biker222

Troul 

i've been fortunate enough to find a lot of brand new never opened kmc chains that makes it not cost effective to clean the chain for the time being. Labor + parts = time + money, so for the amount of time it'd take to clean it to my likings, I'll swap it out when I deem it in need of cleaning or servicing.

My past methods of cleaning were an array ways that ranged from a hot transmission oil bath in a supersonic agitator bin, to using a sealed, yet not air tight, container using a filtered concoction of diesel based solution fed thru a pump spraying across the chain. After being hung dried, I'd wipe the chain down using a teflon enhanced dry lube.
Worked ok, but nothing beats a fresh chain that's reassuring my ride will not be abruptly halted by a failed chain or clicking/slipping worn chain.... or just a noisy slap from a link or few.

Hoopdriver

I usually avoid chain care threads, but what the heck. I wipe, relube, wipe, relube, times n then replace the chain, but sometimes I remove the chain and throw it in an ultrasonic cleaner with Simple Green solution, then lube. I used to use a variety of concoctions for lube but have stuck with Chain-L for the past two years.

To answer the OP, whenever I remove a chain for cleaning in the ultrasonic cleaner, I first shake it up in a plastic jug with some mineral spirits. I reuse the mineral spirits by letting it settle and then decanting into another jug for the next use. Citrus cleaner works ok too, but not quite as well.

Pay attention to the advice laid out by@cyccommute. He knows what he is talking about.

Gresp15C

The only time that my chains really get nasty is in the winter, commuting on salted roads, and I admit that I haven't found a great solution for that problem yet. To compound the problem, my work area is pretty unpleasant during the winter, so I probably don't attend to maintenance as well as I should.

cyccommute 

Don't. Just don't.

While the diesel drops the flashpoint of gasoline, it still doesn't drop it enough. Gasoline is toxic and dangerous to work with. It's flashpoint...the temperature at which a particular organic compound gives off sufficient vapor to ignite in air...is -40°F. That means that on even the coldest days, it can ignite. It's just not worth dealing with.

cyccommute 

That might be the one instance where a water based solution is warranted or a trip to the carwash on a warmish day. The salt doesn't do anything good for aluminum parts either so rinsing the whole bike once in a while is a good idea.

I've taken to using KMC ECO PROTEQ chains to cut down on the chain rusting due to winter salt. The protective coating keeps the chain from rusting due to the salt.

noglider 

I've read enough warnings about gasoline to know that it's really stupid, and I won't even try it. There is so much risk and so little reward. Even if you think the risk is low enough for you, there is no compelling reason whatsoever to prefer it.

Asi

Thank you for concerns. They are valid enough for most users.
Yet with care and knowledge many things can be safely manipulated. I would not recommend anyone to mess with anything if they are not comfortable doing so (and knowledgeable and disciplined as well). So i work fairly often with gasoline and other combustible substances and feel very comfortable about working with such substances for dipping a chain in a jar. More dangerous stuff is when measuring the RON and MON of gasoline in direct fashion. (compress a chamber with vapor until it detonates. Final pressure and temperature before self combustion is a direct indication for MON and RON).

There are several takes on dangerous materials: Post a big scarecrow in front so anyone will hear will run away (like asbestos.. yet back in the day was used everywhere without much care). A very good strategy to stop clueless people engaging in a process that is above their head and may have not enough knowledge what to do or don't when manipulating certain materials. And after learning do-s and don't-s, manipulating dangerous materials can be made manageable (a lot of room for accidents, requires more attention not to create an accident but with proper precautions you can make a living by handling nitroglycerine all day in a factory and reach retirement alive with all limbs - this is done only with proper training and environment and tools and ... but it can be made "safely").

cyccommute 

I have lots and lots of knowledge and experience working with hazardous material...37 years as a chemist to be exact. I wouldn't recommend anyone working or "manipulating" gasoline unless they felt very uncomfortable with it and could do so in a very controlled environment. If I had a $10,000 fume hood with fire suppression, I would still not feel all that comfortable handling gasoline...especially enough to clean a chain. If you feel comfortable using gasoline for cleaning chains, you aren't knowledgable or disciplined.

People couldn't...and shouldn't...be handling something like nitroglycerine all day in their garage. People shouldn't be handling open containers of gasoline in their garage either.

Take the lesson from asbestos. Yes, we used to use it everywhere without much care. Then we found out that wasn't a good idea because it caused more problems than it solved. So we stopped using it and started using other materials that are safer and, frankly, better without all the downsides.

The same can be said of using gasoline as a solvent. Yes, you might be able to use it but there are far better alternatives that are safer and easier to handle. Mineral spirits is still flammable but it takes a whole lot more to ignite it. You can still turn yourself into a human torch but it's a lot harder to do so.

davidad

Put plenty of butter on mine.

redlude97

I mean, its toxic if you happen to drink it, but otherwise there is very little toxicity, just look at the MSDS https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog...g=en&region=US

Mickey2

If you have the chain off the bike you can use warm water and lots of white wash powder (laundry), a good soak, move it around in the water and maybe replace the soapy water and repeat if the chain is very grimy. Rinse off with clean warm water. It works surprisingly well, low cost and it's very little to worry about health wise. It will dry clean and ready for reapplication of dry lube.

I tend to use wet lubes, and if the chain gets to be a bit dirty, I use spray-can oil (TF2 Teflon oil), whipe off and do it a couple of times, it leaves the chain reasonably clean. Then I go back to Finish Line Ceramic Wet lube. It's easy and simple, but the spray-can oil cost a bit.

Lucillle

Top rack dishwasher safe?

phtomita

Recently I did clean the chain out of the bike after some 600 miles.
Just sink into a bowl with minerals spirits and massage around. Repeat. Twice the color became pretty dark.
Dry on sun.
Put chain back and lube.
Very happy with outcome.

Hoopdriver

You are very correct that substituting a less hazardous solvent is the most prudent approach; however make sure you are objective in evaluating the actual hazard and not using on subjective factors like odor, irritation potential, etc. to form opinions. There have been situations where such substitutions resulted in greater hazard (like using gasoline). A large part of my career involved reviewing relative hazards of chemical materials and I have to say that most people have very little objectivity on the matter. In a large part, this was a function of available info being scanty, hard to understand, or ambiguous. With the adoption of the Globally Harmonized System for classification of chemical hazards, the amount and availability of objective information is way better now. One of the better sources is the European Chemicals Agency who maintain an extensive database. Keep in mind that 1) toxicity is only one component of hazard - physical hazards like flammability are just as important and 2) toxicity is not only defined by effect, but also route of entry and also which organ systems are targets for harm. And with agents that may have multiple toxic effects, the one with the most severe outcome is not necessarily the most probable effect.

A bit longer of a post than I intended, sorry. The bottom line is that mineral spirits are not all that bad if you take proper precautions. I think it's more effective than citrus-based solvents and is recyclable. Make your own choice though, but make it wisely.

SylvainG

I don't know about you but where I live, there is always someone picking up junk metals left on the curb on garbage day. I simply leave my old worn chain by the sidewalk and it's gone by the evening.

Slightspeed

99 cent store citrus degreaser. I have a finish line wheely brushy thingy that clips on the chain, but just spraying the stuff on an old rag works pretty well, working the chain back and forth. I save old Sonicare tooth brush heads and scrub in between links as needed. I use Finish Line dry lube too.

SylvainG

Ho do you discard that black soapy water?

xiaoman1 

I'm in....no salt please!

Mickey2

LOL, no, it will probably be a bit rusty when it comes out, and dishwasher might need a clean itself. Just soak it in an old plastic container, unless you leave it for long, (like over night) there will be no traces of rust.

cyccommute 

Cleaning a chain in mineral spirits is a 30 second job in a closed container. There's no need for ultrasonic baths nor for shaking it for hours or even letting the chain soak overnight. The only real exposure to mineral spirits is for the time it takes to put the chain in the jar, time to take it out and the time it takes to find somewhere (outside) to let the mineral spirits evaporate. If you have to use it in an industrial setting or on an 8 hour shift, by all means, you should limit your exposure. But when used at home...in a well ventilated area (like outside), the toxicity is minimal. From this article

le mans

any dirty chains i roll it up & soak in degreaser {automotive stuff i buy in 4 litre bottles] for a few hours in a small container, brush both sides

once i think it had enough i blow it off - compressed air, and she's clean as a whistle

plus it leaves an oily film, so can oil the chain properly any time it suits you when it's fitted to the bike

noglider 

@SylvainG, our municipalities has us throw out metals separately, and I believe they get money for turning in the scrap metal, so I don't have to help the scrap collector unless I want to. It doesn't matter, either way. I'm happy for the town or city to get the money for it.