How to clean bicycles
How to clean bicycles

HOW TO CLEAN A BICYCLE


What You Need

  • Hose or bucket of water
  • Chain lubricant
  • Empty container (optional)

Regular bike cleaning and washing does more than keep your bicycle looking good – it prevents accelerated damage or corrosion from dirt and grease build-up that can chew into your drivetrain and other mechanical parts. Cleaning on a schedule can also help you find wear and tear at the start, and as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or, in this case, some costly repairs.


Cleaning a road bike monthly is advised, while a mountain bike will require more frequent upkeep. Cleaning is also advised any time you ride in muddy or wet conditions.

Directions For Cleaning A Bike:

  1. Rinse down your bike with hose, sponge or wet cloth - Use a hose or bucket of water and a sponge or cloth to wet the entire surface of your bike.
  2. Clean the drivetrain - Spray Simple Green Bike Cleaner & Degreaser directly into your drivetrain, use a toothbrush to work into smaller areas and penetrate tough grime, dirt & grease.
  3. Clean the chain – You can soak your chain in Simple Green, or hand-clean it directly.
    • For soaking: Remove the chain from your bike, and submerge it in a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water in a bucket or other container. Soak the chain for 5-7 minutes before rinsing with water and thoroughly drying. Re-lubricate the chain prior to putting it back on your bike
    • For hand cleaning. Use a cloth soaked in Simple Green to loosely wrap around the chain, and run the pedal so the chain moves through the cloth. For dirtier chains, you’ll need to use a scrub brush or toothbrush to work out the grime, being careful to work out any buildup between the gears.
  4. Rinse - Rinse the bike with fresh water, then check to make sure you’ve shifted all the grime off the bike, gently brushing again before rinsing where necessary.
  5. Lube the chain – Slowly pedal the bike, dripping the lubricant onto the links as they move. Wipe off any excess lubricant.
 

Bonus tip: Use Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner as a laundry pre-treat to remove grime and grease from your cleaning cloths. Dampen the cloths with water, apply full-strength Simple Green and rub in gently. Wash as usual.

WHERE TO BUY

Bunnings Warehouse
Mitre10
Itm
Opd
Placemakers
Archant
Ccr Nz
Counter Concepts Nz
Counties Cleaning
Pet Nz
Pet Essentials Nz
Pet Stock
Read Bros Hardware
Waikato Cleaning
Hammer Hardware
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