In fact, the brakes of a car can get pretty dirty. When you have brake dust, grease, grime, and road debris all over your brakes, it doesn’t take long before they’re dirty. Keep your brakes clean, and not only will they last a long time, but they will also be much better at stopping your car.
It’s just a matter of picking the right thing. Here’s a look at how brake cleaner works.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
With all of the things we do to our cars, cleaning the brakes is one of the easiest and least important. Cleaner can be sprayed into the side of the caliper to get rid of dust, grease, and other things that could hurt your car’s ability to brake. There is no doubt about it: clean brakes work better and can stop your car in a shorter amount of time.
SUPER CLEAN
Brake cleaner is made up of chemical compounds that evaporate as they dry, leaving no residue behind and dissolving grease for perfectly clean brakes. Because of this property however, it’s also great for removing grease and oil from other automotive parts too. Whether you need to remove the grime from the valve cover before you pour fresh oil in or clean a bearing before you re-grease it, cleaner will remove everything. Just be careful around rubber gaskets, seals and the exterior finish of the body — cleaner can dry out or damage these parts. It’s also safe for metal, ceramic and glass so it can be used to clean and treat other things in your life like machine parts and windows.
CHLORINATED VS. NON-CHLORINATED
With more and more rules about how to protect the environment, many companies that make brake cleaner are switching to non-chlorinated blends. What’s the big deal? All cleaners are made of toxic chemicals, but chlorinated cleaners use perchloroethylene, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene, which are called Volatile Organic Compounds because they are so strong (VOC). The fumes from them are very strong. They’re not good for the environment, though. Non-chlorinated cleaners replace these chemicals with other less toxic, low-VOC chemicals, which are better for you and the earth, as well as for the cleaners.
Brake cleaner is one of the best things you can buy for your car. With cleaning properties that leave no residue, they can get rid of grease, oil, and dirt from your brakes and make them work better. More and more states are limiting the use of VOC chemicals, so non-chlorinated cleaners are becoming more common. They are sure to do a good job, too.
