Help Cleaning Diesel Oil off Binoculars/GPS

[tippit]

Unfortunately we had a leak/oil spill from our heating oil tank.  Luckily we had someone staying in our house while we were in Maine.  Spill was less than 10 gallons...but what a mess!  Worst part was I left my hunting fanny pack on the floor...soaking the contents.  

Problem...

Does anyone have suggestions for getting the oil & smell off binoculars & GPS???  Rest of the stuff was either thrown away (anything fabric) or washed in Dawn.  I wiped them down with paper towels but not sure what else to try without trashing them...tippit

[old_goat2]

Maybe 91% alcohol, not rubbing alcohol though

[bearsfeet]

Simple green cuts through pretty good did you try that?

[tippit]

old_goat,
I'll give that a try

bearsfeet,
I wasn't sure how wet I could get those two items without ruining them.  Would you just wipe on Simple Green full strength & wipe off?

[bearsfeet]

I would put it in a spray bottle and "mist" them let it sit for a minute or two then wipe off with a damp cloth... Something that won't scratch your bino glass. It will get the oil cleared up... May take a couple times but it should work. Idk about the smell.... Kinda depends but I would say that it will tak awhile to go away, but over time should go away enough

[Deeter]

I would put dawn dish soap in a bowl with hot water and use a rag and dip the rag in the soapy water and whipe the binoculars down with the damp soapy rag. Same for the GPS.  Just enough to get what you neep off but not enough to hurt either one.  Good Luck.

[L. Perry]

Put the binos in the top shelf of the dishwasher. When the Leica boys hunted with us in Alaska that was what they did. I do it when mine get dirty. Works very well. Don't know about GPS. Maybe goof off works on sweaty sunglasses.

[Hud]

Go to Wal Mart or an automotive parts store, look for a biodegradable cleaner. Castrol has one, and then a supply of painters rags, rubber gloves and see if it helps.  I have a similar product, it desolves gas, oil, on engines, parts and concrete. I usually use a light mix of Dawn and warm water afterwards. Any remaining order might come off with Moth Balls, or Baking Soda. Put the items in a box with the above, seal and wait.  Remove the batteries from the GPS first.

opt. 2. call the manufacturer,
opt. 3. search online for a solution

[Bobby Urban]

Ouch!!  Not sure about the GPS with the electronics but I would look into the warrantee on the binos and if it is lifetime or still valid
for "waterproof" I would soak them in a lot of Dawn and scrub.  Sorry for the unfortunate circumstance Tippit

[Fanto]

Clothes washing powder with the enzymes is fantastic on greasy oils

[hunt it]

Jeff,

Good binos are waterproof, you should have no issue doing as stated above get some good dish soap and soft brush and scrub away. I would not scrub lenses use your fingers and rub soap into them. Good bino manuufacturers suggest dish soap and running water for cleaning binos. If they leak they are garbage anyways, any high end bino that leaks should be covered under warranty.

I'm not sure of other makes but Swarovski offers a refurbishing program and I'm sure if you called them and explained your situation they would do it no charge. I am thinking you had Swarovski 7x30 last time I saw them? I sent a pair for refurbishing few years back as lenses were needing new coating and outside beat up. When they came back I had to check serial # to be sure but looked like they replaced them to me, that is how good a refurbishing they did - new rubber coating etc.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Bury them in kitty litter for a while.

[awbowman]

I say wash them with Dawn and warm to hot water.  If it ruins them, they are not usable as is anyway.  I'm pretty sure both will be OK, especially the binos.

I know most newer Garmins are waterproof

[KOOK68]

Look for a product called "Greased Lightning". That stuff cuts grease/oil like nobody's business. Should be next to the cleaners (windex..etc.)

[elkken]

send them to me, I'll use them until the smell goes away .... shouldn't take more than a year or two

I would also try Dawn, it works great on grease spots

[beachbowhunter]

Dawn is what the oil spill cleanup contractors have found to be the best all around, safe oil remover.

[shirikahn]

I'd use gojo to remove the majority of it, then dawn dish soap/water.  Should work.  We'd do this at the gravel company I worked for with diesel,  even on our bodies.

[Evy]

Alcohol is a good solvent. You could mist them with the rubbing alcohol and then wipe them down. I would spot test it with the alcohol first.

[cecilm]

You could try Odoban made by Clean control corp. We used it on fire restoration projects. May take a couple applications but should do the job for you. I think homedepot carries it now.  

cecil

[lilbobby]

I work for an oil company, Dawn!