Keeping your car in top shape means dealing with a lot of grease, grime, and buildup—and not just under the hood. From brakes and engine components to smaller hardware, the right cleaner can make all the difference in performance and safety. If you’ve been searching for the best auto parts cleaner to cut through the mess without damaging sensitive components, you’re in the right place.
In our shop, we rely on the best auto parts cleaner not only for brake jobs and engine work but also for all sorts of cleanup tasks. It’s our go-to for everything from restoring old parts to quickly breaking down oil spills on the garage floor, saving time and keeping things tidy no matter what project we’re working on.
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Chlorinated or Non-Chlorinated?
When shopping for brake cleaner, you’ll quickly notice two main types: chlorinated and non-chlorinated. Both are designed to remove oil, grease, brake dust, and grime from sensitive parts like rotors and calipers, but they have important differences in chemical composition, cleaning power, and safety considerations.
Chlorinated brake cleaners use powerful solvents such as perchloroethylene or methylene chloride, which are extremely effective at cutting through stubborn grease and evaporate quickly without leaving residue. Because of their cleaning strength, professionals often prefer chlorinated formulas for heavily soiled parts or when working on large jobs where speed matters. However, chlorinated cleaners are highly flammable when exposed to certain conditions, produce toxic fumes, and can damage some plastics or painted surfaces. In many states, they’re also subject to environmental regulations or outright bans due to concerns about groundwater contamination and air quality.
Non-chlorinated brake cleaners, on the other hand, use solvents like heptane or acetone and are generally considered safer for both people and the environment. They’re often less aggressive than chlorinated formulas, but modern blends can still deliver excellent cleaning power with fewer regulatory restrictions. Because they’re typically more flammable than chlorinated versions, extra caution is needed around open flames or hot surfaces.
Choosing between the two often comes down to application and location. If you’re in a state where chlorinated brake cleaners are still legal, and you need maximum cleaning strength with fast evaporation, chlorinated formulas might be your go-to option. But for everyday use around the shop—especially in areas with strict environmental rules or when cleaning near painted surfaces—non-chlorinated brake cleaner offers a safer, more versatile alternative without sacrificing much in terms of performance.
Personally? I choose chlorinated, when possible… and keep that garage door wide open while using it.
The Best Auto Parts Cleaner for Most People
We’ve tried a lot of different brake cleaners over the years, and the Super Tech brand from Walmart has become one of our go-to choices for both chlorinated and non-chlorinated formulas. For starters, it is affordable and easy to find, which makes a big difference when you use it as often as we do in the shop. Despite the low price, it performs just as well as many of the big-name brands when it comes to cutting through brake dust, oil, and grease.
The chlorinated version is our pick when we need maximum cleaning power with fast evaporation. It works quickly on heavy buildup, leaves no residue, and saves us time when cleaning rotors, calipers, or other parts before reassembly. On the other hand, we keep the non-chlorinated Super Tech cleaner around for times when we want something safer to use indoors, around painted surfaces, or when local regulations limit chlorinated options. It is still strong enough for most jobs and is a good all-purpose cleaner to have on hand.
One of the biggest reasons we stick with Super Tech is the price. It is much less expensive than other brand equivalents like CRC, cheap enough that we can stock up on a whole case and be ready for any mess that comes our way. From cleaning engine parts to blasting oil spills off the garage floor, having plenty of cans on the shelf means we never hesitate to use it for quick cleanups or big projects alike.
You can find these at your local Wal-Mart, or online here.
The Best Professional Brake Parts Cleaner
For those looking for a safer, more versatile option without giving up cleaning power, CRC Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner is one of the best choices available. It is designed to deliver professional-grade cleaning performance while meeting stricter environmental regulations in many states, making it a go-to product when chlorinated cleaners are restricted or when working around sensitive areas like painted surfaces.
The non-chlorinated formula is strong enough to tackle tough brake dust, oil, and grime, yet it is safer to use indoors and less harsh on certain materials. It still evaporates quickly and leaves no residue behind, so brakes and parts are clean, dry, and ready for reassembly in no time. For most routine brake jobs or shop cleanups, CRC Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner offers nearly the same performance as its chlorinated counterpart without the added regulatory headaches.
While it can be a little more expensive than budget options, many mechanics keep CRC Non-Chlorinated cleaner on hand because it strikes a great balance between power, safety, and compliance. It is a dependable choice for shops that want a professional-grade cleaner suitable for almost any job.
Find a convenient bulk pack for all of your cleanup duties on Amazon.
Honorable Mention: Gunk Brake Parts Cleaner
Gunk Brake Parts Cleaner is one of those products you can always count on to get the job done. It might not have the same reputation as CRC for professional-grade work or be as inexpensive as Super Tech, but Gunk has been making high-quality automotive chemicals for decades, and this brake cleaner keeps that tradition going.
It delivers reliable cleaning power for brake dust, grease, and grime, drying quickly and leaving parts ready for reassembly. We have used it plenty of times in the shop, and it has always performed exactly as expected—no surprises, no disappointments, just a solid product that works the way it should.
We like to keep a few cans of Gunk Brake Parts Cleaner on hand because it is a dependable choice when you just need a good cleaner for routine jobs. If you are standing in the aisle trying to decide what to grab for your next brake project, you can feel confident reaching for Gunk and knowing it will handle whatever mess you throw at it.
You can also find Gunk (chlorinated) brake parts cleaner on Amazon, right here.
Conclusion: The Best Auto Parts Cleaner
No matter which option you choose, each one on this list earns a place among the best auto parts cleaner options out there. If chlorinated formulas are available in your area, you might find them more effective for tackling tough grease and grime, especially when speed and residue-free results matter most. But even the non-chlorinated products on this list deliver plenty of cleaning power for routine brake jobs and all-around shop use.
For anyone without a dedicated parts washer, the best auto parts cleaner can be a game-changer. These cleaners make it easy to keep brakes, engine components, and other parts looking like new with nothing more than a can and a rag. Whether you are stocking up on Super Tech for everyday jobs, grabbing CRC for professional-grade performance, or picking up Gunk because you know it will work, the best auto parts cleaner for your needs will always be ready to handle the mess.
