How To Degrease A Tool Box Without Damaging The Metal

Over the course of months and years, your tools will get pretty grimy. Similarly, the toolbox you store them in gets greasy as well, especially if you don't go out of your way to clean your tools and toolbox after you use them. Worse yet, your toolbox could even start to smell disgusting, making it a nuisance to those around it, too. Fortunately, it's entirely possible to remedy these issues and clean your toolbox without threatening the integrity of the metal.

You only need a few things to degrease a toolbox without harming the metal itself. You'll need a wire brush, a rag, a bucket, water, and a degreasing solution such as Super Clean. Simply mix the water and degreaser — roughly three parts water to one part degreaser — in the bucket and use the rag to wipe down your toolbox. This should cut through and clean off most of the grease and grime. If you have tougher stains, you can try scrubbing with the wire brush. If that doesn't prove successful, you can apply undiluted degreaser to the most stubborn stains and let it sit for a minute. After that, you should be able to wipe the grease away. Once you've removed the stains and grease, make sure to rinse the surfaces with water to remove any excess chemicals.

This method is largely reliant on store-bought, pre-mixed degreaser. If you're not interested in such a solution, there are other cleaning fluids worth trying that are also safe for your metal toolbox.

If you don't trust store-bought cleaners or can't get hold of them, there is a degreaser solution you can make from common household items. This often-used mixture is that of water and white vinegar, with the latter's acidic nature dissolving grease and grime effectively without damaging the metal of your toolbox. These two ingredients are combined in equal parts, sprayed onto the toolbox, and wiped away with a rag or sponge. Much like the cleaner method, more stubborn areas can be wiped away with the aid of a wire brush or similar scrubber.

Alternatively, acetone can go a long way in removing grease from your toolbox if you happen to have some. Like any other solution, simply apply it to the dirty areas and wipe it away to remove the grease. That said, this solution may not be for everyone, since acetone is powerful enough to remove paint and damage certain types of plastic. Thus, you'll want to avoid it if your toolbox is painted or has plastic elements that you'd prefer to keep intact. Whether you have one of the best tool chests from Harbor Freight, Home Depot, or any other source, odds are you want to keep it in great shape. With these cleaning methods at your disposal, you'll be able to keep grease at bay with no trouble at all.