@Clipperstorch
working in hospital environment it is common knowledge that desinfection of surfaces is accomplished by wiping them down with the appropriate substance (thumbs up for IPA70% in this case for airplane use) to combine the chemical and the mechanical components
hand disinfection with fluids recommended
spraying stuff should be avoided not only to minimise the risk for inhalation of the resulting aerosols but also due to the uncertainty of effective local concentration
Apparently, two TT31 transponders have been damaged beyond repair by some aerosol cleaning product in my former club. They are quite unhappy.
Because it takes 5 seconds to soak the panel and yoke in sanitizer compared to at least one minute to wipe down everything you touched.
Why spray on areas nobody touches? Why spray at all? Just take a damp cloth and wipe the areas you’re going to touch.
Not sure if anyone in Europe used the distillery disinfectants, but they were pretty popular over here…
Apparently, they Damaged Two Skyhawks in Florida
An aircraft renter with a distillery-produced sanitizer meant well, but improper disinfecting techniques damaged the instrument panels of two Cessna 172s at Florida’s Atlas Aviation and required costly repairs.
Alcohol based sanitiser should ideally be 60 – 70% not 100 % – plenty of data from WHO etc about this due to the fact that it evaporates (on skin) too quickly to disrupt the virus.
Non-Alcohol, water based disinfectant is safer to use on surfaces that may be damaged by solvents – usually they are ammonium compounds.
(declaration of interest – my business manufactures both types!)
Stoddard solvent is mineral spirits or white spirits. Basically paint thinner, as I understand it.
IPA will eventually damage plastic finishes if you use it enough times. Nothing to do with the current situation but I’ve used it to clean car steering wheels for years, my cars being used a lot over my typical 10-12 year ownership, and eventually it shows. I don’t clean the inside of my plane with anything similar.
I agree re not using IPA on windows, but they should not need sterilising.
FWIW I have been using 100% IPA on everything imaginable and it has not damaged any plastic parts. The reason for the 70/30 IPA/water mix was something I read on the internet which explains that while 100% alcohol will do the job, a bit of water mixed in it makes it much more effective.
The 70/30 mix also does not degrease one’s skin anywhere near as much as 100% IPA (which makes it go white, so best use a disposable glove).
All the other solvents I have used are much more aggressive on plastics etc.
Peter wrote:
Nothing beats a rag soaked in 70% IPA and 30% water, and use it for wiping everything.
Well… except that for Cessnas, Section 8 of the POH’s state:
“Never use gasoline, benzine, alcohol, acetone, fire extinguishier, or anti ice fluid, lacquer thinner or glass cleaner to clean the plastic. These materials will attack the plastic, and may cause it to craze.”
The Cessna POH does say to carefully wash with a mild detergent and plenty of water. Cessna also mentions the use of Stoddard solvent, though I don’t know what that is.
The POH/Flight Manual can be a treasure of useful information about how to not wreck the plane!
