Your favorite SOAP for washing brass cases?

[WNTFW]

Flashhole,
Decapping adds another layer of handling them. The only time I wet them is when I get range pickup that is dirty. Luckily I was getting an obscene amount of range pickup. Since it was free I didn't complain. Some had the caked on dry mud thing happening.
I have a universal decapper that I had to use last night. Other than that I just tumble, lube, size and decap at the same time.

 

[GaryL]

I did something like that once. PITA. Tumbling is so much easier. I rotate my media, so everything gets a pass through the dirty media first.

If I felt I needed to again, Dawn or Simple Green and nothing else.

 

[kennedy]

I only rinse with clear water on range brass only to get rid of the mud, I never wash my own brass, tumble only, why risk adding a possible variation to the mix.

 

[MarcoPolo]

This is my first post on here; I’ve been lurking in the shadows for quite some time reading all the great information. I feel on this subject I need to weigh in. I’m in the Air Force and we use to use Simple Green to clean the aircraft. We stopped using Simple Green after it was shown to weaken metal. When we used it to clean aircraft we sprayed it strait on to the aircraft without diluting it. I’m not saying to stop using Simple Green just be sure and check your brass for signs of metal fatigue.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Lestoil or any liquid cleaner that doesn't contain ammonia + hot water.

 

[GaryL]

This is my first post on here; I’ve been lurking in the shadows for quite some time reading all the great information.

Welcome. Good first post! Keep it up.

BTW, my son is in his second year at the AF Academy.

 

[A and O]

Just tumble it. If I have to wash the brass the s has htf.

 

[rbernie]

Just tumble it. If I have to wash the brass the s has htf.

A quick wash before a tumble does wonders for keeping the tumbling media clean and dust free (and also significantly reduces my concerns over lead in the media dust). I don't bother with drying in the over or other such things - I just heave the wet brass into the center of a towel, wrap it up, and sling it around for a bit to get most of the water out. From there, it goes straight into the tumbler.

 

[A and O]

Can't say I'm teachable if I refuse instruction. I'll give it a try on the next batch based on rbernie and others input. For what it's worth, I did learn to use fabric softener sheets cut up into 8ths here on the THR and now have standardized it in my tumbling routine.

 

[Taroman]

I give mine a quick wash/rinse (won't say what I use as it contains an acidic element, and the OP specifically excluded that fromn discussion).
Shake in a towel to remove excess water. Decap wet and straight into the tumbler for an hour or so.

BTW: Dawn foamy Works and is a great hand cleaner, too.

 

[WV_Vizsla]

After IDPA matches 1k or 2K cases follow me home. If it was dusty or rained that day the cases have gravel or limestone dust attached. I do the following:
Dump all brass into a plastic bin with fold-over lid. Add DAWN DW soap. Agitate with garden hose. Want lots of bubbles=cleaning. Let it set and go do something else. Agitate when remembered. Close lid,flip and let drain. Flip over, spray rinse and repeat till no bubbles. Let dry in the sun, sort later. Tumble in large corn cob and McGuire's clearer wax.

Seem to tumble faster after washing.

 

[TWAJeff]

I've always used Dawn with any brass that I've pre-washed.

 

[hey_poolboy]

I'll have to remember these to give them a try next time I'm up for a cleaning. I have been using Bar Keeper's Friend and HOT water. Works pretty well, but I am always up for something new.

Recently tried adding a LITTLE bit of Phosphoric acid to a batch after the initial clean. Didn't experience any bad results, but no observable improvement either.

 

[NC Cruffler]

I wash mine in a mesh garment bag I got at Walmart. Load 50 to 100 depending on case size into the bag then toss it in the washer with a bunch of towels. This is best done while the wife unit is elsewhere. Gotten a bit noisier since we got the front loader.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I decap my cases as soon as they come out of the gun (it makes rapid-fire strings a bit more difficult but it's worth it) and drop them into a container full of sudsy water. I wasn't able to decide which soap was best so I use eight different kinds all mixed up together. As soon as I get them home I run them through the "sterilize" cycle in the dish washer. Then I let them soak in a container of reverse osmosis water to make sure all the soap residue is gone prior to putting them into the ultrasonic cleaner. After that I ship them to Arizona to dry naturally in the sun. When they arrive back I put them in the oven overnight to ensure no moisture remains. Then I tumble them individually, first with walnut shells, then corncob, and finally with chin hairs taken from female stags.

Frankly, the whole thing is so time consuming that I barely have time to make fun of people on the internet... but nothing is too good for my guns!

 

[WV_Vizsla]

Thanks for the good laugh Robert!!

I used to use the clothes washer to clean the Active shotshell hulls. How many of you remember them?
Clean hulls went around the press fast and drop in chamber better. Always amazes me that many folks run gritty hulls into $$K guns