yaganon

I want to have a piece of towel that can clean the grease off the chain before I apply oil to it. I tried it with an innocent piece of small cotton towel, and now I've totally ruined it.

What do you use to clean grease off the chain?

LarDasse74

I keep socks when their mate gets lost in the laundry and use that. I cut them down one side and the fuzzy part inside collect the grrease. Then I throw the sock away after a few weeks of wiping.

ratdog

I used those blue "shop type" paper towels from Costco's auto supply aisle. They are heavy duty and do not leave lint at least not a lot that I can see.

AEO

I use the same blue shop towel from automotive section.
I wipe down the frame and brakes before wiping the chain down to get more use out of it.

Raiden

Thirding blue automotive shop towels. They're far tougher than regular paper towels.

Socks are a good idea, but all of my socks are black cycling socks or dress socks

FBinNY 

I don't use anything fancy, Bounty folded to make a pad does a fine job, it's cheap and disposable. I never use cloth because if it shreds and the strands get wound up in the pulleys or sprockets it's a pain to untangle them. Shredded paper is easy to clean out.

While I'm at it, I tear a towel into strips about 1" wide, and lead them between the chain and largest cassette sprocket, then run the chain a few turns to clean between the plates. Backpedal, or catch the end coming off the top to pull off and replace with a clean strip. Five minutes and five to ten cents worth or supplies and I'm done.

rumrunn6

I use old hand towels and dishcloths. You can also use old washcloths. If you don't have old ones go buy some new ones and then you'll have some olds ones.

BTW: the towek you wrecked is now perfect for the job.

From time to time throw out the nastiest of your towels and keep the supply of new old towels moving.

I tend to keep different levels of dirty towels and they work their way down the chain until they are no longer useful.

They start their lives cleaning the frame; then they move down the ladder and clean the wheels; then the chainstays; then the derailers; then the chain.

LarDasse74

The biography of a towel.

bkaapcke

I use the white terrycloth towels that come in a 60 pack at costco. These can be washed over and over and are useful for every cleaning operation on a bike. The edges are perfect for flossing cassettes. Each year my ride buddies and I split a pack three ways, and 20 gets us through the season. bk

piette

I use a Park chain cleaner and a few paper towels to dry it off. I find the chain cleaner is pretty darn fast after its used a few times, and does an amazing job of keeping my chain in top shape.

Jeff

noglider 

A friend says that grimy dirt can ruin a washing machine. Is this true?

Grand Bois

Every time I wash my shop rags it leaves a black ring in the washing machine tub and I have to clean it before my wife sees it. I use Softscrub liquid cleanser. I don't think I've done the washer any permanent harm, but who knows?

TimeTravel_0

buying new product seems like a waste.

I just use old rags, t-shirts, towels. If I run out, I'll go spend a buck at a thrift store. If I want to clean 'em, just hose them down with some dish washing soap and a bucket. air-dry. Never had much of problem with lint.

Hunt-man

Same thing I do, except I refuse to share my towels with anyone!

seawind161

Old sweatshirts/pants.

Polka Dot

Finish Line Super (universal bike cleaning liquid spray) + toothbrush + old T-shirt

clydeosaur

Yes the blue Shop Rags work well. I have shop towels (the red material ones) that I reuse in my workshop. In order to avoid getting grease/lube/wax in you wash machine (and other clothes you wash for that matter) I throw the rags in a bucket & hand wash them first to get the nasty chunks of grease & grime out. Then I throw them in the washer.

Shorty Long

Old t-shirt for me