The thing I hate about the citrus cleaners is that they don't clean all that quickly. They're fine for chainrings and that sort of thing where you can scrub with a toothbrush, but it doesn't seem like they really penetrate well enough to get into the chain.
For a while I was using parafin in the summer, which I really liked since then the chain doesn't didn't mark up your hands and clothes like a magic marker, but it's kind of a lot of work, especially when it rains a lot.

You really shouldn't use gasoline, since it contains, which is the oldest established carcinogen. That said, I still use it to clean my chain, a couple times a year, outdoors and trying to keep it off my hands, wash well afterwords.

As a result of this thread, I'll give paint thinner a try; I've got plenty of that sitting around!

Do you use the spray kind? Is there harm if one just sprays carb cleaner on the chains to clean them?

I guess you avoid riding in the rain then? If not have you checked the pH level of the puddles you ride through?
Park Tools sells a citrus based degreaser specifically marketed for bicycle chains, as do several other companies. It an analog to Simple Green or virtually any other citrus cleaner on the market.
You do need to be careful using straight Simple Green on Aluminum, but last I checked bike chains only came in various grades of steel and titanium

It must be really awful if you aren't willing to even name it

...I'm guessing... Benzene


And please could we just have a chain cleaning "sticky", or even a separate forum, since the subject rears its ugly head far too often.

Thanks,

Ed

Ed,

I couldn't agree more. Perhaps if you, and others who agree, would tack onto this post, we'd get the administrators to create the sticky:

https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-suggestions-user-assistance/98487-sticky-chain-cleaning-lubrication.html

First. I find my chains only last maybe a half a year..Plus , It does not rain here much...Lessening the gunk build up many complain of..
I use the Park tool kit chain cleaner and cleaning agent..That and Citrus cleaner..The dirt just ozzes from the chain..Good enough for me.

I use a Park Tool every once is a while. At first it was messy, now I can keep the rest of my bike and my hands fairly clean. I use Simple Green. Cleans chain up fine, perhaps not perfect (but what I can see or hear I don't care ). I rinse off chain with hose and drive water in between links. But I also rag dry well and bang out chain and ride a bit to dry it off. Sometimes put some squirts of WD-40 to help drive out water. That along with 115 deg at 4% humidity typical summer evening gets the water out quickly, even if deep. Then I dry/wipe down good again to get any bits of WD-40 (if I used it) out. Then apply a lube (ATB) spin it up, rub in with fingers and let it sit overnight before wiping it clean.

It may not be perfect, but it gets most of the grit out, keep chain shiny, smooth, rust free and frankly I expect to put a new $15 chain on at least once a year or so if I push it anyway just like one puts on new tires once in a while.

Al

Many years ago I bought a "Chain Mate Bicycle Chain Scrubber CM-1" (I still have it) - it sort of worked, but it was a bit messy - OK in an emergency if you don't have a chain-tool. The method I use these days is to remove the chain, and place it in a 1 lb margarine/butter tub (you know, the flat ones) and ¼ fill with Fantastik Orange de-greaser, put the lid on and shake, and leave to soak, shaking occasionally. While it's soaking, I clean the chain-rings and the cassette, and the derailleurs. Shake, swirl, perhaps attack some of the gunge with a toothbrush, and eventually rinse. If the chain is particularly dirty I might repeat this step with fresh degreaser. After the final rinsing, the chain will be "sqeaky clean". I use a hair-dryer to blow-dry the chain. Chain goes back on bike - lubricate chain - allow to soak - and finally wipe off excess lube.

I once tried giving a chain the melted-wax treatment (clean as above, then melt paraffin wax in water-bath, and soak chain in molten wax) - the result was an incredible clean, dry chain - I'm sure it worked, but I never really trusted it, so eventually I reverted to using more traditional lubricants - it looked just like a totally dry unlubricated chain… anyone else ever tried wax?

- Wil

PS - There is absolutely no need to use gasoline, kerosene, or diesel (especially indoors) - modern water-based de-greasers such as Fantastik Orange, or Simple Green are as effective, are not flammable, and don't stink up the place…

Has anyone used Varsol? Does it work? I have plenty of it sitting around the house.

Thanks,

Ricardo

I don't clean my chains anymore. Lubricating the chain generously with an oil that flows well, I work it into the chain by turning the cranks backwards. After the chain is good and wet looking, I use paper towels to remove the excess lube and along with it, a substantial amount of dirt that has been flushed out by the oil.

I would not recommend gasoline as a solvent. Paint thinner is not nearly as flammable and works well as a solvent.

1) New Chain
2) Acetone Bath to remove factory lube
3) Let it dry
4) Lock-Ease Graphite Spray
5) Let it dry
6) Wipe of excess

Totally clean drivetrain.

yea the spray kind. that stuff is like 95% toluene/acetone anyway. i havent had any problems with it.

I use dish soap and a "scrubber sponge" for cleaning, and a toothbrush with dish soap for the internal cleaning. Basically just knock most of hte curd out of the inners with the toothbrush, and then using HOT (wear gloves) water and dish soap, soak the sponge, and then run the chain through the soft side a few teims to get most of it off, then run it over the scrubber side a few times.

Replace the sponge every 5 cleanings. You don't need a fantastic sponge, just those .50c each scrubber sponges work fine. Scrubber sponges are those ones that have the abrasive "scrubber" surface on one side, and the soft sponge on the other.

Using this method I can get most chains looking fantastic in under 20 mins.

Yes, I've tried different cleaning machines, and solvents etc. Now I just wipe it down with a clean pledge wipe, Soak it down with White Lightning, and wipe off the excess. I do this about every 200 miles or so. I get about 2500 miles out of a chain. I think the machines are more trouble than they are worth. They often make more of a mess than they clean up.

And a substantial amount of dirt has been flushed IN by the oil. It's there now, as we speak, grinding away at your chain.

Pity we can't buy that stuff in Oz unless you pay a large sum - shops are truly backwards here.

Or am I missing out on some product?

There must be an equivalent - check out regular household de-greasers in the houseware sections of your local supermarket - got to be water-based, and more often than not they contain some sort of citrus oil. Oz might be behind in de-greasers, but the best sunblock/skin-care product I've ever found (bar none) is something called "Sorbolene", only to be found in Oz and NZ - it's used as a base for many skin care products - fabulous stuff - yet it's nowhere to be found in the most advanced country in the world (last time I looked…) (…thank you FDA!)

- Wil

SWMBO has a bottle of orange oil based degreaser - forget the name - but she said use it sparingly, cost more than $7 a 500ml bottle. It works a treat until you hear the price - then it sorta stops working and you go back to the $1 stuff that harms everything in sight and leaves a slippery skin on the brake pads.

Hi,
I'd be a little cautious when using toluene.
Recently i used it to strip vinyl flooring glue off concrete.
It came in a gel product called "glue rid", contains >60% toluene.
The can carried a warning to advoid,
1.breathing the vapours,
2.skin contact, and
3.getting it in eyes [am not sure it was necessary to put this bit in after the 1st 2 warnings].
Also as i was working in a confined space i used an expensive face mask capable of filtering vapour.
When i took the mask off for a breather [i know an ironic use of the term given the circumstances] I was taken back by the powerful residual smell.
I understand it can affect your brain and have other nasty side effects such as cancer.
as to chain cleaning for years i have used a vetta chain bath with mineral turpentine with excellent results.
Occassionally i have used kerosine a solvent when i had no turps.
It was effective too.
I clean my chain weekly [150 to 300 kms per week]
I live in Perth Western Australia and hardware stores keep toluene pressure packs under lock by law given the high incidence of glue sniffing by certains entities.
Most toluene glue sniffers are unfortunately on the one way road to becoming a vegetable in a very short time frame.

I buy White Lightining at Lowes and use the Park Chain cleaner. Works good for me.

Incidentally, a pressure washer filled with gasoline makes an awesome home-built flamethrower.

My thoughts exactly. I've used cleaning machines, chains with quick take off links, soaking the chain, etc. What's that give you? A chain that looks clean fora ride or so. I switched to dry lubes like Finish Line and White Lightning. I just keep relubing periodivally (WL every couple hundred miles while FL last for several hundred). Ocasionally I spray on degreaser and run the chain through a rag by turning the pedal by hand.