sknhgy 

Here is how I clean and lube my chain. (If it's been posted before, please excuse me. I haven't seen it.)
The container is a cut-off dish soap bottle. It seems to be the proper size. I use naptha to clean my chain, only because that is what I have around. This method allows me to immerse the chain in the solvent. The right hand pulls the chain through the bath and at the same time wipes away excess solvent. After one or two go-arounds I brush the chain with a toothbrush, then I run it through the solvent again.
This gets it pretty clean. Afterwards, the chain can be lubed by the same method, or by any other method that one damn well pleases.
Just thought I would throw this out there in case anyone can make use of it.
It works for me.

roadfix

Clever method. Thanks for sharing!

twobikes

I used to do something similar. It was a lot of effort. Then I read a post advocating squirting fresh motor oil on the whole chain. Then the cranks are spun backwards a couple of times. Finally a rag is held around the chain while the chain moves through the rag. The oil is supposed to float grit off of the chain and lubricate the chain. This needs to be done about every 100 miles. I have been doing this for several hundred miles. The chain shifts very smoothly. It sure is a lot less work and time consuming than what I did before.

operator

So you've basically reinvented any of the chain cleaners you see on store shelves ... ?

skiracing

I wipe the chain with a rag, then put some new Pro Link lube on, then wipe again and go for a ride. I don't think solvent is necessary considering I ride in good weather on non dusty roads.... maybe I'm wrong.

I might take the chain off for a thorough clean up but that might be one of those once a season things.

sknhgy 

You might say that. Only it doesn't cost anything. It allows you to give the chain a thorough soaking/cleaning with very little effort! And, this method is very tidy: no fluids are flung hither and yon.

EricJ

Nice solution. I have one of the Park chain cleaners. It's easy to use and does a good job, but if I had seen your idea first, I might have gone for that instead since cleanup afterwards amounts to throwing the container away where with the Park I have to clean the tool after cleaning the chain.

Eric

kenhill3

+1. My thought exactly.

OP- Good on ya if this works well for you, thanks for sharing your idea.

Myself, just gonna stick with the silly ol' plastic chain machine, ProLink and rags, and a new chain or two each year.

Wordbiker

I do wonder what that Naptha may be doing to you and the plastic lower pulley...

The technique isn't bad, but using lube that doesn't require petrochemicals to remove it in the first place might be a more environmental approach.

Sixty Fiver

My favourite technique:

I mix up a solution of organic citrus degreaser in a gallon jug, I remove the chain and drop it into the jug and agitate it for about 4 minutes by telling it that other chains are better...

Actually... I just shake the hell out of it.

I remove the chain with a long reach magnet and when it comes out rinse it with water, blow dry it with the air compressor and reinstall and re-lube it. On the rinse the water almost runs clean and I can handle the chain and not get my hands dirty.

The whole process might take all of ten minutes and the solution can be reused many many times.

charly17201

Thanks for the laugh.

OP: Thanks for the idea.

sknhgy 

I guess I can try some Simple Green with my high tech device. The picture doesn't show it well, but I always wear a disposable glove on my right hand when using this method.

Barabus

+1 don't pull all the lube out of the lower pulley!

AtomicCactus

Hey, today I cleaned my chain with n-heptane, an extremely non-polar solvent (and one component of naphtha). I removed my chain, filled a ice cream pail with n-heptane, and shook it around for a few washes. I then did the same to my cassette.

I think I cleaned my chain out a bit too well...but hopefully some ProLink will put it back into shape. But I tell you this chain is CLEAN!

Gotta love chemistry.

Sixty Fiver

Heptane:

Toxicology

Harmful if inhaled or swallowed. May be harmful in contact with skin. Repeated contact may cause dermatitis. Typical TLV 400 ppm.

Environmental information

Very toxic to aquatic organisms - may cause long-term damage to the environment.

Naptha:

Toxicology

Harmful if swallowed or inhaled. May contain benzene, which is a carcinogen. Skin contact may lead to drying or dermatitis. Chronic exposure may cause CNS damage. Skin, respiratory and eye irritant. Typical PEL 100 ppm.

Simple Green

Non toxic and biodegradable, may be disposed off safely

Non carcinogenic

Soylent Green

Is people.

werewolf

Naptha is extremely dangerous and carcinogenic.

i_r_beej

Are you re-lubing the tension pulley?

I hardly ever use a special cleaning technique. I use a citrus degreaser maybe once a year with a scrubbing device-- Park's little blue scrubber box is the best one I've used and it's rebuildable.

Other than that I use liquid dish soap and a stiff brush to clean the drivetrain. A good lube like ATB or ProLink make cleaning the chain much easier. After the scrub and rinse I use an air-compressor to drive out most of the water from the chain. Then I relube.

04jtb

Personally I use THIS technique- once a week works best, but whatever works for you

biker128pedal

I had not seen that one. Good method for cold snowy winters. But how do you keep the pins and side plate pairs matched?

04jtb

I use the "deluxe kit" - costs a bit more but you don't need to worry about this

noahjz

also Simple Green smells nice.

JanMM

and a fire hazard, (extremely dangerous)
Maybe switch to gasoline? No, I'm KIDDING about gasoline. Don't do it!

mark9950

I never understand why anyone would spend so much time cleaning something that is headed for the garbage can when it elongates.My chains lasts about 800-1000 miles(4-6 months) and after that 1/16" elongation its garbage.

BikeWise1

FWIW, KMC says the fastest way to kill a chain is to use solvents on it.

mark9950

Only if the solvent is sulferic acid.Chains are steel or that rustproof steel.