to be replacing track,especially that
something i learned many years ago, you don’t just use any thing on brass track., i did learn that for the last 5 years , i been useing goo- gone , i use it in doors and out doors on my tracks and nothing else, some cleaners react to different metals over time and i know other G R R’ S who use goo gone to.
I have just expeirimented on donated sections of track. I have not seen any defcts on the brass. It looks nice and polished to me, but, never underestimate cleaning chemicals. I’ll watch the effects and post them soon.
By the way, it is perfectley safe for you to use track cleaning fluid on the track. Just don’t puor it an there, Dampen or soak, I dont care which, a cloth, sponge or any other cleaning untensil to rub the tracks down. Besides, the Rubbing Alchol will make any other liquid evaporate if you put more rubbing alchol in the mixture than the other things.
Hi Nick
I just use water and a non abrasive kitchen scourer or to remove greasy build up neat methelated spirits.
Fit as many metal wheels to your trains as you can and track cleaning becomes less of a problem unless running live steam.
regards John
I ahve just beenover to my G-scale friend’s house and he has purchased an Accucraft Ruby#1. I stayed at his house all day and by the end of the steaming, we wanted to run some electrics.
But the track was so dirty and oily we had to clean it. We used my mixture idea, and what do you know, He said he had never seen his track cleaner.
This works great with live steam as the greasey buildup on the rails is disenfected and the germs are killed. The liquid chemical mixture gets it off with out having to really srub it.
If you want a good smell, Get your favourite soap, shampoo, or conditioner, and then mix it with water. Take a new sponge, rag, cloth, or paper towel and rub over the track with the soapy water. Then allow to dry. This will smell great instead of that sickening, dizzying smell of windex and rubbing alchohol.
Yes Nick Iam worried about the corrosive aspect as well, I am also concerned about residue, it may look good but what about unseen residue and its long term effects when subjected to constsistant electrical arcing.
Have you done any long term research into the affects of:-
1/ Electrolysis using AC and DC power supplies.
2/ The affects of it on residue left by ferns and palms in tropical conditions.
Yes, I have tried this on AC/DC track. The expeiriment was started a couple weeks ago and we are not seeing any signs of residue as when we tested it, there was loads of residue on the rails, and when we cleaned it, all of the residue came off in 2 swipes. How ever, I will post more results as time progreses.