Hi Folks,

I agree with using an ultrasonic cleaner. I have a six litre unit and have clean all my M track signals. I use de ionised water, the same that the window cleaners use. It is readily available in the U.K. at £0.71 per litre. Look for Spotless Water, www.spotlesswater.co.uk

I was amazed how dirty the water was.

I use the water and dash of Fairy dishes soap and run the cleaner for two sessions of five minutes. After the first session I lift the tray and agitate quite vigorously to move the water over the horizontal surfaces to move the dirt that has just fallen under gravity.

I the rinse under a cold water. I lay the parts on a bed of towels and blow dry with a heat gun. I turn the parts and only heat until they are warm to the touch. I move the heat gun rapidly over the parts so as not to cause hot spots.

For point and signals I take out the globes and put the small parts in an enclosed tea strainer. I have not disassembled the solenoids.

On the mater of a sticking frog on the points I have found that cross bar on the opposite side of the pivot point is the main cause of it sticking. I use a very fin Q tip which I flatten with a pair of smooth long nose pliers. Then with meths or isopropyl alcohol I make sure that the underside of the bar and the sleeper on which it slides is clean.