I have alight leak in the left rear axle seal. There is a little bit of grease on the brake pads. When i fix the seal can i wash down the shoes or do i have to replace them. They are 80 % at least.

 

You can clean them but I’d recommend using dish soap and hot water to make sure all of the greasy residue is removed. Wash the drum as well.

Brake parts cleaner on its own isn’t enough to clean that type of contamination.

 

Yeah, Dawn detergent has been used for years to get the oil off of contaminated waterfowl.

 

On days when I get particularly filthy at work, I’ll shower using dish soap to get all the greasy/grimy mess off. It works so much better than any other soap I’ve tried - even lava soap.

The only thing I’ve found that even comes close is a soap called Grease Monkey - it’s charcoal based and has pumice or some kind of abrasive in it (much like lava soap). It works really well but the abrasive is similar to scrubbing my skin with sandpaper, so I only use it on my forearms and knees (if wearing shorts).