What do you clean your bike with?

[missliz]

I finally reached a real turning point in starting to ride really seriously again- I got out the stand and am cleaning polishing, and generally grooming up my beasts in a big way. My road bike is just filthy, still has bug smack on it from the roof ride to my last event a few years ago. And the usual bits of icky greasy dirt, that windex isn't taking off. And dust. The smell of Simple green makes me want to heave. Any other ideas?
I give the mt bike a good bath with Dawn dishwashing liquid when she needs it, but the road bike doesn't need that, just a spray bottle and rag job.
What do you all think?
I have those fancy Pedros things, like Bike Lust for after it's clean, I just don't find those products to be so great for cleaning.

Lizzy

[aka_kim]

Well, if it doesn't need a real bath, I always find that furniture polish (uh, Lemon Pledge to be exact) works really well. And once it's clean I use car wax (if bike is painted) to make it easier next time.

[Grasshopper]

I'm cleaning mine for the first time today and I was told to use Simple Green and then put polish on it so it's easier to clean next time. I'll let you know how the SG works.

[Veronica]

We spray with WD 40, let it soak for a few minutes and then wipe it down. Sometimes rinse with water after.

Veronica

[missliz]

The problem with Simple green is that it smells like a gas station bathroom, and I always want to lose my lunch from the smell. I don't need to clean the mechanical bits, just want something to get the bug spatter and general dirt off the painted parts of the frame. Since the work stand is in the living room stinky stuff won't hunt.
I was going to do Lemon Pledge last night like aka kim suggested, but lay on the sofa drinking wine instead. Maybe later when my head calms down.
WD 40 is a hydrocarbon based solvent. Wouldn't that eat the paint off eventually?

Lizzy

[MightyMitre]

We've got this pink stuff in the UK called Muck Off and it's great at ..er.. getting the muck off. Doesn't smell too bad and is made from stuff that's kind to the enviornment too so you can really slop it around.

Otherwise, have you tried windscreen wash for cars, undiluted? When I was a student the lino floor in our kitchen was criminally dirty, so I went through the whole cupboard trying different things and found the screen wash got the grease off like a dream! Not sure how good it was long-term for the flooring though - but we'd moved out by then

[Veronica]

Nope - WD40 doesn't hurt the paint at all - but it is good at getting rid of grime and I like the little nozzle because I can get the stuff into the hard to reach places like all the lugs on my frame.

Veronica

[annie]

There's a Finsh Line product, called Bike Wash. It, too, is pink, just like MightyMitres cleaning stuff. According to the direcitons, you spray it on the bike, let it sit for a few minutes, and then gently hose it off. I do that for my mountain bike, 'cause that gets REALLY dirty sometimes. It needs the hose rinsing to get all the mud off. For my road bike, I just spray the Bike Wash on a rag and wipe the grease, dust, dirt, encrusted gatorade, whatever....... off the bike. It works well. Doesn't leave any shine on the frame, tho. So I follow up with a thorough polishing with Lemon Pledge. Actually, unless the road bike is really a mess, I often don't bother with the Bike Wash. I just use Pledge. It's worked well for many years. After a good cleaning, I always re-lube the chain, the pulleys and all the pivot points. Keeping the bike clean and lubed really helps prolong its life. And since I love my bikes (!) I try hard to keep them clean. A clean bike always seems to go faster, too.

[barrb46]

i was reading the info on cleaning our bikes. The Pledge idea is a new for one. I will try it!

A bike shop recently told me to make sure your bike chain etc is totally dry before lubing it up after cleaning it down with a degreaser. If the degreaser is still moist and still remains on the chain, it will break down the lubricant. He suggested cleaning it when you return from a ride and then lubing it up when you are ready to go on your next ride, that way you can make sure the chain is totally dry.