Cleaning Old Parts

Can anyone recommend what to use to clean really old dried on grime? I'm currently cleaning up a rather nice vintage frame and what appeared to be lots of small dark marks and scratches actually came off when rubbed with a fingernail, but I don't want to scratch the paintwork and would rather use some kind of solvent than scrub too hard. The grime is especially hard around the edges of the lugs and there are various patches of old adhesive from stickers etc.

My usual go to is baby wipes but I'm wondering its easier to use a solvent like acetone (avoiding decals of course) or if a milder product like muc-off would be just as effective and less likely to damage the paint.

maybe iso propyl alcohol a very good degreaser
rub it gently on the spots and it might tidy it up

I just use muc off (if you have it around) and a soft toothbrush. Has worked on all the old barn finds I've done

I would begin with muc off or similar even household clearner does a good job, then for anything stubborn I normally use a dilutted degreaser and finish with soapy warm water and a rinse, always works for me...

Ok cheers, will try some muck off and a toothbrush first, I'm guessing it might not get the sticker reside off though (having flashbacks of trying to de-sticker rims! can't remember what I used for that... )

Acetone works well for the glue... but like you said don't go near anything you want to keep!

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/12188106/

Engine cleaner is good for this sort of stuff. Literally just washes it away

Cheers for the link, some interesting advice. Just watched some of James' videos on his site as well. Though I still cant bring myself to spray down an assembled bike with a hose or even a sponge and a bucket of soapy water. I cant believe it wont get into outboard bearings, derailleur pivots etc. I've just disassembled a sticky caliper and the spray from the front wheel had flushed out any grease and slightly corroded the pivots. That's why I usually use baby wipes to minimise using water , though I do understand its a good idea to try and remove debris from paint first.

A speed detailer is an interesting suggestion for general upkeep though, I may try that.

My go-to before I use solvents is a magic eraser sponge and water. If it's just grime that's worked into scratches this'll get it out, then you can seal the scratches with a bit of car polish. I've used those sponges on frames and soft parts like saddles and bar tape and it's usually all I need. You'll generally only need something stronger for glue and really old hardened oil/grease spots.

Just to add that my advice was for a frame that had been stripped, I normally clean parts by stripping them and then reassemble lubricating where needed, good luck

Ordinary kitchen cleaner for grime and sticky decal residue.
Car colour restorer for paintwork.
Car wax to finish the paint work which should stop any major dirt sticking to it.

t-cut

If it's really baked on I've used Astonish oven cleaner - it's a sort of paste. Slightly abraisve so use with care