Advantages of Gun Cleaning Solvent & Top 12 Gun Cleaning Solvents Reviewed in 2024

Keeping your gun clean is both a responsibility and a way to make the most out of its performance and condition. Properly cleaned guns are more beneficial and ideal since they feature enhanced accuracy, safety, and an even longer lifespan than those dirty guns. With that, you need the top gun cleaning solvent to do the job right. 

However, the question is, what exactly are the top gun cleaning solvents? Well then, keep on reading to discover them. But first, go through the advantages of gun cleaning solvents to understand that they are genuinely essential for efficient and thorough gun cleaning. So, without further ado, let’s get started.  

Advantages of Gun Cleaning Solvent

As a gun owner, you must be well aware of how much you spent maintaining a gun and caring for it if there are repair needs or you want to upgrade it. Thus, it makes sense that you also clean it so that it can offer you its best performance and last longer. But, there’s no use if you’ll clean your gun with the wrong tools and cleaning solutions. Therefore, the first advantage of using gun cleaning solvents is that they are among the cleaning solutions well-suited for efficient and safe gun cleaning. 

In addition, gun cleaning solvents are better solutions for cleaning your gun’s sensitive and interior parts that are too vulnerable for brushes. Since they have deep penetration, they can thoroughly remove all the residue, leaving nothing behind harmful contaminants, even the tiniest portion. Also, even the dirt you can’t use can easily be managed by the best gun cleaning solvents, allowing your gun to always look and perform like brand new.   

Moreover, the best gun cleaning solvents also deal with everything that can damage your gun over time, such as gunpowder residue, carbon, lead, and copper fouling. Of course, these cleaning solutions offer different services and advantages. That’s why it is an important and basic step to double-check the ingredients that your chosen cleaning solvent is made of before making a final decision since guns accumulate different residues, depending on the bullet and ammo use. Since each solvent has a different formulation, you must find what you need before buying.

Furthermore, cleaning solvents are the best answer for a hassle and frustration-free way to clean your gun efficiently and flawlessly. For the best gun cleaning solvents with fast and deep penetration, you can expect a time and effort-saving cleaning, and they are sure to be low-maintenance cleaning in a matter of minutes.    

Continue reading on to discover the various types of gun cleaning solvent. 

Types of Gun Cleaning Solvent

Choosing the best gun cleaning solvents must always be a big deal since they significantly impact guns. At the most beneficial advantage, cleaning solvent can even add some years to guns’ lifespan because they are designed to remove any unwanted that your guns accumulated through shooting. By using solvents, you can help your gun maintain its best condition and performance, promoting ideal and correct function in the future. 

Despite the advantages of gun cleaning solvents, not all gun cleaning kits include them in the package. Instead, most gun cleaning kits prioritize offering gun cleaning tools and accessories. Nonetheless, it is not a complete disadvantage for gun cleaning kits since cleaning solvents are quickly consumable. Therefore, it might be best for you to buy them separately, and you’ll have the chance to buy the most suitable solvents for your gun. 

In your way of choosing gun cleaning solvents, you’ll come across various types of solvents, leading you to feel confused and overwhelmed. Thus, it will be challenging for you to choose the best solvent without knowing the different types of gun cleaning solvents. Fortunately, we are here to guide you in easily determining which type of cleaning solvent to choose for your gun. 

Liquid

Liquid solvents are among the most widely used gun cleaners since they are hassle-free and quick to use. You can use them either with cleaning brushes or patches for even and precise application to thoroughly remove firing residue left behind in your guns, such as carbon, copper, and lead. Since they are formulated to remove those unwanted and harmful accumulated contaminants, liquid solvents are genuinely beneficial to use, especially if you aim to maintain a safe working gun. 

Too bad that there’s no perfectly formulated gun cleaning solvent. That means that all types of cleaning solvents come with a few flaws and downsides. With that being said, liquid solvents have them too, and one of them is that they tend to create messy applications. They might harm vulnerable cleaning surfaces even with only tiny spills. 

In addition, some liquid solvents are stored in small bottles without any nozzle to control pouring. So, you must be careful using them because you might use too much one at a time, quickly consuming the solvent. With that being said, you have no choice but to buy again or else you will have nothing to use. 

Above all, you must be cautious and attentive with applying liquid solvents because too much solvent leads to an inevitable greasy frustrating residue. You’ll find it challenging and uncomfortable to control and use your gun with that residue. Therefore, it is just useless to clean your gun if it is not thorough and correct. 

All in all, if you want to use liquid solvents, always remember to use them with proper caution and be careful with your actions. Also, it is ideal to have a gun cleaning mat to cover the surface and keep it safe from solvents. It won’t be hard to find these gun cleaning items in the market since they are among the most used products for gun cleaning.  

Aerosol

Aerosol solvents are formulated with a water-like consistency. With that, they have better penetration to moving parts of the guns, mainly that they mostly feature a spray application. In addition, this type of cleaning solvent is primarily designed to do an outstanding and reliable job in handling stubborn debris and removing residue, including gunk and lead, from the moving parts of your gun. 

Since aerosol solvents are applied through spraying, you can assume that they are effortless to use in a quick time. However, because they are spray solvents, you must pay attention to using them since you can have too much if you are not careful. With that being said, you can waste the product if you don’t pay strict attention to spraying your gun.   

By that, you must focus your overall attention when gun cleaning so you can also do it quickly and thoroughly. If you need to manage highly stubborn residue, you can rely on aerosol solvents. 

Foaming 

If you want a less messy gun cleaning solvent, the best choice would be foaming solvent. Out of all the other types of gun cleaning solvents, foaming solvents do not create frustrating mess and spills, thanks to their consistency and formulation. 

Aside from less mess, foaming solvents are also ideal for removing built-up residues for maintaining a clean and safe gun. In addition, these solvents are generally packed in a pump for effortless dispense, and the consistency is much thinner than liquid solvents. Hence, they feature fast penetration for efficient removal of built-up residue. 

Furthermore, foaming solvents are best suited for handling older gunk and residue in moving parts of your gun, such as rail and firing mechanism. With only a few minutes of soaking, your gun will have no unwanted contaminants left. Hence, you can ensure that it stays clean and safe to use without a doubt. 

CLP

CLP cleaners are not just a cleaning solvent; they are more than that. In addition, CLP means clean, lubricate, and protect. So, as the name implies, CLP cleaners are an all-in-one cleaning up to protection benefits for guns. With that being said, they are dependable for combined removal of accumulated and build-up residue, lubrication, and protection for corrosion and rust. 

In addition, CLP cleaners are best to use for quick and easy cleaning of guns. While it seems that CLP cleaners are genuinely outstanding for all gun care and maintenance, it comes with a few flaws, such as vulnerability for overapplication. With overapplication, your gun can suffer from minor issues, such as performance and condition. See, an excessive amount of solvent and oil can penetrate up to narrow and hard-to-reach gun parts, so they can build up and mess with your gun’s performance. 

Besides that, too much use of these cleaning solutions can result in more accumulated debris and dirt in your guns since oil and solvent attract more unwanted components. With that being said, CLP cleaners are more of a cleaning solution that works best for guns with no underlying issues. 

Compared to straight solvents, CLP cleaners are best only for quick cleaning of less stubborn residue for guns that don’t work in better condition than usual. So for more preventive cleaning solutions, straight solvents with non-greasy formula are the best choice for proper gun care and clean guns with intensely stubborn residues.

Now that you know about the general types of cleaning solvents, you must also learn about the difference between solvents with oils since they are always closely compared. Read on to discover more.   

Solvent vs. Gun Oils

Solvents and gun oils are formulated for the benefits of guns and firearms. They have a similar purpose of helping the guns last longer than they intend to be while performing well. Of course, both gun solutions have distinct differences that all gun owners must know.

The first difference is that gun oils are not meant for cleaning guns. Hence, they are not categorized as cleaning solutions but must-haves for guns. Well, you can use gun oils after you have cleaned your gun. See, gun oils are not a means that can remove firing residue and contaminants. Instead, they are created to provide solid and dependable protection to your gun after you stripped all the unwanted things on it.   

Undeniably, there will always be residue left behind when you use your gun, plus water, sweat, dirt, and debris can accumulate on it and negatively affect your gun. Hence, you need gun oil to apply protection to your gun. Gun oils are dependable for providing solid and reliable protective barriers to your gun, highly shielding it while blocking foreign and harmful contaminants from settling in your gun surface and interior.

The best gun oils feature a superior fast and thorough penetration that can reach the metal’s pores and melt down the stubborn and hard debris and residues that the solvent cannot reach. Therefore, well-oiled guns are expected to perform on the best condition that they can even do quick dissemination of heat evenly to increase their accuracy and overall performance.  

Top 12 Gun Cleaning Solvent

No one can deny that it is challenging to find top gun cleaning solvents in the market because of the overwhelming and confusing countless options. Luckily, you don’t need to search further because we have a detailed review here. Check out what gun cleaning solvents include in the top list: 

1. Hoppe’s Famous No. 9 Powder Solvent

Looking for a trustworthy and proven effective gun cleaning solvent? Well then, the Hoppe’s Famous No. 9 Powder Solvent ideally fits your standards since it is a famous and widely used cleaning solution by countless gun owners because of its effectiveness. In addition, it is also formulated for the universal cleaning of various gun bores safely. 

Aside from that, there is no complaint about its use. Instead, many gun owners are hands down with its overall quality and budget-friendly price. Some of the toughest harmful contaminants that this cleaning solvent can remove are metal, lead, copper, and prime fouling. Plus, it also works like gun oil that can prevent rusting. 

What you will also like about this cleaning solvent is that it has a free flow and rapid penetration. Aside from that, it is incredibly safe, easy, and quick to use. So, cleaning your gun won’t make any disturbance to your schedule, especially if you don’t have the luxury of time to clean. With its incredible effectiveness, it’ll be no surprise that it can be your favorite too. To know that, why don’t you give it a try?

2. Breakthrough Military-Grade Solvent

Designed as a spray cleaning solvent, the Breakthrough Military-Grade Solvent is both similar and different to Hoppe’s Famous No. 9 Powder Solvent, even though they are both the best gun cleaning solvent. First, the primary edge of this cleaning solvent is its ideal safe and odorless smell, so it is non-toxic and user-friendly. 

Moreover, this gun cleaning solvent best works for removing the tough and stubborn barrel, carbon, and lead fouling, providing you a true ideal clean that leaves no room for any unwanted harmful contaminants. Besides that, it is also formulated with safe ingredients. That’s why it is not flammable and safe to apply for various gun materials, such as Cerakote, plastic, wood, hydro-printing, and polymer components. 

Thanks to its pH neutrality, it is non-staining and non-toxic that you’ll even find gun cleaning an interesting task to complete. Aside from that, it boasts a quick and efficient penetration until the hard-to-reach gun parts. More importantly, you can only use a tiny amount at once than other gun cleaning solvents. So even though it is affordable, you won’t have to gun it quickly again. You won’t realize that you’ll need a powerful cleaning solvent like this until you get to try it.     

3. Barnes CR-10 Rifle and HandGun Bore Cleaning Solvent

As the name implies, the Barnes CR-10 Rifle and HandGun Bore Cleaning Solvent is specifically formulated for cleaning rifles and handguns. In addition, its primary purpose is to remove any lead, powder, and copper wholly and safely. It is an aggressively effective cleaner that fights off and extremely loosens the heavy and stubborn deposits of copper, mainly caused by jacketed bullets that pass through the gun bore. Hence, you can expect that nothing can remain to affect your gun’s performance and condition. 

Meant with no harmful effect on barrels and is non-corrosive, this CR-10 cleaning solvent surely fits your budget since it is cheap and does not lead to any negative cleaning consequences. Instead, you can depend on leaving the rifling with only better accuracy and longer barrel lifespan. 

Moreover, if you are going to buy this, you must remember that it comes with several cautions, such as you must not shake and you need to store it in a cool place. More importantly, you need to keep it out of reach of people that can misuse it. See for yourself if it really fits on your guns because it is the best thing that can convince you that it is one of the best gun cleaning solvents. 

4. FrogLube Gun Cleaning Solvent Spray

As you can notice, the FrogLube Gun Cleaning Solvent is a spray-type cleaning solvent that you surely can depend on for quick removal of harmful components that build up on your gun. It is specifically formulated to fight against carbon, debris, petroleum fouling in the internal parts of your gun. 

In addition, this spray gun cleaning solvent features a quick penetration and also works as excellent means to improve your gun’s reliability and accuracy. It is possible since a clean gun is always in a top-shape condition, away from any possible malfunction. 

FrogLube also comes with lubrication, so it is best to use it after applying the cleaning solvent to your gun. On the other hand, this gun cleaning solvent’s downside is that the amount might be too little, by only 1 oz. Nevertheless, FrogLube Gun Cleaning Solvent has a powerful effect in stripping your gun of any contaminant, so careful application of this will genuinely go and last a long way.    

5. Hornady ONE SHOT with DynaGlide Plus Gun Cleaner and Dry Lube

Formulated and designed as an aerosol cleaning solvent, the Hornady ONE SHOT with DynaGlide Plus Gun Cleaner and Dry Lube is not only a cleaning solvent. Instead, it is a combined one-step gun cleaner and a lubricant. With its excellent dual purpose, you can assure that it already covers the first two steps of gun cleaning and care. Hence, it is actual money and time-saver to achieve a truly flawless and thorough gun cleaning. That’s why it is famous and favored by countless gun owners.

Of course, this gun cleaner can provide you with several benefits, and not only live for a famous name. First, it is hard-to-beat with its capacity to eliminate lead and other fouling in your gun. Not only that, but it is also ideal for highly reducing heat build-up, tear, and wear on compressed moving parts of your gun, promoting enhanced reliability and accuracy for impressive overall performance.

Moreover, the dry film that this cleaner creates is advantageous for various purposes, such as removing the stubborn gunk, old oil, grease, lead, and residue build-up while providing solid protection against rust and corrosion simultaneously. Above all, it is also ideal that it works with no oily residue mess, and it has a fantastic odorless smell when you apply it.  

Why do you need to settle for less quality gun cleaning solvent? When you can have this Hornady ONE SHOT dual-purpose cleaner that has efficient results to save your gun from any dirt. But one crucial thing you must remember is that this cleaner is highly flammable, so extreme caution and careful storage are a must at all times.        

6. Break-Free CLP Gun Cleaner

Break-Free has a rich history, and from then on, it consistently produces all-in-one gun cleaning solutions or CLP cleaners. This CLP is a single product that can effectively clean, lubricate, and protect your gun to maintain its brand new-like condition and performance. 

With the Break-Free CLP Gun Cleaner’s excellent formulation, it highly penetrates and spreads out until every pit and crevice of your gun to deal with harmful contaminants and residues that cause issues to your gun’s performance. This CLP cleaner lifts them away from your gun parts and surfaces. 

Aside from that, when you apply this CLP cleaner, it will leave a long-lasting solid lubricating film. The film genuinely shields your gun from any adhesion of grit, sand, and other abrasive components that surely cause failure and wear. On the other hand, since it is also formulated as a protectant, you can depend on its protection that shields your gunmetal surfaces from moisture and other contaminants build-up. 

Moreover, the Break-Free CLP Gun Cleaner features additional corrosion inhibitors that highly block rust formation. It can efficiently handle extreme conditions to protect your gun for long periods. More importantly, this cleaner does not dry out or lose its viscosity over time.  So, you can expect that you can have a gun that is readily available for action for months at a time.

Overall, the Break-Free CLP Gun Cleaner is an excellent all-in-one cleaner that is easy and convenient to use that works well according to its purposes. Therefore, it is made with high-quality that is greatly valued for its costs, reaching beyond what you can expect from it. 

7. Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber 2-in-1 Bore Cleaner

With its incredible price that does not go over $10, you will surely not regret buying the Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber 2-in-1 Bore Cleaner since it is a dual solution for excellent gun cleaning and care. In addition, it is a specially formulated aerosol spray solvent to work well in cleaning various firearms, such as handguns, rifles, and rifles. 

Of course, this 2-in-1 gun cleaner comes with outstanding benefits. That’s why it is included in the top gun cleaning solvents. Well, it boasts a complete formula that fights and removes any type of barrel fouling, such as powder, lead, copper, plastic, carbon, and nitro. Also, it can remove tough and stubborn residue and gunk. Truly, it does it all to provide you with a spotlessly clean and safe gun. 

Moreover, the Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber features superior rust protection that lasts on your gun for a long time. Aside from that, it helps your gun have a long lifespan. What more you will like about this 2-in-1 gun cleaner is that it contains no butyl cellosolve, nitrobenzene, or other highly toxic ingredients. Thus, it means that it is surely safe to apply to your gun.

So, if you happen to aim for a gentler and safer multi-purpose gun cleaning solvent, why don’t you give the Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber a try yourself to know how it can highly benefit you.        

8. Butch’s Bore Shine Bore Cleaner

If you want to be equipped with a high-quality and quick gun cleaning solvent, Butch’s Bore Shine Bore Cleaner can be your first choice since it is also successfully established a well-known name and reputation. In fact, it is one of the best bench rest shooter’s non-abrasive cleaning solvents. 

In addition, you don’t have to worry and fear about the residue fouling that your gun can accumulate. Be it copper or lead fouling, this gun cleaning solvent can efficiently deal with them to remove them from your gun’s surface territory. Plus, you can apply it with no hassle and only minimal effort. More importantly, it only cleans and leaves no damage. 

Aside from fouling, this cleaning solvent is also useful for the quick removal of other contaminants, such as carbon, wax, lead, wad, and residue build-up in difficult and hard-to-clean gun areas like chamber throat. However, you need to remember that you need to be extra careful when handling and storing it since it is flammable and can cause high irritation when misused.

Nevertheless, it is not new that all gun owners must carefully handle all gun cleaning solvents even though they are safely formulated to be safe all the time. After all, gun cleaning and care should always be safe and proper. With that being said, you can trust and use the Butch’s Bore Shine Bore Cleaner for precise and thorough gun cleaning. 

9. CLP by Sage & Braker

The CLP by Sage & Braker is a powerful all-in-one single product for thorough and true gun cleaning and care. Also, it is specifically designed to lift off and remove any grime and residue within your gun’s interior and exterior parts. Not only that but it is meant for deep and quick penetration that does both removing contaminants and leaves behind a solid and dependable protective layer simultaneously. 

In addition, the protective layer is highly helpful in shielding your gun from any rust and damage, making your gun more reliable and safer to use. Even though this CLP cleaner is formulated with only safe chemicals and ingredients, it does leave a strong smell. That’s why it is better to use outdoors or open places with good ventilation.   

Of course, it is also formulated with other beneficial purposes, including the characteristics that help reduce your gun’s static, which is the leading cause of gunpowder residue, dirt, and grime. Without static, your gun will accumulate fewer foreign and unwanted components. Aside from that, it is also a useful solution to excellently improve your gun’s performance by providing a dependable better heat dissipation. In fact, you’ll begin to notice your gun’s accuracy after using this CLP cleaner.      

Overall, the CLP by Sage & Braker is best for gun owners who want a multi-purpose cleaning solution that offers fast and easy application, a user-friendly one-product solvent. As already mentioned, it is only preferable to use outdoors or in a well-ventilated area since it can produce a strong lingering smell that is not beneficial to smell for a long time.       

10. Ballistol Multi-Purpose Aerosol Spray

The Ballistol Multi-Purpose Aerosol Spray is another excellent gun cleaning solvent that offers aerosol spray application. In addition, it is also formulated for multi-purpose works, including cleaning, lubricating, and protecting guns. Interestingly, it is also widely used by countless gun owners for decades, making it one of the well-known best one-product cleaners ever formulated for gun benefits. 

Moreover, this gun cleaner is made for the universal cleaning of various guns. It is not exclusive to guns, but you can use it to clean other things and tools, such as knives, leather, wood, boots, cases, wheels, engines, and many more. More importantly, it does not contain any carcinogens or other harmful chemicals. Thus, you can trust that it is user and environmentally friendly and is also biodegradable. Even though it is powerful, it won’t harm your skin and gun. 

You’ll also like it because it is non-toxic and comes with a nice, tolerable smell when you apply it to your gun. With that, you can say that it is equipped with benefits that outshined its costs. Slightly alkaline in nature, you’ll favor it since it can neutralize the adverse effect of skin oils and sweat. Therefore, nothing can ever last in your gun that negatively affects its condition and performance. 

Truly, Ballistol has earned the favors of many gun owners, and if you want that kind of assurance, there should not be anything that can stop you from trying out this excellent gun cleaner. 

11. Lucas Oil Extreme Duty Bore Solvent & Ultrasonic Gun Cleaner

Want a premium and dual gun solvent and cleaner? Well then, the  Lucas Oil Extreme Duty Bore Solvent & Ultrasonic Gun Cleaner can highly suit your need and preference to maintain your guns clean and protected from rust and other dangerous contaminants. 

Aside from that, this premium blend of corrosion inhibitors and gun cleaning solvent is ideal for a strong fight against dealing with carbon, powder, and other elements that can form as residue in action. At the same time, it can also destroy lead and copper fouling from barrels and cylinders. 

No problem if you want a solvent that can provide you with deep and fast cleaning because this solvent plus cleaner is exactly what you are looking for. Also, it can cover the cleaning of the old grease and oil so that nothing can cause your gun to malfunction and deteriorate. 

More importantly, this gun cleaning product is designed ideally safe for factory-applied firearm finishes and polymers. Above all, it produces no odor and has a grape scent for ideal cleaning.   

12. CVA Barrel Blaster Solvent Spray

The CVA Barrel Blaster Solvent Spray is another budget-friendly yet powerful gun cleaning solvent specifically designed for removing any fouling from the breech and bore areas of your firearms. In addition, since it is stored in a spray bottle, you’ll find it easier to apply it without using too much of it since it eliminates any spilling. Thus, it goes a long way of use. 

Moreover, you can use this gun cleaning solvent with either cleaning brushes for gun parts or cleaning patches for swabbing the barrel. For proper cleaning, you don’t just depend on the power of gun cleaning solvents, but you must also take careful action and rely on the instruction of the cleaning solvent. 

Final Thoughts

Before making the final decision when buying gun cleaning solvent, you must do a second check of your choice if it is compatible and safe with your gun and has a fast-acting effect. Plus, it is best to pay attention if the quantity and overall quality have an excellent value for the money. 

Hopefully, you can choose from the recommendations here since they are carefully chosen for the benefits of most guns. More importantly, their quality and advantages have value beyond their cost, so they are an impressive investment to achieve outstanding gun cleaning. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Undeniably, gun cleaning is an interesting topic. That’s why there are many frequently asked questions. Discover some of them below: