citrus degreaser for chains and cassettes

[eddief]

Are they all the same? If I go to Home Depot and want the quart size, what should I buy?

[firerescuefin]

Are they all the same? If I go to Home Depot and want the quart size, what should I buy?

The home depot stuff is great....I purchased some sprayer bottles at the same time. The viscosity of the degreaser doesn't work well with the sprayer bottles FWIW.

[jds108]

Simple Green is one of these - I assume you've see bulletin board chatter about chains that broke after being soaked in it for a long time....

I don't have a recommendation myself, just want to make sure somebody warns you about this.

[cmbicycles]

Simple Green is what I have always used. you can buy a gallon at the Depot and dilute it or use full strength in sprayers.

[guyintense]

I tried a bottle of the Simple Green Bike Cleaner/Degreaser and it does work better. I doubt if Home Depot has it though.

[firerescuefin]

Simple Green is not citrus based.

[rice rocket]

It's awesome based.

[Bruce K]

Original Simple Green contains a corrosive and is SO not recommended for bike components (or aircraft for that matter). Their specialized versions are OK.

The basic SG doesn't go anywhere near my bikes.

I use Pedro's or other bike specific cleaners and would use the SG Bike.

Zinn wrote about this about a year ago.

BK

[Ralph]

I have one of those cheap Harbor Freight parts washers that uses 3 gallons of water based solvent. (mineral spirits kills them) So I use Citrus Cleaner from Home Depot. The citrus cleaner cleans great. I think as good as mineral spirits. I use a brush, for chains, cassette cogs, and chainrings.

Only problem with Citrus Cleaner I have have found is......it will discolor polished aluminum if left on surface. So after cleaning with the cleaner, I immediately dump my parts in warm water to get the soapy like cleaner off, then dump in a can of clean mineral spirits to displace the water so as not to rust. I use the same clean mineral spirits over and over....in a coffee can.

I have used Citrus Cleaner in a spray bottle on a chain, let it soak a few minutes, then blast clean with a water hose using as high a pressure as I could get, then dump clean chain in mineral spirits to displace water. let dry, then relube.

If I had a business, and cleaned enough parts, would just get a Safety Clean service. Theirs is a solvent based product. Cleans without leaving a residue, and doesn't cause rust.

[vqdriver]

It's awesome based.

:)

[oldpotatoe]

Are they all the same? If I go to Home Depot and want the quart size, what should I buy?

Just remember they are water based so...if ya let the chain sit in there..ya may find a rusted chain. I think something like mineral spirits or even diesel is a better idea, something petroleum based.

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v20924403zBshk7AE?h1=A+sunday+in+hell

Love this..a stencil brush and diesel..works like a charm.

[Bruce K]

Can you actually do that in "The Republic"?

Diesel fuel disposal is so ungreen

;)

BK

[jr59]

Just remember they are water based so...if ya let the chain sit in there..ya may find a rusted chain. I think something like mineral spirits or even diesel is a better idea, something petroleum based.

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v20924403zBshk7AE?h1=A+sunday+in+hell

Love this..a stencil brush and diesel..works like a charm.


Best cycling movie, with the best intro.

The wrench never gets any credit, and if something goes wrong, all the blame!

[biker72]

Heavy duty cleaner.

http://www.aedstore.be/images/ProductImages/6199.jpg

[Ssalmon]

We use the safety clean service at our shop, the only problem we have is that they are not to timely about changing the fluid out, it works great when its fresh.

[54ny77]

that was funny. i'm loyal to simple green because they've been a sponsor for my former team/club for decades, they're a home grown u.s.-based success story, and are very active in local communities supporting a variety of issues/causes. i think the stuff is still made out in so cal (or at least used to be). for those of you in so cal (orange county), you've probably seen the headquarters on pch right at the northern end of h.b. on the right (when heading towards bolsa chica).

and yeah, don't soak stuff overnight in it. squirt on, scrub, rinse off. done.
almost all simple green seems to be concentrated--you can dilute it and still works more than fine. a gallon of concentrate lasts near an eternity.

It's awesome based.

[krismac23]

Simple green is known around the motorcycle forums to be bad for latex seals and the like. Dries the seals pretty quick FYI.

[cnighbor1]

I use Pro Link chain lube and cleaner. If you read labels on all those other cleaners there are warnings like do not use onm paint, aluminum etc
Pro Link cleans has it used. simply apply and wipe with a clean rag repeat if not getting clean. and it works great has a chain lube
You can remove cassettes if needed to really cleans. Just use a rag and prolink

[cfox]

I use Pro Link chain lube and cleaner. If you read labels on all those other cleaners there are warnings like do not use onm paint, aluminum etc
Pro Link cleans has it used. simply apply and wipe with a clean rag repeat if not getting clean. and it works great has a chain lube
You can remove cassettes if needed to really cleans. Just use a rag and prolink

prolink is great stuff, it just leaves my chain a bit noisy. I use this stuff to clean my chain: Finish Line Speed Degreaser. I'm pretty sure it made from depleted uranium and Chinese industrial effluvia, but man it works. It doesn't have time to do any damage to your bike because it doesn't drip, it just evaporates in about 1/2 a second with whatever it dissolves off your chain.

[Peter B]

Try this.

[oldpotatoe]

Can you actually do that in "The Republic"?

Diesel fuel disposal is so ungreen

;)

BK

There are petroleum product disposal places all over..all free also. One thing the republic is is clean disposal friendly for just about anything deemed 'nasty'.

[MilanoTom]

This stuff rocks. It's my understanding that it's the same as automotive non-florinated disc brake cleaner, but cannot confirm.

Regards,
Tom


prolink is great stuff, it just leaves my chain a bit noisy. I use this stuff to clean my chain: Finish Line Speed Degreaser. I'm pretty sure it made from depleted uranium and Chinese industrial effluvia, but man it works. It doesn't have time to do any damage to your bike because it doesn't drip, it just evaporates in about 1/2 a second with whatever it dissolves off your chain.

[Steve in SLO]

This stuff rocks. It's my understanding that it's the same as automotive non-florinated disc brake cleaner, but cannot confirm.

Regards,
Tom
I was told mineral spirits + oil. I now use mineral spirits and motor oil in 3:1 ratio and cannot tell the difference from ProLink