What do you use to clean your chain?

[Bad JuJu]

I have one of those chain cleaners that attach to your chain and clean it while it's still on the bike, but the bottle of cleaner that came with it is now empty. So what do I use now? Is there something I can just go pick up at the hardware store rather than buying some whiz-bang expensive stuff at the LBS? I know there's such a thing as a degreaser/cleaner--would any old degreaser work? What about Dawn dishwashing detergent diluted with a little water?

[emily_in_nc]

I use citrus degreaser my husband buys at home-improvement stores. Works great and smells nice too!

Emily

[maillotpois]

Ditto on the citrus cleaner. I have friends who use Simple Green.

[KnottedYet]

Simple Green or Trader Joe's Lavender dish soap. (with a Park chain cleaner)

The nice thing about these two "degreasers" is that you don't have to wait hours for the citrus stuff to evaporate before you put your chain wax/grease on.

[Bad JuJu]

Hey, Knot, do you dilute the dish soap, or just use it full strength?

[KnottedYet]

I use a squirt about the same as I'd use for dishes, but since it's going into less water (the Park chain cleaner) it ends up a lot more concentrated.

I'd guess I use maybe 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of soap and then fill the rest of the way with water?

I usually run the chain through 30-40 times, dump the soapy water, refill with clean soapy water, run through again. Rinse.

Probably gets my chain about as clean as the citrus degreaser the Park chain gang came with (though doesn't smell quite as yummy!). It does dry a lot faster, which I like because I'm *totally* into instant gratification!

[maillotpois]

Simple Green or Trader Joe's Lavender dish soap. (with a Park chain cleaner)

Knot, your bike must smell really nice!!

[Aggie_Ama]

My DH. We use Simple Green in the Park Tool Cyclone cleaner.

For the record, I can clean my own bike. I think DH enjoys the one thing I will let him do for me (other than reach the top shelves at the grocery store).

[VeloChick]

I have one of those chain cleaners that attach to your chain and clean it while it's still on the bike

I used one of those for years - then I found ProLink. This is a cleaner/lube all-in-one. Now I just use a rag, and apply this once - let sit, and reapply/wipe off. Your chain comes out clean and lubricated.

Every month or so, I remove the chain from the bike, and let it soak in a degreaser for a day. Then I reinstall, and lube.

[HillSlugger]

What's the proper way to dispose of the degreaser/cleaner solutions?

[Mags...]

I used one of those for years - then I found ProLink. This is a cleaner/lube all-in-one. Now I just use a rag, and apply this once - let sit, and reapply/wipe off. Your chain comes out clean and lubricated.

Every month or so, I remove the chain from the bike, and let it soak in a degreaser for a day. Then I reinstall, and lube.

I've been using the Rock'N'Roll Gold since i put on my current chain a couple of months ago. I've heard a few positive reports on ProLink and recently my LBS started stocking it. I was thinking of giving it a go when my current bottle of Rock'N'Roll is finished. Are these 2 products pretty much the same as each other? They both do the clean-and- lube-in-one thing, but is one better than the other?

I've thought about whether I should remove the chain and degease it occasionally, but the guy at the LBS says it shouldn't be necessary. But like some of you ladies, I'm almost obsessive about chain cleanliness.