Boiling Brakes and Other Components
 

I was informed the other day that a great way to clean your components is to boil them. Anyone done this/know a better way?

EDIT: By another way, I mean a way that doesn't involve special degreasers or paint thinner/kerosene/etc.

Boiling in water is going to get water inside every bearing and it's going be very difficult to get out completely. There are lots of better ways. If you insist on not using solvents or degreasers, your alternative is lots of rags.

Yikes! Never seen any components marked 'dishwasher safe' myself! :lol:

I'd agree with the above - grease and oil don't really become much more soluble in hot water than they are in cold. If they did, you'd be able to clean the cooking oil off your frying pan by boiling water in it. Road grime is also kind of oily, so boiling probably won't do much to shift that either.

I clean the outside of components with soapy water sometimes. Boiling them seems odd. Might work for parts like cranksets where there's no moving parts.

It will probably also assure the chainring bolts rust permanantly in place.

I've been informed of numerous dubious internet claims. Boiling a component to clean it is hamfisted at best. These aren't cooking utensils. If you want it clean, why not either buy an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner, or use a toothbrush, some solvent and compressed air?

Never ever fall for this kind of baloney.

Somebody was probably just trying to trick you into doing something that would make you look like a fool (which you're not).

Hot water will clean better than cold, but hot means somewhere close to 130°F (50)C). There's no benefit to going hotter, and could be problems. In any case it's not the water that cleans, it's the detergent in the water. One advantage of washing hot, is that the parts will retain heat when removed, and dry faster and more completely than with cold water.

Either way, whenever you clean with water based solutions, be sure to rinse completely and thoroughly, so the parts don't dry with residue of your detergent or cleaning agent inside.

On serious argument against boiling is that not all parts are 100% metal. Many of the plastic and rubber parts on bike components will melt or warp at temps above 150° F.

I have a friend with a big transmission shop. He has a large industrial washer that uses very hot water and detergent to degrease and clean transmission components. He can fit several entire disassembled automatic transmissions, housing and all, in it at once. The parts came out quite hot and quickly dry on the bench.

Yes, hot water works better, but nobody uses boiling water. Industrial washers run a bit hotter than typical home tap water, closer to 150°F or so, but still well short of boiling.

One method to clean really grimmy parts is using automotive brake cleaner. I only ever use it on parts like cassettes, chains, and carefully on derailuers. It can break through any grease and sludge built up between gears on a cassette. Once done and dry, you do have to thoroughly regrease everything. This method works but you do have to be careful it doesn't take any finish off the parts you are working on.

This will clean almost anything, but for most bike parts it's overkill. Not only will it cost more than many other effective options, it's also among he most unhealthy choices out there. If you use it, be sure to have good ventilation, and arrange the direction of spray so that it doesn't bounce back into your face. When finished wash your hands immediately or better yet wear gloves when using it.

All in all, brake cleaner, or MEK is a poor choice (though effective) for home or garage use, except when nothing else works.

Soap and water , brush and sponges ... clean the bike often.. just dont get it in the drive train bearings..
Hose Vs , high pressure washers..

Pro Racers Have Mechanics to do that, for the Team Bikes, Daily..

Solvents break down the oils and grease then they come off taking with them, the dirt.
and evaporate..

If You dont want to be around the solvents , Pay a Bike Shop to do the work..

I use CRC's low VOC and non-chlorinated "Brakleen" for, well... cleaning automotive brake parts, and occasionally on other parts and the like.

It should be noted that this particular automotive brake cleaner says specifically that you should "protect all rubber brake parts, and painted surfaces from product and over-spray."

I normally use a dry brush to remove (dry) dirt and such from my bikes and, if needed, follow up with mild soap and low-pressure and carefully directed water from a garden hose. I next wipe it down with dry cloth followed by allowing it to dry for a bit. A little bit of lube (if and where needed) and it's good to go.

This method seems to work well for me. Otherwise, I might someday consider using a bicycle specific degreaser or cleaner.

I live in a small apartment I often take a bike to the carwash and scrub it with simplegreen and the foaming brush. At home I just simplegreen.

Back when I was in the Marines we used to 'cook' the breeches from the bomb racks in 55 gallon drum of boiling water and aircraft soap. But then we had to sit and dry and lube them. Sometime I think that was done more busy work the best way to do it.

Simple green and a toothbrush works for me.

I clean really grimey/greasy stuff with bulk WD40 (not aerosol) and toothbrush and rags, then wipe it all off with dry/clean rag. I then re-grease anything that needs it as the 'oil' in wd40 is too thin to be a useful lubricant (but its a great rust preventative)

Run them through your dishwasher (when your wife's not home, if you're married).

I can buy that one. But I'll bet not every part of the transmission goes through that bath.

Bicycle parts can be a little different. For example Shimano has shifted from anodizing to clear coating or painting a lot of components. The finish may not stand up to that kind of treatment.

I've boiled chains and freewheels with concentrated laundry detergent for the last 40 years. Then put them in a concentrated laundry detergent solution in an industrial ultrasonic cleaner for half an hour. Nothing no solvent cleans like detergent and water. You cant do this on aluminum or plastics but for steel it comes out cleaner than factory new. No expert but I worked in a detergent lab for 10 years. and military antique restoration after that. Ed

How's WD40 and a rag grab ya?

If you don't want to use WD40, a dry rag often works well, but for caked-on dirt you can just dampen it with water. Should work for 99% of grime, but might take a bit of elbow grease.

You can do a perfectly good job, but full disassembly is a must to do a complete one.

Chain cleaning? That's a whole other ball game. IMO the best way would be wrapping around a bunch of jockey wheels submerged in solvent with bubbles.

I'd rather use the washing machine (using the delicate cycle to prevent scratches on the surface of the painted drum)
For chains, dishwasher's nozzles can't aim at the hidden parts.

I always stick to generic brake cleaner from stores which sell auto parts. It works works better, and it's cheaper.

Simple Green is fairly caustic (basic, high pH) and will attack aluminum. SG used to be used widely on car wheels until the effects on finishes was noticed.