cleaning reservoir tanks

[Slow Poke]

Anyone know a way to safely clean out the reservoir tanks. Like the white plastic radiator reservoir and the wind shield spray reservoir. Mine are stained and rust streaked. I have tried baking soda and vinegar, comet, hot water and soap.... Anyone ever try bleaching them? I know it's picky but just thought as long as they were out might as well clean em up a bit.

TIA, Slow Poke

 

[fjwagon]

I usually use some gravel and sand and some stuff that removes lime rust.....CLR...I think that's what it's called....anyhow, move it around. Rinse and repeat until clean. Maybe there is a simpler method but this worked for me.

 

[too tall]

throw them in the dishwasher a few times.

 

[Coolerman]

I actually spent a bit of time looking on the web for methods of restoring these. I could not find a single method that would make them look new. I figure one could bead or soda blast them then use a plastic polish to make them smooth again, but even I'm not that anal!

 

[fjwagon]

Cleaning is one thing but I don't know how you can change the color of old plastic to look new. Don't believe you can buy these from the dealer or at least at the one I tried.

 

[Slow Poke]

"but even I'm not that anal! " Who do you think you're kidding?

If you didn't get em clean I'm gonna call em good. Patience is not my strong suit. I wonder though if bleach would damage the plastic?
Slow poke

 

[Degnol]

I think your best bet is CLR like FJWagon said. The stains are more metal than organic. Bleach won't do much good. A long soak with CLR or muriatic acid will give you your best shot.

Ed

 

[crushr]

I tossed several lugnuts and a few ounces of metal prep into mine. After swirling around for a few minutes, pretty much all of the rust and staining was gone. Didn't return it to to like new, but vast improvement.

 

[Trollhole]

I just tried numerous methods. Kaboom, finazzle, tilex, Castorol Super Clean, CLR, soap and water, and finally I'm letting it soak in a ziploc bag with chlorox.

If anything at least I know nothing will ever live in it again.

What worked best so far was the Super Clean followed by CLR.

Problem is the plastic has yellowed on the inside. I don't think anything will get to it.

After that I will be trying pool chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and the last but not least hair bleach.

 

[Slow Poke]

And I didn't think anyone would be more tenacious than Coolerman... clearly I have been proven wrong. I too am soaking my tanks in bleach without any apparent affect. Next up is CLR.

 

[MUDDYTOJO]

i have asked my local radiator guy.....when i got my rig looked at......they use acid, or acetone........from memory it was acid.
They mentioned NO MATTER what you do......the colour and look stays within the plastic.....bottle NO MATTER what you do, ive pressure cleaned mine.......no luck...went shortly back to what it was..
If your that keen......buy new bottles.....the chemicals eat into the plastic that stains the bottle.....you might make it a little cleaner......but not like new......

 

[stuckinnz]

I just used boiling water, liquid soap a scubbing brush and a stainless pan scrub on a screwdriver. It turned out pretty well when I filled with anti freeze and a bug cleaner they looked so much better(blue and green) like new.
Then I went through the river again

 

[stuckinnz]

[Anyone know a way to safely clean out the reservoir tanks.


I think we just found all the dangerous ways

 

[Slow Poke]

Forgot about this thread. By far, the CLR worked the best for me. The bleach didn't seem to do anything but the CLR did wonders. Night and Day difference.

 

[Coolerman]

So.... before and after pics?

 

[antFJ]

old thread but i just did this so i thought i'd add my .02

i wet sanded the outside with 400 grit i think and put sand on the inside with a little bit of oxyclean (sounds like CLR would work better)
and shook the thing for like 5 min cleaned it out and did it a again. The bottles look verrrry clean now.

Also I think you still can get the bottles new for the 78+ models

 

[tlc_4play]

I 1st soaked them with swimming pool acid, then rinsed thoroughly

I then used about 300gm of swimming pool dry chlorine disolved in about 1 ltr of water.
soaked for a couple of days and shook it around a few times inbetween

Came out looking very good - not new - but very much cleaner.

 

[bsevans]

Yea, this was my solution to get clean bottles.