Grand Bois

Please tell me about a Kozak cloth. I have never heard of it.

rootboy 

Well, here's some poop on it from a retailer's site. They're great things. I would never use it on a real dirty car as it collects dirt and dust and may not be good to re-whipe with any sort of grit on the cloth. But for just light dirt or dust, they work great. Saves water.

My friend swore by them. He wanted to keep water off his old XJ 120 as much as possible.

Conserve water, and materials use KozaK DryWash Cloths between wet washing’ to keep your car looking newly detailed every day!

Grand Bois

I use a California Car Duster once in a while, but I don't like the idea of rubbing dusty paint.


California Car Duster is compact, lightweight, easy to use, and comes with its own carrying/storage case!

repechage

Johnson Wax used to make Jubilee Kitchen Wax, came in a glass bottle.
Nearing the end of mine… I have not seen it recently… I might have to find something new.

rootboy 

Yeah. Me neither. There's a stupid video on Youtoob of some supposedly "hot" girl rubbing some car with one of these.
It's silly. I use it like dusting the furniture. Little or no pressure. And it works great. Doesn't seem to scratch.

Last ride 76 

That's why I call my Kestrel 200Sci the"rain bike". Not much steel involved. A spritz of WD-40 on the chromed bits , or on a cloth to wipe the chromed bits down, and done... Chain and freewheel get a little more care. Occasionally

Eric

Salamandrine 

AFA the wax: Meguiar's gold class carnauba liquid wax, because I have some and that's what I use on my car.

For day to day cleaning just a dry rag, or possibly a damp rag. If it's really dirty and greasy, WD40 on a rag, followed by some soapy water on a damp sponge if I plan to degrease it and rewax - or just leave it.

noglider 

Pledge and the other furniture polishes don't last long, but they are great if you don't want to spend a lot of time or elbow grease. It will cut some crud but not all. If your bike is fairly clean, you might be able to clean it with this polish. I've been using the generic spray can that looks kinda like Pledge.

Krud Kutter in a spray can is pretty good at cleaning various kinds of crud, and I can follow it up with furniture polish. If the job isn't quite so bad, Fantastik or Fabuloso in a spray bottle is decent.

These techniques are not for doing the best job but for doing a decent job easily.

Bruce27

Rarely does my bike get dirty to the point of needing anything but mist water and a sponge to clean it.

Been using Nu-Finish for about 15-20 years...maybe more. I use it on both bikes and cars.

dim

if you want the best ....

Harly wax (100% Carnuba wax)...

Harly Wax official website | Carnauba car wax, car polish | Harley Wax

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Polish-.../dp/B004DPJQ44

Senrab62 

I've heard this stuff is great,especially for older bikes that have less than ideal clear coats or have lost their luster. I am going to try some as I have an older chromed Schwinn with some yellowing clear. I know it's a bit abrasive, but how else would one fix yellowed clear coat? Any suggestions anyone?

Pemetic2006

I don't have a rain bike so my bikes stay pretty clean. So just a wipe down now and again with a cloth and once a year Mother's aluminum polish on the components.

Bruce27

It's actually not abrasive at all. It's designed not to scratch clear coat.

big chainring 

I use Challenger in a spray bottle. Just a small bit on a damp rag, wipe the bike off. Follow that with Johnson paste wax. Just a couple dabs of wax is all you need. Buff it out.

I like white bar tape. The Challenger takes grease and dirt off the tape with ease and my tape is clean and white.

Grand Bois

There is an abrasive version for removing scratches. I use both.


Like Pledge, NU Finish contains no wax.

rootboy 

Feel like I'm having a deja vu moment here. Have written this line before....here.
I have a one pound block of 100% Carnauba wax. It is hard as a rock. Almost.

rootboy 

It's more or less a glorified, impregnated dust cloth for your car.
Comes in handy here as we get lots of pollen in the Spring from our oak and pitch pine trees.
A thick yellow film, dust, repeat...dust, repeat. Etc.

lostarchitect 

I just wipe them down now and again with a rag and some windex. It removes most dirt and greasy residue. The chain I just wipe down to de-gunk it and then oil it up again. I don't do a whole lot of cleaning.

If something gets really dirty, I will just use a sponge and dish soap/water on it, and an old toothbrush on the drivetrain.

Charles Wahl

Fenders with good coverage, and a long flap behind the front one down to about 1-1/2" above grade, keep almost all the road crap off a frame. I pull wheels, fenders and chain off my commuter once a year, wash the wheels (rims) in the tub and wipe spokes. Then I wash the frame with diluted Dawn and a soft rag, and finish with a decent car wax. If I'm really ambitious, I'll loosen the top tube clips during the process. I'm generous with the wax, and let it dry completely before buffing it off with an old T-shirt. The fenders are always the filthiest part of the bike.