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How to use a parts washer

Updated: 21.10.2026

The first fill is where a parts washer gets wrecked: the wrong fluid, a pump run dry, or a full tank tipped onto its side. This is how to use a parts washer you already own, whether that is a recirculating bench unit or a small ultrasonic bath. The three machines on the [parts washer comparison](/hub/compressors/parts-washer) are the Hilka 84995505, the Draper 22494 and the FOHERE JX-020S. The steps follow a UK sequence from Clarke's CW2D, plus the faults in the Hilka and Draper reviews. These machines were not run in a lab. The notes are from the amazon.co.uk listings and UK reviews, read on 19 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The first fill is where a parts washer gets wrecked: the wrong fluid, a pump run dry, or a full tank tipped onto its side.

Our top picks

Hilka Hilka 84995505

Best overall

Hilka Hilka 84995505
9.0/10about £66.95
View offer
FOHERE FOHERE JX-020S

Alternative

FOHERE FOHERE JX-020S
8.4/10about £67.98
View offer
Draper Draper 22494

Alternative

Draper Draper 22494
6.8/10about £126.84
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you switch the pump on
  2. 2.Washing on a recirculating bench
  3. 3.Washing in a small ultrasonic bath
  4. 4.Draining, drying and waste

Before you switch the pump on

Scrape heavy mud off first. Put gloves and eye protection on. HSE's sheet SR23 says to keep solvent off the skin, and aqueous wash fluids can still irritate skin and lungs. Fill only with the fluid the maker allows. The Draper listing bans solvent-based fluids. Hilka's page says an aqueous non-flammable degreaser and that thinners are unsuitable. The FOHERE guide, as one UK reviewer quotes it, warns against flammable liquids. If you are still holding paraffin, read aqueous or solvent parts washer before you pour. Bring the level to just below the shelf, and do not copy Clarke's fluid codes onto a Hilka or a Draper. Do not let the level fall below the pump inlet. Plug into a 230 V BS 1363 socket. If the flex is damaged, stop.

Washing on a recirculating bench

Switch the pump on only when the inlet is covered. Work the part under the nozzle or the brush, then set it on the shelf to drain. UK reviewers call the Hilka flow strong, and the jet can throw fluid onto the wall, so aim it into the tank. Keep the lid shut when you are not reaching in. When you finish, switch the pump off, close the lid and unplug. Dry steel or it will rust. Do not blow a wet part into a mist. If the pump is silent, stop. Do not hammer the housing. UK Hilka reviews say two pumps would not run until the rotor was turned by hand. UK Draper reviews describe a hammer blow to start, a failed motor, and a replacement that arrived dead. A tap in a review is a fault report, not a step. Unplug, check the level, and use the warranty or a spare. The Draper listing states 10 years of EU spare-part availability. It does not promise a lid clip.
Hilka Hilka 84995505

Testsieger

Hilka Hilka 84995505
9.0/10about £66.95
View offer

Washing in a small ultrasonic bath

A bath has no pump. Set the FOHERE with the part in the basket. UK reviewers use water plus an additive, and one review quotes a 30 minute limit and a ban on flammable liquids. The heater and the timer are in the title. Cleaning does not start by itself at the setpoint, and one review says the temperature then rose by about another 10 °C. Keep glued stones and fragile plating out. Two UK reviews say 3.2 litres. If the part does not fit, it does not go in. The size choice is on ultrasonic cleaner or parts washer.

Draining, drying and waste

Empty a washer before you carry it if you can. The Hilka is 6.5 kg empty. The Draper is 5.87 kg on the listing and heavy once full. Keep it upright. The internal plug is not fully leakproof on its side. Used fluid does not go down the sink, even when it started as water-based. HSE's SR23 says waste solvent is collected for recycling and is never poured away. A householder uses the council's hazardous-waste route. Choosing the machine is on the parts washer buying guide. Stop for a damaged flex, a fusible link that has already dropped, or waste with no classification. Hilka's site claims a fusible-link cover. The amazon bullets only say a safety cut-out. Do not invent a reset that is not in your own manual.

Common questions

How do I use a parts washer for the first time?
Scrape heavy dirt off, put gloves on, and fill with the fluid the maker allows, to just below the shelf. Cover the pump inlet, wash, drain on the shelf, switch off and unplug. Dry steel. The Draper listing bans solvent-based fluids. Hilka's page bans thinners.
What if the pump does not start?
Unplug and stop. Check that the fluid covers the inlet. A Hilka review describes a rotor turned by hand. A Draper review describes a hammer blow, which is a fault, not a method. If it still will not run, use the warranty or a spare.
Can I carry it when it is full?
Empty it first if you can. Draper reviews say it is heavy once full and must stay upright, because the internal plug is not fully leakproof on its side. Empty weights are 6.5 kg for the Hilka and 5.87 kg for the Draper.
How do I use the small ultrasonic bath?
Put the part in the basket, use a non-flammable fluid, set the heater and the timer, and start the cycle yourself. A FOHERE review says it does not start at the setpoint, and quotes a 30 minute limit. If the part does not fit, do not force it.
When should I stop and call someone?
Stop for a damaged flex, a fusible link that has dropped, a pump that will not turn after you have checked the level, and any plan to run flammable solvent at work without a COSHH and DSEAR look. A silent pump is not a job for a hammer.

Related pages

Best parts washer

Parts washer

Aqueous or solvent parts washer: fluid before brand

Parts washer buying guide: dirt, fluid and the plug

Ultrasonic cleaner or parts washer by where dirt sits

Sources

Public UK sources and the maker pages below. amazon.co.uk listings for these three parts washers, shelf date 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE sheet SR23, solvent degreasing (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE, cleaning or degreasing substances (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. HSE, water-mix wash fluids (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. HSE, storage of flammable liquids (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK, hazardous waste (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Draper 22494, 230 V portable parts washer (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Hilka 84995505 bench parts washer (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. COSHH Regulations 2002 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  9. DSEAR 2002 (retrieved 19 October 2026)