Tried cleaning governor ropes with brake cleaner instead of degreaser

Last Tuesday I had an old OTIS elevator in a 12-story building where the governor rope was slipping bad. I usually use heavy duty degreaser and a rag but I was out. Grabbed a can of brake cleaner from my truck on a whim. Worked way better than I expected. Got the rope moving smooth again in about 10 minutes. Anyone else ever use brake cleaner on governor ropes or is that a bad idea long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix791mo ago

Brake cleaner huh? Guess I've been degreasing wrong for years but at least I'm not out of a job yet.

the_logan1mo ago

Yeah, @phoenix79 you're probably fine, but here's a quick heads up: brake cleaner evaporates crazy fast so it's great for a quick fix but it doesn't leave that slight residue that degreaser does. That little bit of film helps protect the rope from rust over time, especially in older buildings with more moisture in the machine room. I'd say using it once in a pinch is totally fine, just don't make it your go to every month. I've seen guys strip ropes down with brake cleaner and then they get a little too dry and start squeaking later.