Cleaning Your Chain Degreaser

onmebike

My chain degreaser (box) is scruffy after lots of use and the brushes inside don't do much surface cleaning. Is there any trick to cleaning the degreaser or should it be considered 'consumable' and replaced when it gets to such a stage?

It's a Halfords one in case that makes any odds.

beans

I use two, one for getting the chain mostly-clean and one for finishing it off.

This extends the life of the finisher-offer unit, but yeah eventually it'll be so dirty I'll have to replace.

magicbastarder

have you considered soaking it in petrol or white spirits?

ED E

magicbastarder wrote: »

have you considered soaking it in petrol or white spirits?

^this. A quick link and a drop of petrol.

onmebike

magicbastarder wrote: »

have you considered soaking it in petrol or white spirits?

ED E wrote: »

^this. A quick link and a drop of petrol.

I've considered it but always thought it to be a bit more work...especially during dirty winter weather where I might be cleaning the chain more than once a week.

What's the drill - an old bottle, white spirits in it, give it a shake and leave it for 15 mins or so? Do you rinse the white spirits off or just let it dry out, reattach and lube?

magicbastarder

i meant soaking the degreasing box, rather than the chain. i've only ever soaked a chain like that once - it's quite aggressive and will strip out any lube whatsoever. there's a school of thought that you should leave the 'deep seated' lube intact when cleaning a chain.

onmebike

I might give that a go...see if it cleans the degreaser up at all.

I'd say any deep-seated lube is pretty washed away at this stage anyway with plenty of wet cycles and cleaning.

Lemming

If you are concerned about the internal brushes no longer being effective, some chain cleaners have replacement brush sets, e.g. Park tools, and I would be surprised if Muc-off don't do too for theirs. No idea if halfords chain cleaners - I didn't even know Halfords did one - can do similar but worth checking.

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

... i've only ever soaked a chain like that once - it's quite aggressive and will strip out any lube whatsoever..

Diesel or Kerosene are better for the chain as they leave a bit of a film and it doesn't dry out like petrol/white spirit.

(Petrol/white spirit does leave it beautifully clean all the same).

ED E

onmebike wrote: »

I've considered it but always thought it to be a bit more work...especially during dirty winter weather where I might be cleaning the chain more than once a week.

What's the drill - an old bottle, white spirits in it, give it a shake and leave it for 15 mins or so? Do you rinse the white spirits off or just let it dry out, reattach and lube?

Coil, in a glass jar, shake. Leave it for the time it takes to brush the cassette with same. Rinse both, chain on again, lube up.

I'd only do it every now and then, that clears the worst stuff off and leaves it spotless. Then the week to week cleaning is basically just a rinse.

jimmycrackcorm

I use two toothbrushes taped together. Cheap to replace.

07Lapierre

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I use two toothbrushes taped together. Cheap to replace.

I use two of these:

https://www.woodies.ie/homewares/cleaning/brushes-mops-buckets/dosco-nylon-grip-nail-brush-703588

I use a sponge to apply the degreaser to the chain. then run the chain through two of these brushes taped together. I then rinse the chain and the brushes with water.

Lewotsil

Any recommended degreasers ?