Best options to clean gunk, grease etc from all parts and bike frame?
01-06-20, 05:44 PM
#26
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Blackjack Tar and Asphalt remover works well. It's pretty safe stuff, too.
https://www.truevalue.com/asphalt-tar-remover-23-oz
They sell it at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.
I also use WD-40.
https://www.truevalue.com/asphalt-tar-remover-23-oz
They sell it at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.
I also use WD-40.
01-06-20, 05:59 PM
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As an apartment dweller I usually start with Armor-All wipes which do a good job on the frame and components, If I am doing a rebuild the components go in the sonic cleaner with either dish soap or simple green, Elbow grease helps too 
01-06-20, 11:25 PM
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WD 40 works great to clean the whole bike as it is kind to paint and all sorts of materials.
Just remove or avoid your brake pads when using it.
Some mentioned Simple Green, but it is known to attack aluminum, if you leave it on too long, so I think It would be prudent to just avoid using it.....
Just remove or avoid your brake pads when using it.
Some mentioned Simple Green, but it is known to attack aluminum, if you leave it on too long, so I think It would be prudent to just avoid using it.....
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01-07-20, 10:32 AM
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For whatever reason, my bike's brake pads gripped the Weinmann rims poorly, like "dried-out" old pads, except mine were only a couple of years old.
After using some WD40 on some part of the bike, getting some on the rim accidentally and wiping it off, I briefly enjoyed strong braking!
From then on, when working on the bike, I would wipe down both rim's braking surfaces with WD40, leaving only a trace, for that new-bike feel that comes with grippy pads.
01-07-20, 11:12 AM
#30
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Zep Orange degreaser works wonderfully , smells good and is not as nasty as other degreasers
01-07-20, 11:42 PM
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Dawn and warm water to knock off the worst dirt. I'll clean the whole bike first, then detail the remaining stubborn places.
LA's Totally Awesome grill and oven cleaner. It's a pump spray, not compress aerosol. Just a degreaser comparable to many "green" products, not a caustic soda like aerosol cans of oven cleaner. Costs a whole dollar for a quart at Dollartree. Sometimes the pump mechanism wears out before the bottle is empty. Even works okay on chains I'm prepping for dipping in melted paraffin/wax.
Isopropyl alcohol for minor oil or grease residue on rims, frames, etc. Or periodically wiping the chainrings between full cleanings. Works fine, available everywhere.
I'm in an apartment now so I try to avoid the solvents I normally used when I had a rural home and work shed. I tried the "safe" mineral spirits once. The stuff is ridiculous, some kind of thick, whitish soapy stuff that doesn't clean well and makes its own mess.
LA's Totally Awesome grill and oven cleaner. It's a pump spray, not compress aerosol. Just a degreaser comparable to many "green" products, not a caustic soda like aerosol cans of oven cleaner. Costs a whole dollar for a quart at Dollartree. Sometimes the pump mechanism wears out before the bottle is empty. Even works okay on chains I'm prepping for dipping in melted paraffin/wax.
Isopropyl alcohol for minor oil or grease residue on rims, frames, etc. Or periodically wiping the chainrings between full cleanings. Works fine, available everywhere.
I'm in an apartment now so I try to avoid the solvents I normally used when I had a rural home and work shed. I tried the "safe" mineral spirits once. The stuff is ridiculous, some kind of thick, whitish soapy stuff that doesn't clean well and makes its own mess.
