how do you clean a lot of wheels ?

[oldrails]

As my rolling stock gets run around the layout, the wheels eventually pick up dirt & grunge, (plastic wheels).  The cars do not roll as freely as they used to, also derailments are more frequent.  So the big question is: what is an easy, effective way to clean a lot of wheels???

[DKS]

Here's my preferred method: Place a single sheet of paper towel lengthwise on a piece of flex track. Saturate the towel with ordinary rubbing alcohol. Roll a car back and forth across the towel, holding the car to keep the wheels firmly on the rails under the paper towel. Shift the towel sideways and re-roll the car to be sure the wheels are clean. Apply more alcohol and use new towels as needed until finished.

[up1950s]

[CoalPorter]

What kind of wheels and how many ? ???
Maybe you could make friends with someone
that has tons of "mint condition" pizza cutters stock-piled. ;D

[John]

I just put them in the dishwasher, turn on hot water, and let them go ..

I think Tivo uses a blender ..

[bsoplinger]

What about an electrostatic type cleaner, yanno, one of those jewelry sized ones that are cheap vs the larger 'made for railroading' type ones?

[Nato]

 With an Ultrasonic Cleaner I purchased from a Jewelry Supply House about 8 years ago. it has been well worth the two hundred bucks I bought it for.It works well with both plastic and metal wheels and can do fifty or sixty pairs at a time,and now that I'am beginning to make the switch away from plastic LP wheels to metal ones like Fox Valley my cleaner will be even more usefull, but the cleaning solution I have been usuing does smell like c**p .                                                                                                   Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah

[wm3798]

Right next to the Round Tuits...

Lee

[cv_acr]

Take them all off, replace them with metal wheels and throw away all the old plastic wheels. 

Plastic wheels are terrible for gunk buildup.