Well, I learned a lesson. Don't ever mention deferred maintenance in front of a budding young bike mechanic!!! You may get more than you wish for!

In this case i mentioned to my grandson that the drivetrain on my touring bike was way past due for a cleaning. Surprise! He called me and told me he cleaned it while i was at the office. Great!!!! Until i got home and realized that he cleaned it by flipping the bike over on its seat and bars. What was on the drive train is now a greasy emultion spread all over the bike. From the bar tape to the back of the fenders there isn't a spot you can touch without coming away slimed.

So, how do i clean this mess? Soap and water to the frame?

How do i get the emulsified grease out of the seat? Off the bar tape?

Of course I'm not happy, but the kid was trying to help. Good news is the drive train is the cleanest it's been since it was new!

THX

soap and water , if that doesn't work ,time for new handlebar tape and maybe a new seat .

If you believe the Dawn Dishwashing soap adds, they use that to clean off oil from BP's blowout off SeaBirds.

But the drive train was clean I assume
Good story I must never mention that around my grand kids! but they know better I hope
Hope you get the mess cleaned up.

What did he use to clean it to create such a mess? Even with the bike upside down, you'd have to really try to get the bar tape greasy by cleaning the drivetrain.

i wouldn't give him a hard time. he was trying to please.
however, YOU set yourself up for that!
you'll know in future to teach him things by practicing hands on with him.
no irreparable damage done.

my childhood was an ongoing horror story of trying to please someone who didn't want me around.
got lotsa whoopin's and i learned how NOT to treat a child.

Yesterday I carried my spouse's juice bottle in a trunk bag on my back rack. The bottle leaked and soaked the truck bag. Which then dripped down on the rear wheel. Now the whole entire bike is a sugary mess. It doesn't take much to create a big mess.

Sugar though is easier to clean up than grease.

I usually use windex to clean my bikes. I have used an orange cleaner as a degreaser.

Spray the entire bike with Windex or Fantastic, then go out and ride in a rainstorm. BTW- invite the grandson along.

Simple Green? We use it to clean dirty soft components.

THX for the suggestions! BTW, i'm grease phobic. or just about. I love the taste of barbequed chicken wings but you won't see me eating them because i don't like the greasy mess. My way of saying this should be fun. Maybe, it will be therapuetic and I'll chow down on some ribbs or something after!!!!!

Time to hit the cleaning isle at the store.

I'm Ok with him. Good kid, and we do a lot of things together. In the end, he's gonna learn how to degrease a bike!!!!

THX!!!

Dawn in a bucket of water will remove the grease and dirt, but you have to hose it off. Or you can try any of the citrus degreaser\cleaners that you can get in a spry bottle at Lowes or HD.

Lucky for you that you only have the bike to clean. I have to repaint the two garage doors.