How to clean out inside of frame?

[johnniecakes]

I just received a steel lugged frame back from getting refinished and the outside looks great but inside is a different story. The frame must have been blasted with some type of grit. The inside of the tubes and bottom bracket still have grit in them. I do not want to flush them with water and start any rusting. Any type of solvent may attack the fresh paint so how to get the grit out and get it ready for a frame saver treatment? Any suggestions?

[Peter P.]

Don't worry about the water. Hose off the insides thoroughly then let the insides dry by placing the frame out in the nice, warm sun.

Finally, spray the inside of the tubes with the rust inhibitor of your choice.

If you don't like that idea, they try using an air compressor. That should be sufficient. Wear a mask and safety glasses.

[AngryScientist]

i would use WD-40 or something similar. ball up a rag tightly on a rod and rod out the seat tube, clean the bb shell manually with a rag. let the frame dry out good in the sun and blast the whole frame internally with corrosion inhibitor. should be good to go.

[jblande]

i would clean with water and hang upside down without the seat post.

[Admiral Ackbar]

yeah, i wouldn't be afraid to clean it with water. it takes a looong time and constant neglect for a frame to rust from the inside out.

rinse it out, dry it out, chase the threads. call it good. "framesave" it if you wish.

[Black Dog]

You can use rubbing alcohol as it will evaporate quickly. Since you are really only going to be able to clean out the seat tube and head tube angry's idea is probably best, but I would do it with a dry rag.

[lonoeightysix]

blow out the majority of the particulates with compressed air, then wipe out with cut rags and a isopropyl alcohol. a shotgun cleaning kit works wonders.

[wallymann]

blow out the majority of the particulates with compressed air, then wipe out with cut rags and a isopropyl alcohol. a shotgun cleaning kit works wonders.

this. compressed air to start. then the WD40 works nice, as it generally stays quite runny. then i'd follow up with a good metal protectant, i prefer amsoil HDMP over wiegle framesaver.

[jamesau]

a shotgun cleaning kit works wonders.

Or tie the end of a rag to a fish tape (for pulling electrical wiring).

[ceewho]

Water chased with alcohol should work well if you're afraid of it drying too slowly. A trick we used in the lab is to wash the glassware, but then rinse it with a solvent like alcohol (that mixes with water) that evaporates quickly.

[johnniecakes]

Since the consensus is that water will be OK I will mix up some water and simple green and flush it out and then take a brush to the inside where I can reach. Get it good and clean and then blast with compressed air and hang it in the sun. Then do the rust prevention treatment. Thanks for all the suggestions

[Steve in SLO]

Other suggestion is to use a rag soaked with boiled linseed oil and push it through with the rod or dowel. It will remove the grit, and act as framesaver in one step.