How to wash bikes?

[Randombiker9]

basicaly my new bike since Christmas is muddy and wet from my last work experience at stables. I know most people wash their bike by using a garden hose but we don’t have a garden hose but I should wash it this weekend coming up because I need to. But how without a hose?

 

[vickster]

Get one of those hand pump sprayer things. Or just use a bucket or two of water and a sponge

 

[Supersuperleeds]

as @vickster said bucket and sponge

 

[the_mikey]

Just a bucket of warm water and a sponge, and either your favourite car wash liquid or muc-off bike spray. That said my bike is so filthy it would take more than a hose pipe to penetrate the layers of acquired muck. I tried to scrape some away as it was impeding my rear derailleur shifts, set like concrete...

 

[ChrisEyles]

Bucket and sponge for me, with a few squirts of de-greaser in the water.

You can look on the forum for the "mickle method" of cleaning the drivetrain if you're really keen to do a good job (one of the best tips I've picked up on here).

A squirt of GT85 or similar on the derailleur pivots, brake pivots (watch the rims!), and exposed cables where they go into the housings is also good every once in a while.

 

[gavroche]

Put your wet gear on and go through the car wash.

 

[Katherine]

muddy and wet from my last work experience at stables

You might need lots of buckets of water to loosen any dried on muck!

Just keep applying the water with a sponge , then use some car wash liquid in your bucket and wash everything with your sponge. Get clean water as necessary. Rinse thoroughly. A range of brushes from any value shop will help. Scrub the tryres and rims. Run a dish cloth or old rag between the brake pads and rims. Polish the frame and rims with a dry cloth. Even better, use a little bit of spray polish on a clean cloth and rub over the frame to make it easier to clean next time.

Do the chain last. Use gloves for this bit. A supply of rags to run the chain through and then you must re- lube before any rust can form. If there is a lot of muck in the links, use a pipe cleaner or a bit of wire to poke it through.

If you are regularly taking your bike to the stables, a hand pump as suggested above, would be a good investment so you can rinse the worst of the muck off as soon as you get back before it dries on. It doesn't need to be high pressure.

GREEN PRESSURE SPRAYER 7LTR

 

[vickster]

Don't they have a hose at the stables? For like cleaning horses? Or at least a mucky yard?

 

[NorthernDave]

The best way to ensure you wash the bike is to get the kit ready before you go out so it's ready when you get home - no excuses then!

As has been said, pump action garden sprayer if you don't have a hose - Wilko do a couple of options and they're perfectly acceptable for the money- and Muc-Off do the trick.
Mickle the drive train*, GT-85 on other moving parts and you'll have the lot done in 10 minutes.

* - if you want to start a real debate, just ask what is best to lubricate your chain with...

 

[the_mikey]

Mickle the drive train*

Absolutely this, above all else, if you only do one thing, Mickle the drive train.

 

[Globalti]

You don't need a hose or a spray, in fact in the wrong hands they can be very damaging to a bike if the water gets sprayed at the bearings.

Fill a bucket full of hot water with detergent, preferably car shampoo. Get a hand dustpan brush with soft long nylon bristles and wash the bike with that; the bristles will get into all the nooks and crannies without scratching. If you have a special cassettte cleaning brush, hold that against the cassette while rotating the chain. Wash the chain and transmission thoroughly with hot soapy water then dry the chain by pulling it through a micro-fibre cloth, then re-lube the next day.

Wash the wheel rims well to remove the grey brake paste and pull the damp micro-fibre cloth behind the brake blocks to remove the paste and grit.

You can finish off with a gentle spray of fresh water but don't aim the water at any bearings.

Dustpans and brushes are just about the cheapest household items you can buy, they usually come with a dustpan to match. After a while the brristles will become tangled so just buy another one and recycle the old.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Pressure washer, some muc off ( or Halfords version of ) keep the jet off of anything with bearings in it. Job’s a good’un.

 

[cyberknight]

Bucket of soapy water, clean the bike then get another one with no suds and chuck it over to rinse, job done.

 

[si_c]

Lots of hot water, washing up liquid, a sponge or two, and a couple of rags for detailing.

Take the wheels off, clean them put them back on.

Be liberal with the hot soapy water. Rinse off with more clean hot water.

Lubricate all moving parts.

 

[Drago]

Bucket, sponge, big brush. Cup of tea, Planet Rock on the wireless.