What house hold cleaners would work well cleaning firearms?

[Flame Red]

You guys are missing the boat. Google Ed's Red. Best home brew out there, except for black powder. Soap and water works best for black powder.

Make up a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff and just dip and brush with a tooth brush. You too will throw away all the fancy high priced crapola!

 

[zxcvbob]

I found a spray bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap under the sink last night. It did an incredible job of cleaning up my Blackhawk after shooting a whole box of blackpowder cartridges (boy was that gun a mess.)

 

[dagger dog]

I bought some purple all purpose cleaner from Auto-Zone, it's dilutable for just about any usage, cleaning boats, engines, stains in concrete, so I thought I would use it for final degreasing an aluminium framed Sig.
Was doing a Dura-Coat make over,

Got it a little to strong, it WILL take off powder coat paint! THis stuff smelled fimiliar like 409 house
hold cleaner but I guess it's a lot stronger. So beware and try the stuff out before using any type of cleaner!

 

[denfoote]

Two words: Simple Green.

 

[USMCDK]

Well I am a man that lives pay-check to pay-check and let me tell you. I don't skimp out on my gun cleaning gear. I get low I go buy more. I am too affraid of all the home remedies and some of which are wifes tales IMHO. well in this case they'd be husbands tales, unless you lead an alternative life style, ANYWAYS back on topic USMCDK. I understand what the OP is asking and I am by no means trying to prevent him from following anyone elses advise here. IMHO I would stick to what your dealer supplies and nothing else. That way I can't say... "Well Gee I didn't know it was going to do that to my weapon!" (voice of lenny from "Of mice and men")

 

[19-3Ben]

Two words: Simple Green.

+10!!!! I use Simple Green on absolutely everything but glass. I find it streaks on glass. But I use it for de-greasing my stove, cleaning the counter top, and doing all my dirty work.

I used it to clean out my Mosin Nagant after an extended shooting session. (after a spray with Windex because of the corrosive ammo) I started trying to clean with normal gun cleaner. Patch after patch came through dirty.

I sprayed Simple green on a few patches. 5 patches with SiGr went down the bore and came out BLACK. Then all of a sudden they were lighter and lighter. and bam. I had a clean gun.

 

[mio]

isnt hoppes a household cleaner?

 

[berettashotgun]

Automatic dishwasher powder dissolved in hot water is excellent, works great on trigger assembly's.
I tried everything and found CLP works best at soaking carbon from auto shotgun ports ( beretta 391) but the auto dish detergent is excellent at removing crud. On its own.
And it softens your hands as you do the dishes..........

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I used Calgon dishwasher soap (powder) as a cleaner/degreaser prior to hot bluing. Worked great!

 

[dagger dog]

I wish they would make a mans cologne in Hoppes #9 fragrance! How 'bout it, ya think It would sell?