[Closed] cheap alternative to Muc Off?

Fairy liquid*

*I suspect the Tesco own brand is cheaper

I dont know of any that is cheaper than free

I dont know of any that is cheaper than free

Unless you are sponsored by the company? I guess that would be cheaper than free?

Swarfega oil and grease remover , water based and bio degradeable, can be watered down works well

Also is Muc Off damaging to bearings

I've been using this after seeing my brother use it on his mx bike. http://www.rhinogoo.co.uk Recently they have starting advertising as for bike use as well. Pretty cheap, biodegradable and seems to keep the dirt from sticking. Shop around and you can get 10 litres for £20ish.

Fenwicks 1ltr concentrated can be diluted to make 10 ltrs and costs about £9 .
Didn't like muc off when I tried it a few years ago been using fenwicks ever since.

How about some cheap muc off?
10 litres for £30 plus free delivery.
[url= http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorcycle/cleaners/muc-off-nano-tech-bike-cleaner-5-litres-plus-5-litres-free ]BOGOF Muc Off[/url]

The swarfega degreaser works well for me. Relatively cheap from the big diy chain at the moment. They are also selling a few other degreasers which i'm trying out.

Use the Fenwicks Concentrate.. Makes about 11 litres for £10 and is amazing.

hambl90 - Member

Fenwicks 1ltr concentrated can be diluted to make 10 ltrs and costs about £9 .
Didn't like muc off when I tried it a few years ago been using fenwicks ever since.

This is what I use, it's better than muc-off IMHO, although it was a similar red/pink colour the last time I bought it (lasts me ages).

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fenwicks-fs-1-bike-cleaner-concentrate/rp-prod149708

Just mix it up in a spray bottle from Garden Centre/B&Q/Homebase etc.

Never noticed it having an effect on bearings TBH although I've never exposed them and sprayed it directly onto them.

I use a product called duck smart, earth mover. Bought in a 25l drum and decanted into 1l bottles. Can also buy it in smaller bottles.
Used to clean my motox bikes on a regular basis, it has a foaming action to it, so rather than spraying on mucoff and it all dripping off, this stays were you spray it to work better.

Aldi caravan cleaner concentrate

[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPECIAL-OFFER-X2-5L-Professional-Motorcycle-Bike-Bicycle-Chain-Cleaner-Degreaser-/300951048994?hash=item4612149322:g:NT0AAOSwPcVVnoSX ]This stuff from ebay[/url]

Dilutes at 2% for general cleaning. So you get 500 litres of bike wash for your money. I use it a wee bit stronger for really stubborn oil and grease. I've been using it on the cars and motorhome and I've had no problems since I started using it. I liked the Fenwicks concentrate but it's not exactly cheap. MucOff is extortionate. I don't care how many nano particles are in it, it's mainly water your getting.

£0.02

although it was a similar red/pink colour the last time I bought it (lasts me ages).

Fenwicks is now green. I'm a +1 for the Fenwicks concentrate, I actually but a 5L tub but it lasts years and that's using it on a fleet of bikes and motorbikes (good for getting stubborn bug-splats off). I've read repeatedly that's it all repackaged and overpriced caravan cleaner or surface film remover, but Fenwicks does what I want it to, doesn't do anything I don't (like cause bare alloy to oxidise which I had neat Muc Off do years ago) and lasts long enough for the cost to be inconsequential.

Muc Off also sell a concentrate, but its harder to find.

I don't like the Muc Off alikes you see in supermarkets, it turned my red anodised stuff pink very quickly.

I don't like the fairy liquid approach, it has salt in it which will accelerate corrosion and it does a decent job of attacking rubber too, like your tyres and the seals on your bearing. It makes paint work look shit too, I'd rather leave it dirty.

TBH I'll use Muc Off, Fenwicks or the HOPE stuff, whatever is the best value at the time.

Muc off won't harm bearings, they are sealed.

I use Halfords cleaner, just use it economically. Squirt a bit on the chain, then for the rest of the bike hose the crud off then squirt muc off on the wet sponge instead of the bike. Lasts far longer than if you douse the while bike.

For the few times I use a bike cleaner, I have found Rhinogoo to be the best. 5 litres has lasted me 3 years or so

Muc off won't harm bearings, they are sealed

Yeah, just like bearings are immune to water and dirt due to their seals 😉

I've found muc-off inside suspension which is very well sealed. It works good on drivetrains etc but keep it well away from suspension and bearings.

Another vote for fenwicks fs1. Buy one litre for 10 quid, makes 10 litres. Nice.

Edit: yes, it used to be pink and now is green.

If your seals let Muc Off in, I can't see how they won't let water in on your next ride so they are knackered anyway....?

On the drive chain etc I use Gunk last years.

Morrisons own car shampoo - I've not died yet and neither has my bike.

Water and a brush

If your seals let Muc Off in, I can't see how they won't let water in on your next ride so they are knackered anyway....?

Last time I checked, products like muc off were far more efficient degreasers than water. If a degreaser gets past bearing seals then it will destroy the grease protecting the bearings. Water will then cause those bearings to corrode and there will also be space in there for dirt which will also prematurely age the bearings.

If it's only water that gets in there then the grease will have half a chance of protecting the bearings.

It's not exactly rocket science.

They have a lookalike MucOff in poundland.
But I couldnt say if its as good as the real thing

I find water from a hose works fine...
I Just degease the chain..

Water and a brush

Works for me. I use MucOff / Hope Sh1t Shifter occasionally too, ie one bottle of each in 10 years.

If it's only water that gets in there then the grease will have half a chance of protecting the bearings.

So water in bearings is OK if there's grease in there?

And why the rocket science comment? Are you trying to be unpleasant? I'm not.

So water in bearings is OK if there's grease in there?

No, but if there is grease in there the bearings have got more chance of surviving.

Are you trying to be unpleasant?

No, not at all.

So water in bearings is OK if there's grease in there?

Its not ideal but if you have decent "waterproof grease" you will have water [i]and[/i] grease. If you have muc off in there the grease will be gone

Non caustic 100:1 TFR off eBay (mixed to the correct ratio) will make roughly 2500 litres of MucOff substitute for about £22.
So, under a penny a litre.

It's basically the same thing as MucOff anyway, so it's hardly a compromise.

I use Finesse Multi Clean. Comes in 1ltr, 25ltr, or 8-1 1ltr concentrated.

I use Duck smart earth mover, Not sure if it's all that cheaper than Muc-off however it comes out the bottle as a foam so I use less each wash so last longer. It does a awesome job and leaves the bike gleaming and smelling nice.
http://www.duck-smart.com/
Take a look.

I get mine form my LBS about £5 a bottle, Then I buy the bigger refill bottles as needed.

Its not ideal but if you have decent "waterproof grease" you will have water and grease. If you have muc off in there the grease will be gone

I still don't think your seals are much good if water can just wander in and out. Or rather - a decent working seal should be able to keep out both water and muc off, surely?

From my own experience, I use cleaner sporadically but a jetwasher all the time. My forks never have water inside, and bearings last me a long time - apparently much longer than most people on here.

Been using Rhino goo for a couple of years, its also great for cleaning alloys on your car