I did a little searching for this topic but couldn't find anything.

I'm sorting through all of my fishing tackle to get it organized and prepared for this spring. My question has to do with cleaning my crankbaits. I seem to have stains on the crankbaits that I can't figure out what they are and normal hot water and a rag didn't take care of it. Do you guys use anything to clean crankbaits, like rubbing alcohol or anything like that?

My son has the uncanny ability to see bright shiny objects from great distances and has accumulated a whole tackle box of lures that he finds when we are out fishing.  Many of these are crank baits and sometimes they have been in the water for a while.  I will remove the hooks and split rings and just dump them in the dishwasher and then replace the hooks.  I don't know if this is the best method, but it does work (especially for CB's that I don't have to pay for).

Never thought of using the dishwasher.  The lazy mans approach.  Good idea.

Another lazy approach EFFERDENT Tabs It works!!!!!!!!

I find most of my spots are rust spots. I take a wire brush that is used to clean rust and run it across the cranks a few times. I have never had an instance where the paint came off.

There is a cleaner that I buy at Wal-Mart called Mean Green. That stuff works great on my cranks and cork handles on my rods.

CLR is a good cleaner to use always use a little on a rag to remove rust spots.  Just be careful if your trying to remove rust from hooks or split-rings.  Rust will weaken these and removing it will do nothing to improve this weakend state.  Replace them. The last thing you want to do is loose a fish to a staigtened hook or a broken split ring.

I use either WD-40 and a rag or a toothbrush and tooth paste.

hEY cHRIS DO YOU DO ANYTHING TO GET THE ODOR OF THE wd 40 OFF THE LURE AFTER YOU CLEAN IT?

Fish like WD-40, I'm not kidding.

Nope but if you want you can spray it with fish scent or something. Years ago I would use WD-40 as a fish formula they kinda frown on it now.

Wow I didnt know that RW and Chris you guys have never given as suggestion that didnt work i wouldnt put it on freah at the lake (pollution) but I would like to try it at home on a plug or 2 and leave it on and see what happens. Or on second thought if its oil souluble it might soak in and leech into the water anyway! Just a thought

Who was it that first suggested WD-40 as a fish attractant?  Was it Homer Circle?  I've noticed that Gary Yamamoto's Mega Strike appears to have a WD-40 smell.  Interesting.

If I remember correct the stuff has shark oil in it.

I also know of guys who use Preparation-H on their soft plastics -- apparently this stuff has shark oil in it as well and supposedly keeps plastics from drying out and leaves a slime trail in the water -- I wonder if it makes the fish's mouth pucker making hook sets easier?