Cleaning Up Irons

NO...

the "coking" of a club is specifically focused on removing the oil can finish of an otherwise raw head. the acid in the coke just eats away the organic oil of the finish, thus exposing the raw metal, thereby removing the protection of the raw metal from the humidity and elements, and speeding the rusting process.

Heads that are chromed (such as your Mizzys) will not get "cleaner" by using coke. a good wire brush to the face will remove much of the rust. But because of the excessive use and wear that wore through the chrome on the face, the raw metal is already exposed, and will be prone to continued rust (if i am reading your post correctly).

bottom line...don't bother with the coke on your MP-30s

OK, I get that--no Coke. So, what is the best cleaner with wire brush to use to bring these clubs back to a nice shiny life?

Don't use a wire brush on chrome plated irons, it will put little scratchs in the plating. I'd recommend a toothbrush and any common cleaner/soap to scrub off the heavy dirt. I use liquid hand soap. Then I use metal cleaner/polish to bring out the shine. I've used a variety of polishes, haven't noticed one being better than the other. Most polishes leave a film on the metal, so I typically follow-up with another soap bath.

I use soft scrub liquid cleaner and a toothbrush.

I use Dawn dish washing liquid and a nail brush. It is larger than a toothbrush. I use a real firm toothbrush to get in the grooves that the nail brush will not get out. I have tried polishing them with a metal polish but to be honest it did not do a noticeable difference over just cleaning them with the Dawn dish washing liquid.

[quote name='twgolf' post='2142013' date='Dec 24 2009, 10:01 AM']I use Dawn dish washing liquid and a nail brush. It is larger than a toothbrush. I use a real firm toothbrush to get in the grooves that the nail brush will not get out. I have tried polishing them with a metal polish but to be honest it did not do a noticeable difference over just cleaning them with the Dawn dish washing liquid.[/quote]

My son who worked at a couple of country clubs swears by Simple Green, although +1 on Dawn or similar dishwashing detergent. They are primarily degreasers, but breakdown dirt and mud quickly.

Simple Green is amazing stuff though; I use it on grips and dirty balls too.

Coke + chrome irons = sticky irons

Use a wire brush and soap+water on the face of the club. This will get all the markings/ball remnants off. Then use a toothbrush for the chromed part of the irons.

I may be a tad older than most memebrs here and have used a product called "Miracle Cloth" in the past with much success. I used to be able to find it at any hardware store and now I have to order online to get them. They work great on irons as well as brass, gold, silver and ost any metal.

-Mike

When I want to remove the dirt and grime quickly along with the rust that forms because of the usage, I spray mine down with Purple Power wheel cleaner and let them sit for a minute or two. Once it has time to work, I then scrub them with a soft bristled toothbrush and rinse them off with water. I finish them off by toweling them off and then hitting them with an air compressor to remove any droplets the towel may have missed.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is supposed to be very good. I have one waiting at home to wash my clubs when I get a chance.

Coke is very effective at removing traces of rust and certain finishes that compose of surface treatments like oil can and gun blue - [i]unfortunately, whether or not you want to remove the finish as well as the rust [/i]- but in the case of normal mud and grime that golf clubs pick up, I haven't come across anything in all my years of golfing that water and an old plastic-bristled toothbrush won't shift. In the case of really dried on mud and grass, plain old washing-up liquid speeds things up.

Unless you play your golf on fairways composed of wet cement and then habitually place your irons in the oven at Gas Mark 6 for a few hours after playing, harsh chemicals and stout-bristled brushes seem like overkill to me.

For shiny chrome and shafts - not including bullseye marks on iron faces, sadly - use car polish/wax a couple or three times a year (albeit not on the hitting area) to ensure nice, bright chrome for years to come.

I use a product call Goo Gone. Stuff works great and puts a nice shine on the clubs. A little of this stuff goes a looong way.

LaMont recommended a product called Flitz that works great. I highly recommend it.

I only use Coke to remove the oil can finish off wedges. Car soap, water, and a brush is how I clean the rest of my clubs, but I've become pretty good at wiping down the clubhead after shots and during range sessions, so they don't get too dirty anymore.

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[quote name='CyFan ' post='2141959' date='Dec 24 2009, 09:19 AM']Don't use a wire brush on chrome plated irons, it will put little scratchs in the plating. I'd recommend a toothbrush and any common cleaner/soap to scrub off the heavy dirt. I use liquid hand soap. Then I use metal cleaner/polish to bring out the shine. I've used a variety of polishes, haven't noticed one being better than the other. Most polishes leave a film on the metal, so I typically follow-up with another soap bath.[/quote]

My intent of recommending the wire brush was focused on the face and grooves. For the rest of the heads, i'll defer to those above that have some pretty good ideas. I play satin finished 681s, so the little scratches caused by a wire brush are not noticeable.

Merry Christmas!