Best degreaser/cleaning fluid thing

[Electric Blue]

I hate cleaning my bikes. I try to only wash them once a year but that anniversary is coming up and in any event I need to get one fit for sale.

Please can you let me know what product (preferably relatively inexpensive) will allow me to clean stuff like the wheels with the minimum amount of effort? I've tried my usual combo of warm soapy water (proper vehicle soap not fairly liquid - I'm not that bad) and it probably cleans the wheels by about 10%. I want to get rid of all the chain lube, brake dust and road crud that has accumulated.

Thank you

[SamG40]

https://bilthamber.com/product/auto-wheel/ Amazing stuff. Get the soft brush to agitate it in and its great stuff. The surfex hd is a great degreaser too.

[tinhead]

If you want to do it cheaply then WD-40 on a rag, or paraffin even cheaper, then there's nothing wrong with fairy liquid on your wheels, will probably do a much better job than your "proper vehicle soap".
Although to properly get rid of a years worth of brake dust you may have to hit it with an alloy wheel cleaner as well, but doesn't sound like you're that bothered about having them really clean

Edit- didn't see the post above, I've also used Bilt Hamber auto wheels on my bikes, but only as a once a year decontamination, and because I had it already for the car.
Degrease them first though and clean it off thoroughly.

Edited by tinhead on Friday 1st July 16:14

Edited by tinhead on Friday 1st July 16:15

[Timbo_S2]

SDoc 100

[Electric Blue]

Thanks all, I'll try paraffin first as I need it for the chain anyway, then will try one of the products listed above - they look pretty good. Cheers

[OutInTheShed]

Screwfix ' no nonsense' degreaser seems pretty good.

dilute 30/70 in a trigger spray, poke it with an old paintbrush.

Rinse and apply wash/wax etc.

[Slowboathome]

I use Gunk for a lot of stuff.

[S2r]

I use Halfords own brand engine and parts degreaser - I have tried lots of others and have no complaints. Being an aerosol, you can get it everywhere or spray it onto a cloth to wipe clean.

Rinse then wash as normal

[TwoStrokeNut]

OutInTheShed said:

Screwfix ' no nonsense' degreaser seems pretty good.

dilute 30/70 in a trigger spray, poke it with an old paintbrush.

Rinse and apply wash/wax etc.

This is great and doesn't harm anything.

[bongtom]

Slowboathome said:

I use Gunk for a lot of stuff.

Gunk is amazeballs.

[HustleRussell]

Brake and clutch cleaner in a pump bottle

[Thats What She Said]

Another vote for Bilt Hamber. You can order direct from their website now as well.

[OutInTheShed]

HustleRussell said:

Brake and clutch cleaner in a pump bottle

I use all sorts of solvents for cleaning small things that need to be seriously grease free, like if I'm going to paint them or solder them or epoxy them.

My workshop has IPA (not the beer kind!), acetone, brake cleaner, carb and throttle body cleaner (these two from euro carp arts), white spirit, red diesel, fairy liquid, a few different flavours of paint thinners, GT85, WD40, wheel cleaner, Ambersil foaming aerosol cleaner, meths and probably others.

Depends what you trying to remove from what.
The no nonsense degreaser is good for things like chain lube fallout on the bike. And most things you are happy to rinse with water.
It's cheap for a 5 litre can.
There is a swarfega version which is similarly good but costs a little more.

Something like that should be in anyone's arsenal of chemical weapons.

Also good for the cooker hood.

[tr7v8]

SamG40 said:

https://bilthamber.com/product/auto-wheel/ Amazing stuff. Get the soft brush to agitate it in and its great stuff. The surfex hd is a great degreaser too.

This every time

[nismo48]

Karcher on suds mode..

[MutiMuti]

I use ethyl alcohol, cellulose thinners or fairy liquid for most stuff but some types of dirt/contamination do need more specialist products.

[Biker 1]

A wipe down with a wet towel to desolve insects & get rid of dust. WD 40 gets off pretty much all oily crap. I then like to use WD40 silicone shine buffed with a microfibre cloth.

[Marquezs Stabilisers]

Elbow Grease spray from Savers is pretty good, very cheap, and doesn't make the house smell awful the way Gunk does.

[OutInTheShed]

Biker 1 said:

A wipe down with a wet towel to desolve insects & get rid of dust. WD 40 gets off pretty much all oily crap. I then like to use WD40 silicone shine buffed with a microfibre cloth.

to get rid of insects (deceased) a wet j-cloth laid over the windscreen or paint for 10 minutes. Allow to soften, then wash off.
Can use paper towel instead, or even newspaper if you're in 1990.

One product which has its uses is cheap aerosol furniture polish.
Penetrates, lifts crud and leaves a water-repellent lubed surface behind.
Surprisingly useful on boats.
And textured ali surfaces.

[Wildfire]

Ammo Pro. Brilliant products all round.