cleaning carbon frame with rubbing alcohol
10-24-06, 03:10 PM
#1
Halocon
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cleaning carbon frame with rubbing alcohol
is it okay to clean my carbon fiber Orbea Onix with 70 percent rubbing alcohol? will it damage the carbon? will it take off the clear coat on the carbon? is it okay to clean the metal bolts and brakes with the same alcohol? will it rust the parts? i have shimano 105 components. and one other question: will shimano 105 parts rust over time? if so, how do i go about preventing it? my last bike which had sora parts rusted like crazy even when i kept it indoors and rode only on sunny days and occassionally in the fog. i would hate for the same thing to happen to my onix. thanks for the help!
10-24-06, 03:41 PM
#3
Somewhere in CA
why not use something that is designed for bikes.. pedro's has a silicone based thing called bike lust. i also have heard of people using pledge.. what is the advantage of rubbing alcohol?
10-24-06, 03:48 PM
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NO ammonia. use light detergent.
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10-24-06, 03:59 PM
#6
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thumbs up for the pledge idea.
10-24-06, 03:59 PM
#7
Halocon
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Originally Posted by Jim Bonnet
why not use something that is designed for bikes.. pedro's has a silicone based thing called bike lust. i also have heard of people using pledge.. what is the advantage of rubbing alcohol?
10-24-06, 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by halocon
so, will any of the above methods rust my shimano 105 components?
10-24-06, 06:01 PM
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Although I have nothing to prove my opinion scientifically,
I do have first hand experience using Isopropanal as a cleaner on R/C cars.
Although you get a squeeky clean finish, it tends to degrade the parts.
Making them brittle and susceptable to failure.
I'm not saying that this will damage the frame,
but it is something to think about.
I'd be more concerned with the finish on the carbon cracking.
I do have first hand experience using Isopropanal as a cleaner on R/C cars.
Although you get a squeeky clean finish, it tends to degrade the parts.
Making them brittle and susceptable to failure.
I'm not saying that this will damage the frame,
but it is something to think about.
I'd be more concerned with the finish on the carbon cracking.
10-24-06, 06:17 PM
#11
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I would NOT use alcohol to clean my car or any other painted surface. The alcohol dries it out, like was mentioned before. This is the same reason you are not supposed to use Rain-X on any plastic parts or paint. They use alcohol as a carrier for the product (it evaporates quickly and leaves the actual product behind).
10-24-06, 06:22 PM
#12
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alcohol is GREAT for steel. I work in the pharmaceutical industry, and everything we use in manufacturing is stainless steel. We use alcohol (among many other things) to clean because a) it kills germs(not that that matters for your bike 
) and b) IT DOESN'T RUST (obviously you can't have rusty machines making your pills, right?).
That said, it dries out any plastic parts really fast, and then they crack/fail/break; i've seen it over and over at work. I would only use it on any part that is ALL steel/metal. I wouldn't use it on carbon though...rather go with something more "plastic safe".
) and b) IT DOESN'T RUST (obviously you can't have rusty machines making your pills, right?).That said, it dries out any plastic parts really fast, and then they crack/fail/break; i've seen it over and over at work. I would only use it on any part that is ALL steel/metal. I wouldn't use it on carbon though...rather go with something more "plastic safe".
Last edited by goldfish; 10-24-06 at 06:44 PM.
10-24-06, 06:57 PM
#14
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I clean my titanium frame with acetone... lemme check... still looks new.
10-24-06, 07:11 PM
#15
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I wouldn't worry about alcohol on CF. Problem is that alcohol is a polar molecule doesn't work very well on grease. You'll want a non-polar organic solvent, or something with emulsifiers. I like 409 as it dissolves grease really well and doens't hurt my hands as much. I doubt there's much you can put on the gel-coat of a CF frame that'll hurt it anyway...
10-24-06, 07:29 PM
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I wouldn't use alcohol on any painted surface. The alchohol could dissolve the clear coat turning something glossy to something cloudy.
10-24-06, 07:41 PM
#17
Somewhere in CA
Originally Posted by slvoid
I clean my titanium frame with acetone... lemme check... still looks new.
Happy Cleaning
Jim
10-24-06, 09:16 PM
#19
Halocon
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Originally Posted by johnny99
Shimano 105 is mostly aluminum, which does not rust. The chain and cassette are steel, but regular lubing will protect those against rust.
10-24-06, 09:17 PM
#20
Halocon
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Originally Posted by 3MTA3
use pedro's bike lust. you will thank everyone who has reccomended it.
10-24-06, 09:28 PM
#21
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I use car wash... in particular I use Zymol. Works great and it's biodegradable.
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10-24-06, 09:30 PM
#22
Somewhere in CA
Originally Posted by halocon
does this stuff clean or does it just polish?
jim
10-24-06, 09:36 PM
#23
later
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DiHydrogen Monoxide is my favorite substance to use, but be careful with it. It can be dangerous.
https://www.dhmo.org/
https://www.dhmo.org/
10-24-06, 11:01 PM
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Originally Posted by free_pizza
DiHydrogen Monoxide is my favorite substance to use, but be careful with it. It can be dangerous.
https://www.dhmo.org/
https://www.dhmo.org/
I had a semisuccessful petition to ban that stuff in of all places my high school Advanced Chem class.
10-25-06, 07:45 AM
#25
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And don't get your parts dipped in Chrome 6- https://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/chrome/chrome.htm
FWIW- other chromes aren't bad, yet.
FWIW- other chromes aren't bad, yet.