bblair

Dawn dish detergent. A squirt in a bucket of water to clean the bike, then another on a brush to clean the chain, rings and cassette. Why buy something when you have something that works and is not toxic?

Fredo76

Your solution seems frugal and sustainable to me. Not to mention effective.

Racing Dan

Im not a chemist, but this is my experience exactly. Just dump the new chain in the hot wax and swish around. Pre cleaning is not needed at all. I tried both pre cleaning and no cleaning and could not detect any significant difference. If you care enough to re-wax later, no cleaning is needed either. Just dump it in the how wax and swish. Me, I'm too lazy and just drip wax.

I do however agree with the OP. Solvent management is no big deal, when you realise you can use the same solvent over and over after letting it sit for a while. I use a few old wine bottles for settling out the gunk and decant back to a cleaning jar when I need it.

Polaris OBark

I am.

It is, when it is time to dispose of it.

That is another win for wax: It is a non-toxic, non-polar organic solvent that is very effective for removing oily deposits, and it forms a solid at room temperature, which makes disposing of it in a trash can straightforward.

easyupbug 

Our kids in Portland OR do exactly this and while I think it laudable it is less effective at getting the well used lube that is carrying the grit picked up from the road/trail deep in the interface of pins and bushings. If you were to add an ultrasonic cleaner dawn bath chain life should improve to the point of being cost/effort effective for many of us in extending chain life.

RH Clark

CAUTION PLEASE!!

I cut my left thumb severely suffering nerve damage cleaning a chain in a glass jar. My jar broke and I automatically grabbed at it with my left hand and sliced my thumb. I did not shake my jar or do anything to break it. It must have been cracked and I didn't see it. Please use a plastic container resistant to solvent rather than a glass jar.

dcagibbs

I have posted here for no other reason than to get up to 10 posts so I can post a photo in another topic, appologies.

spelger

my thread feels so used, sort of like my chain cleaner.

Racing Dan

In a civilised country, getting rid of contaminated solvents, left over paint, half cans of brake cleaner and oven cleaner shouldn't be an issue. Just stop washing it down the drain.

IsraelStall

So, I have tried Cola. I had doubted, and after the trial, I wondered why it worked so well??? Btw, I am doing a research on recycling topic and some help would be welcome.

Pratt

Chains seem to be like Schrodinger's cat. If you read threads like this, they require clever and/or exotic techniques and substances to be cleaned, but reading the chain lube threads leads to the conclusion that even a heavy dew will remove almost any lubrication, leading to friction, rust, chain stretch, and cluster erosion.

IsraelStall

Uhm, it sounds reasonable. Just agree. Concerning my academic research, I don't need any more help because I found a source of free and reliable essay samples. Moreover, I discovered a great conclusion generator, so you can click for more to see how useful is the writing experts' help. I don't care anymore about my grades since the website will be efficient for my future papers about recycling, a green environment, and how bikes can improve the Earth's protection (I have a lot of academic assignments).

Chuck Naill

Seems like I got the recommended use of kerosene or diesel fuel from Sheldon Brown. We have places to recycle petroleum products here.

rumrunn6

you might enjoy using a straw brush too. they are so skinny they fit between chain links

rumrunn6

also a fan of mineral spirits after learning about it on BF. thank you community! but I'm curious, what brand peanut butter still uses glass jars?

pdlamb

The last glass peanut butter jar I saw was one from a health food store (think Seventh Day Adventist instead of Whole Paycheck). I've been doing the same with a couple of Mason jars that disappeared from my wife's canning supply a decade or two ago.

spelger

Adam's. I like this because the jar has a wider mouth compared to a Mason jar.

smd4

Smuckers in NC. Probably Laura Scudder still. Basically any of the natural ones that you have to stir.

icemilkcoffee 

A large pork sung glass jar is much bigger than any peanut butter jar. You can stick your hand inside and swish the chain around.

BikeLite

pickle jars are glass.

ooga-booga

looks like the mods will be cleaning threads instead of chains in the "general cycling discussion" forum for a spell...

rumrunn6

yes, that's what I use for my ongoing used mineral spirits