Splatface

Recently got a bottle of Finish Line pink bike wash. It works ok but not exactly cheap.

Got me wondering what everyone uses.

Buck of soapy water with Dawn?
409 ?
Anything to stay away from? Anything gonna eat my paint or weaken carbon?

Also degreasers. Finish line vs. gasoline? Or household chemicals?

Thanks

obed7

soapy water and pledge.

indyfabz

+1. Things like Windex with ammonia can corrode aluminum parts like headsets.

SkunkWerX

Automotive soaps work well for general cleaning, and are made to be gentle on plastics, finishes, rubber, etc.

Degreasers: Dawn dish soap, any citrus degreaser, and this stuff from Dollar Store called "Totally Awesome".
They are all biodegradeable, not harsh on the bike or the environment.

If riding in dry/dusty conditions, all it may need is a quick spritz of water. Save the soaps for another day.

Drying is important.
I use compressed air. a leaf blower might work too.

jefnvk

Plain water, unless it has gotten really dirty, then some Dawn mixes in.

rumrunn6

fyi - if you use Walmart's spray chain cleaner it will kill your grass

TimothyH

Clean the bike well, wax and then the bike comes clean with a damp rag. That's all. You don't have to spend money on cleaning products.

Harsh dish washing soap like dawn dulls the paint. Degreasers are for parts which are removed from the bike.

I would never use compressed air to dry a bike. Runs the risk of blowing water past bearing seals.


-Tim-

SkunkWerX

Not high pressure air, and not too close. I have well water, and need to get it dry so as not to leave mineral deposits.

BlazingPedals

Wow I didn't know that marketing for cleaning products was so granular that you could buy something specially made for pink bikes.

I just use whatever I can find - car wash soap, dish soap, often just Pledge(tm) on a rag.

canklecat

Hot soapy water with Dawn, usually after chain cleaning to get the spatter off the chain stays.

I may try some sort of finish to see if it helps prevent mud sticking to the frame. That's usually the biggest maintenance annoyance after riding gravel or poorly maintained paved roads.

mconlonx 

Warm water with Murphy's Oil Soap. Citrus-based degreaser for the drivetrain, if needed.

pdlamb

Water with car wash soap or Dawn -- whichever is closer when I get the bucket and brush out.

CrankyNeck

Dawn in a bucket with water. After drying using an air compressor I lube applicable parts and apply Turtle Wax Ice to the frame with a soft cloth.

RFEngineer

I pay someone to wash my bike.

TimothyH

That makes perfect sense.

kevindsingleton 

Don't use gasoline! Very dangerous! Use diesel, kerosene, or mineral spirits for degreasing, or any of the water-soluble products. Harbor Freight has some concentrated water-based degreasers that they sell for use in their parts washing tanks. It's pretty good.

I use Simple Green, or the purple stuff, very dilute, for cleaning. If you dry with compressed air, you could drive water into bearings, so be aware, and be careful.

Bolo Grubb

just a damp cloth

Hardrock23

Baby wipes.

They will clean anything, seriously. My son is 4 and doesnt need them anymore but I still buy them because they work for everything.

Cork/foam bar tape even. Just wipe down real quick -
(Plus, you can wipe the tape dry instead of having to wait for it to dry all day/night since they dont soak the tape)

Cychologist

I use the Finish Line spray for a quick clean, Dawn with water when I want to do a through job. After I do the through job, I dry the bike(s) and apply Bike Lust.

drlogik 

As far as soap, I just use Blue Coral car wash soap I get at the auto parts store. It's what I wash my cars with to. It has no waxes or finishes just soap. I never take water to my road bikes. I wipe them down with a damp towel only when they get really dirty. I only take water to my mountain bike if it is caked with dirt and then judiciously wash with the Blue Coral.

Kedosto

No buckets. No water. No soap.

Pledge Multi Surface on microfiber shop towels I get at Costco. Spray on the cloth and wipe down. Very easy, and because it doesn't make a big wet mess I can clean every nook and cranny in the comfort of my carpeted garage.

I second the baby wipes suggestion. I'm not sure what's in them, but I have a pack in my office for unexpected cleanups I might have to do. They work very well. They cut through damn near everything and leave a nice scent. I would use them more often if the Pledge wasn't so much cheaper.


-Kedosto

Mr IGH

$6.00 pump-it-up 1 gallon spray bottle from Lowes, 4 tablespoons of Dawn with 1 gallon of tap water. Spray it on after a crusty ride and rinse it off with the garden hose. No wax products, too lazy.