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Old 11-14-13, 10:18 AM
  #30  
mconlonx
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Soap and water for the non oily bits; degreaser for the oily bits.

Hose down with garden hose, no nozzle, or with a wet towel/sponge. Bucket with diluted mild detergent like Murphy's Oil Soap is what I use and recommend. Wash all the shiny bits.

Hit the greasy bits with a degreaser and let it work on stuff for five minutes or so and then rinse. Repeat if necessary, and use assorted brushes and sponges for really baked on greasy spots.

Once this is all rinsed off, go over everything again with the shiny bits soapy water. Then rinse again with water from the hose, towel or sponge.

Don't forget to dry your bike. Leaf blower? Um, OK, never thought to use one like that before, but excellent use of existing tool. I'd be worried about kicking grit up toward my freshly cleaned bike, but if that's not a real issue, you're ahead of the game by drying your bike at all.

^^^This is for a full-on cleaning.

In between, I use a Pedro's product like Bike Lust to wipe off dirt and grime, but there's plenty of other silicone based cleaner/polishers out there you could use. Or Pledge, to give your bike a nice lemony scent.
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