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100 replies and counting on how to ignore MOT advisories and wipe down a pair of shocks.

This is worth a watch. Mike Graham interviews the excellent Liam Halligan, who gives his forthright views on this shit show government and how it could become a whole lot worse post Starmer and Reeves. 

https://liamhalligan.substack.com/p/financial-markets-will-likely-punish?r=rm4f5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

Sorry to be a pain, but please excuse me as an older women asking this:  I have purchased a can  of Holts professional brake cleaner, which I will use as instructed on the callipers and pipes. But can this be used to get the grime and any rust off of the shocks?

I note all your comments about using a "damp cloth", but wouldn't a cleaning agent assist the process as I use cleaning products to remove grime and grease from items like the cooker around the home?

Why are the shocks apparently so vulnerable to heavier type cleaning?  I do recognise though that the "bellows" / rubber parts must not come into contact with any cleaning products, so would mask them off.

Thanks for any replies and assistance with my work plan building for later in the year

Are you a Virgo?

I ask because you're overthinking this to a whole new level

A biggish car back in the day. Sadly, like most other cars of that era, they succumbed to rust earlier than they should have done. I recall the aerial on my Cortina falling through the wing.    Wheel Arch liners weren’t a thing back then so all of the water and dirt got trapped in the corners.

That is easy Lizzie. Try Reform full of defectors from the Tory party that failed and prompted folk to vote Labour. 

Better to travel in hope than arrive in despair!

Very true Varche!

Thanks Sir Tigger, YZ250 and Kevin for that reassurance and advice  

In regards to paint for the callipers YZ250, I have purchased a can of Jenolite “Original Brake Caliper Paint” which is “high gloss durable finish” in silver

Starmers favourite two  words at the moment, "I'm Sorry "!  What a pathetic excuse of a man.

Yep.  The consensus it is just getting worse, and he, along with his Government, will go very soon.

Heaven help us when we have to choose who to vote for next!!

He might go, but there wont be a general election until 2030 without a successful vote of no confidence. Labour have a large enough majority to ensure that doesn't happen.

I dont agree. I think there is every chance they will tear themselves apart and the whole shitshow will fall over or grind to a halt, and they will arrive at a point where an election is inevitable.

It's only mud and crud from the road covering your shocks Lizzie, as said by others warm soapy water will be more than adequate. 

Whenever I wash the car with a jet wash, I always give everything under the wheel arch a blast to get rid of the crud. If you do that though, be a little careful around the airpipe. 

Sorry to be a pain, but please excuse me as an older women asking this:  I have purchased a can  of Holts professional brake cleaner, which I will use as instructed on the callipers and pipes. But can this be used to get the grime and any rust off of the shocks?

Brake cleaner’s main attraction is that it dries/evaporates in seconds, which is handy when you want to clean and paint brake calipers. It’s not really necessary for shocks and other parts to be dry in an instant so soapy water is fine. 
In my view, brake calipers are either painted and shiny, and with decals, like mine  , or grubby and ordinary. To answer your question that you asked somewhere regarding painting them, I’ve used Foliatec Brems and E-Tech caliper paint with good results. I have only ever needed to paint them once, and my Omega calipers painted with Foliatec, and with decals, were still nice and shiny fifteen years later when I sold it. 
If you choose  Foliatec, do not follow the instructions to mix enough to paint all four calipers. Mix enough paint and lacquer to do one caliper and then repeat for each caliper. If you follow their instructions, the paint will be bullet hard in the pot before you’ve finished caliper number two. 
E-Tech is more forgiving as there is no mixing involved.

just stick to the IMPORTANT JOBS , like a new 'magic tree' air freshener for the windscreen 

Oi! 

New magic tree? Wouldn't you just reinstate the one you took off on the way to the test?

My wife has an Angel dangling from her rear view mirror. If we forget to remove it before the MOT, it’s always on the passenger seat when we collect her car. This is decent of them really, as I suppose they could be petty and fail it.