A cleaning solution for removing salt, rust, old oil and grease from fishing reels employs in combination 2-butoyxethanol, the tetra sodium salt of ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid, sodium metasilicate, sodium laureth sulfate and water. Fishing reel parts are immersed in the solution in an inner container having holes in a bottom surface and enclosed by an outer container. The inner container is removed, the solution flows out and remaining solution is washed from the reel parts with water to leave clean reel parts.