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I've been using a Park tools chain cleaner for a while now and using their own solution in it too. This is a bit expensive to keep going so I was wondering if anyone uses something different to clean their chains in a chain cleaner? Maybe white spirit?
I use All Shine Grand Slam, it's a citrus based degreaser & cleaner, you'll find it on amazon.
I use neat Fenwicks in mine, seems to work OK.
Probably not as often as I should!
Halfords/Bikehut citrus degreaser, works fine, smells orangey.
Gunk green engine degreaser.
I use mine in a jam jar with shaking but expect it'll be just as good in a chain cleaner.
Incidentally - looked up the price of the Park Tools stuff and the RRP is a bit of a 😯
I use Petrol in an old Beetroot Jar, The plus side to this is thats it's dropped 35P a litre in the last Month, so best top up the green Jerry cam.
Usually pass it through a Coffee filter after, gets the grit out but the solution stays manky, Gets all the crap out and comes out like new,
Halfords/Bikehut citrus degreaser, or just white spirit depending on what is closest to hand.
I used paraffin last time
Swarfega concentrated degreaser from Halfords:
Costs £7 and depending on how much you dilute it, can make up to 400l. Works fine for me.
I used to use neat Muc-off, but recently using Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner - works well and a bottle lasts pretty good for the money
Tennents Extra.
Though in my defense that's usually after I've drunk about 6 of said cans.
Actually,I think I drank the Tennents I used on the chain afterwards too.
I've found Fosters to be rubbish however, both for chain cleaning and drinking.
pound shop engine degreaser in mine, comes up a treat. Isn't it lovely to see your chain all shiny metal after finishing the ride and it's covered in dirt.
+1
Halfords/Bikehut citrus degreaser, works fine, smells orangey.
Screwfix own-brand degreasing stuff here. I suspect all the cheapie options are pretty much the same.
Cleaning supplier.
5L - Lasts about 25 years I imagine.
I also dilute it and use it like you would Muc-off. Have still yet to die.
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I put a squirt of Fairy Liquid in mine with a bit of water.
where'd you get that from Kayak?
Neat car shampoo (with wax) through a chain cleaning gizmo. Or white spirits in a tray if i want to get medieval on its links.
http://www.thetradeshop.co.uk/products/evans-vanodine-environmentally-rated/general-janitorial-products/apeel-5-litre-product.html
Particularly useful for cleaning body fat from washrooms.
Might get some for the kill room then.
Might get some for the kill room then.
Plastic sheeting is what you need.
£29 for 20ltrs of Orange oil degreaser here http://cleaningproductsuk.com/cleaning-chemicals/kitchen-cleaning/degreasers/1076?sort=p.price&order=DESC
I use viro-sol. A local cleaning supply company sells 5l for about £5. Its great. Save dme a fortune over Fenwicks and mych better than the halfords citrus stuff
Virosol here too - used diluted around 1:10.
I do worry it will dissolve the frame if/when used neat though, but brought up some decrepit manky 25 year old hub bodies to a sparkling shine which was nice 😉
I used to use virosol. It has a ph 11+ so just don't let it sit on ano'd alu for too long...
The evans apeel stuff is neutral ph but doesnt seem to work quite as well as the virosol. Good enough though.
sorry to hijack but which do people think are the best chain cleaner tools themselves?
i have had a few, the Park one has outlasted the rest
Always used jizer in the past but wondering which degeasers May or ma not harm the resin used in carbon frames.
Cheers for that I've not tried one before so I've ordered one to give it a go!
I've just got a park tools one, hopefully it will do the job better than just a chain degreaser spray I had before.
I use Petrol in an old Beetroot Jar, The plus side to this is thats it's dropped 35P a litre in the last Month, so best top up the green Jerry cam.Usually pass it through a Coffee filter after, gets the grit out but the solution stays manky, Gets all the crap out and comes out like new,
+1 Old skoool ftw. Sensible, economical, reliable and not at all wasteful. I'll nick the coffee filter idea for citrus degreaser and see how it goes..l
I have just cleaned 4 Chains and renewed the contents of said far, The remains of which have gone into my Oil tank, As our heating runs off an Oil Burner.
Gunk green engine degreaser.I use mine in a jam jar with shaking but expect it'll be just as good in a chain cleaner.
Word of warning with this. IT says on the tin "do not use on hot surfaces" and not to get it on skin or in eyes. [b]REALLY DON'T[/b]. I used a diluted quantity (about 10:1) in a warm water bath (40C) to clean a REALLY greasy engine part (as I've always done with the red stuff, which tells you to heat it, but I decided to try being "green"). Breathed in the fumes by accident (well ventilated area but took the lid off and got a waft in the face as I breathed in) - 24 hours in hospital, chest X-rays, blood tests, heart monitoring being watched for CO poisoning and lung disintegration. Not fun stuff, take care out there and obey the instructions!
this diluted 5050 with water works a treat .
A small amount of white spirit and a bush , works really well.
Spray-on oven cleaner in mine. Will probably dilute 50 50 next time!
I give it a really good scrub in wrong mix diesel/petrol, that's the
stuff a mate gets paid loads to pump out of peoples fuel tanks.
I would guess diesel would work OK in a chain cleaner, another
advantage to it, it smells great;-)
paraffin/white spirit £2 Wilko's. If I'm feeling flush Morgan Blue. Replace chain every 12 months or so.... job's a good un.
Still use fairy liquid to clean the bikes as well. Nothing like the old school ways 🙂 oh and yes I'm a cheap b****** 🙂