I’m sure this has been discussed many times on here already, but I didn’t want to dig through all the old topics trying to find it. So please excuse the redundancy.
I have always done my foothold traps the tried and true way of dying and waxing, however I decided to try the paint/acetone mixture on some new dps, bodygrips and water traps. I generally just boil my new traps in water with maybe some detergent, and this has always been sufficient for dyeing and waxing, but it never gets rid of all the grease. Which doesn’t work well when using paint.
So I was hoping y’all would have some tricks and tips on how to do it in an effective way.
Also, what about stripping old wax off of traps, to get it down to bare metal again? Thanks!

soak in dawn detergent. repeat if needed. take to car wash to rinse. let dry and paint. Sarge

easiest way is in a dishwasher.

I soak the traps in a bucket of hot water with the a couple cups of that Walmart purple bottle degreaser for 15-20 min and before the water gets cool pull them off rinse on hot water and let them hang for a bit.

I generally use the car wash, but the dishwasher sounds a whole lot handier.

This. Run them through a cycle and you're done.

If using dishwasher. Use when momma isn't home and make sure it's clean afterwards. Trust me, been there done that. Sarge

It made a mess in my dishwasher. Not gonna repeat anytime soon.

What Ken said. Purple degreaser from Walmart

I like the purple stuff and the pressure washer with a milk crate, so you don’t have to chase traps around the wash bay !

Dishwasher all the way

I tried the dishwasher approach just once. That was enough for me. I took the traps out right after the dishwasher cycle ended. Well it took me three hours of serious scrubbing to get all of the rust off of every surface in that dishwasher. Never again!

Purple stuff Degreaser in Automotive aisle at walmart. I just soak them in a bucket for a Day, then pull out and power wash. Works great.

Thanks a lot everybody, I’m going to try the purple cleaner.

I use oven cleaner on mine

Bingo!!

DON"T used the dishwasher if they are waxed. Wax will reharden and stick to the walls of the dishwasher no matter how many cycles you run.

Anytime I’m trying to remove significant oil/grease, I like to start with gasoline or mineral spirits to take the bulk off fast. You don’t have to submerge them, just need a “splash bath.” Just put traps in a 5-gal bucket with a quart or two of solvent, put a lid on and shake/roll the bucket. It’ll cut 95% of the grease off in a minute. Then dunk in dawn or any degreaser to get the solvent smell and remaining oil off. Hot water is better, but not necessary with this method. For old wax I would start by boiling & decanting (skimming), then some kind of detergent wash like others described.
Guess I just like doing everything in 2 steps...

It is bad advise to suggest washing anything in gasoline. Mineral spirits is the better way to go.

Varsol eats grease. Havent seen it in years.