Bike Cleaning

[summerdays]

I have an allergy to washing up liquid.



Paul G

You could use plain water to wash up then or wear washing up gloves (You're not getting out of the washing with that old excuse!!

 

[Globalti]

bpsmith is correct, dishwash liquid is designed to strip all grease, oil etc. from dishes and glasses so it will indeed leave your paintwork completely bare and any residue that you don't wash out of the nooks and crannies will cause rusting to unprotected alloy or steel. Obviously cutlery comes out of the bowl hot and is cloth dried or stacked to dry and is mostly stainless steel.

A 5 litre jerrycan of basic car shampoo from my local auto-accessory shop costs less than a tenner, cheaper than dishwash where for example a 5 litre jerry of industrial dishwash costs over £12. Car shampoo doesn't contain salt and is designed to leave a film of wax on the paintwork, which causes water to bead up and run off so that's what I use for bike cleaning.

...and in the end Zacklaws is also right because one ride on a salty road will do far more damage to your bike than a hundred washes with dishwash.

Typical dishwash formulation:

CTFA NAME TRADE NAME FUNCTION % W/W

Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulphonate Nansa SL30 Detergent 20.00

Sodium Laureth Sulphate Empicol ESB3 Detergent 20.00

Cocamide DEA Empilan CDE Foam Booster 4.00

Formaldehyde Formalin 40% Preservative 0.10

- Deionised Water Carrier 55.70

- Fragrance Perfume 0.20

- Water Soluble Colour aesthetic q.s

Sodium Chloride Salt Thickening Agent q.s.

 

[WozzaTT]

I always use baby shampoo to wash my car and have done for years (as also used and recommended by the detailer who comes and gives it a once over every year) - just a very small amount in a bucket of tepid water.

Then again my car is highly waxed and needs 'gentle' cleansing.

I was just about to say if it's good enough for my car then it's certainly good enough for a bike but then again I don't suppose bikes are waxed are they? Or are they?!

 

[bpsmith]

Thank you @Globalti

My bike is Sealed @WozzaTT which is the next step up from Wax, as far as longevity is concerned, albeit with a slightly more sterile look than the top waxes. Haven't gone the next step and waxed over the top for extra gloss yet though. Lol.

 

[cardiac case]

You could use plain water to wash up then or wear washing up gloves (You're not getting out of the washing with that old excuse!!

I asked the wife if it were possible to wash up with plain water and she said…..

"You've been on that daft interweb thing again haven't you"?

 

[summerdays]

I asked the wife if it were possible to wash up with plain water and she said…..

"You've been on that daft interweb thing again haven't you"?

Depends what you are washing, and where you are. If camping I've been known to use a baby wipe to clear the worst off a frying pan but in general I would require soap on my dishes!

 

[cardiac case]

Her preferred option to remove the worst is a Kango.

 

[dinkydexy]

Use shampoo (the stuff you use on your hair) in warm water rather than washing up liquid, then rinse off with clean water to get rid of most of the dirt. Do not use a pressure washer; use a hose pipe or pump-action spray like gardeners use. Dry everything down with a cloth. Run the chain through a cloth to remove most of the gunk, then either remove it (if it's fitted with a QR link) and clean it in a tub of white spirit, or leave it in place and use a chain cleaner loaded with white spirit. Wipe dry thoroughly. Use white spirit and a small (half inch) paintbrush to clean the cassette/freewheel, front mech/chainset, rear derailler, brakes and any other working parts you can think of; the combination of the solvent and agitation will simply wash away all the dirt and contaminants and free everything up. Rinse the working parts with clean water to ensure any remnants of white spirit are removed, dry again if necessary and/or spray liberally with your choice of 3-in-1, WD40 or GD85, wiping off any excess. Clean the wheels and spokes with a cloth; once again, white spirit and/or penetrating oil are your friends if you need them. Lube the chain, jockey wheels on the rear derailler, and front mech with the best quality lube you can afford. Time: 30 minutes.

 

[Phixion]

I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to wipe off GT85. It says so on the back of the can iirc.

 

[Hop3y]

I use the pink Muc Off stuff.