Cleaning the chain is a very essential part of sharpening your chainsaw safely. Chains may accumulate dirt and deposits over time. These deposits are not good for the chain and may damage it if not removed before cleaning. Mineral spirits and commercial degreasing detergents should be used when cleaning these chains since they leave the chain spotlessly clean and ready for sharpening.You should be cautious and avoid flooding the engine components with the cleaning detergent since it may damage these components.
