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I've been cleaning up some old models both metal and plastic, often leaving them in the soak for far longer than necessary due to my lack of time and energy these days. I use Simple Green mostly, but also acetone nail polish remover for metals that require a deeper clean.

Anyway, I've recently emptied a long standing soak container and found that all the metal models and parts in it had turned black with white splotches and some brownish rust looking areas. The white chips off fairly easily to reveal the normal metal color but with a rainbow sheen and the rusty brown seems to brush away easily, but the black seems more like staining as shaving mold lines reveal the normal color underneath. I've never seen anything like this before and am wondering if it's a sign of something wrong or just normal for leaving them in too long. Has anyone seen that before?

As a side note, I could use a recommendation for a good sonic cleaner that can at least fit a medium sized tank like a Leman Russ with glued turret (a rescue from a fellow Dakka member). I've found a decent one that can just barely fit the hull, but the Battle Cannon makes it too long. Also, a cleaning solution that can easily break down super glue and is safe for plastic. Simple Green will eventually make the glue brittle, but it can still take some careful cutting, wedging, and chiseling to break things free with excessive glue use or pegged slots.

This is the equipments I use: 1/2 galloon containers with lid, ziploc bags, 91% isopropyl alcohol, purple power, turpenoid natural in metal container, old Tee's, rechargeable toothbrush, 1-use gloves.

1) soak any figures(resin/metal/plastic) in purple power concentrated/cleaner agent in a 1/2 bucket for week+, contain small parts in holed ziploc preventing from losing it; clean with toothbrush, rinse, dump water outside/yard not down the drain.

2) soak metal/plastic in 91% proof isopropyl for 15 min.-week+, if resin only 30 min. TOTAL or so, otherwise it gets rubbery, longer it gets brittle. contain small parts in holed ziploc preventing from losing it; wear gloves and clean, rinse, dump rinse water outside like before.

3) soak metal in turpenoid natural in a metal lidded container, plastic is safe if soak for a few days, haven't tried leaving it in for week+; soaking in turpenoid natural is meant for metal models or models that are primed with enamel based primers which shouldn't be used to prime models with, but with salvaged lots you get those.

I use acetone or denatured alcohol for metal and scrub with a toothbrush and never leave it longer than a couple of hours,

For plastic I use denatured alcohol can't get isopropyl in the UK, that is the same a couple of hours as it strips the shine off the plastic, then scrub with a toothbrush.

Those splotches you have are probably the result of leaving to soak for too long and the other ingredients in the simple green reacting with the metal and breaking down.

I have cleaned up a lot of metal and plastic models over the years, 24 hours in Dettol has served me well consistently. Might have to be more careful with resin, though I personally have never stripped a resin model.

A quick Google search tells me Dettol is available in the US and Canada, though distribution may not be very wide, as I never see Americans recommending this product.

On using Dettol to strip paint:

You HAVE to use it undiluted (straight from the bottle). If you add water, it turns the paint into a sticky gunge that is impossible to remove and sticks to EVERYTHING. You also have to RINSE it with Dettol (Isopropyl alcohol also works here, though - because Dettol is 90% IPA). It's an interaction between the isopropyl and several oils that are part of the cocktail that is dettol.

You NEED to wear gloves and eye protection. Neat dettol will strip your epidermal layers as well (It will take skin off) and you really don't want it in your eyes, either.

I use bio strip 20. It’s as good as anything else but without the drawbacks of dettol, alcohol and acetone by which I mean it doesn’t stink


Automatically Appended Next Post:
My other top choice is green stuff worlds paint remover but I hate the smell