I know this is an old thread, but at Dollar General there is a wonderful cleaner called Mean Green. It's available at Dollar General stores, Kmart and Amazon. It's similar to Simple Green, but it doesn't have that mouth wash smell and it actually works. I use it on aluminum wheels that are covered with burnt on brake dust from cheap brake pads. It works better than anything I have ever tried. The stuff that makes the wheel feel like 80 grit, this will remove it.

Best part, it's only $5.00 a gallon. Mix it 50/50 for things like alloy wheels and carpet stains (It won't remove red kool-aid from white carpet) you can also dump it on full strength. It's strong, but it doesn't eat raw aluminum like most wheel cleaners and whatnot. I have no idea how it would work on the cosmoline, but at 5 bux a gallon, it just may be worth a shot. If it doesn't work on the cosmoline, I know it will work on engine bays and carpet stains.

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDkQ8wIwAg#

 

San Jose, CA has -1- real steam cleaning biz left...its 300d wet steam that's at a moderate pressure when it gets outta the hose, and onto your car bits.

Nothin stands up to it..grime wise. I use it only as a chassis cleaner, have never used it engine areas..never wanna.

 

FWIW, my new lift has caused the bottom of the car to have a much more serious cosmoline problem. I decided that I could get the bulk of the stuff off with a paint scraper before I ever put any chems on it. It chips/flakes off like dried candle wax. Much easier in the long run. When the stuff that's left is too thin to scrape, then the chems get to take a whack at it.