Muc off cleaner or equivalent

coolboarder

Im guessing im not the only person on here who likes the Muc Off cleaner. Actually ive just finished off the Hope equivalent which was very good. The thing is though, it is quite expensive so it got me wondering if any body has found a cheaper equivalent or something thats readily available around the home. Yes i know you cant beat a proper soapy wash but these cleaners are pretty good especially if you`re short of time. Any one tried fairy liquid. Say 50 50 with water ?


Rob.

T1berious

The problem with Fairy or a lot of household cleaners is they contain loads of salt, which damages the bike and does bad things for the group set.

I remember reading this in Singletrack hence why Muc off does such a roaring trade



Plus there's no question marks about using it on disc brakes etc. I've tried a few other bike cleaners but tend to always go back to Muc off.

Old Pedaller

coolboarder wrote:

Im guessing im not the only person on here who likes the Muc Off cleaner. Actually ive just finished off the Hope equivalent which was very good. The thing is though, it is quite expensive so it got me wondering if any body has found a cheaper equivalent or something thats readily available around the home. Yes i know you cant beat a proper soapy wash but these cleaners are pretty good especially if you`re short of time. Any one tried fairy liquid. Say 50 50 with water ?


Rob.

Buy 99p bottle of Elbow Grease at Semi Chem. It really does all that is claimed and, apart from cleaning the bike, will remove those black sprocket marks from your jeans where you brushed against the chainring in the garage.

fastandfuriousxc

Try some fenwicks fs-1

It dilutes with 10 parts water, so 11 litres for £9.99

I have been using for a while and it ranks very closely with muc off, possibly not quite as good, but at 5 times cheaper (per litre) definately the better option.

Also can be used as a degreaser neat

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fen ... gn=froogle

cat_with_no_tail

Fenwicks concentrate.

A 1l bottle makes 10l of cleaner, or you can use it neat as a degreaser, that makes it 1/5th the price of muc-off. Or you can go for the massive 5l bottle which would last until the end of time itself.

linky

edit: beaten to it by F&FXC :twisted:

stevet1992

Fenwicks + 2 !

BorisSpencer

Careful with the Fenwicks, it smells so great you may be tempted to have a little taste. :oops:

joshtp

fenwicks. one £10 bottle makes 10 bottles, if that makes sence. works great, is safe, and even smells good.

The Northern Monkey

T1berious wrote:

The problem with Fairy or a lot of household cleaners is they contain loads of salt, which damages the bike and does bad things for the group set.

I remember reading this in Singletrack hence why Muc off does such a roaring trade



Plus there's no question marks about using it on disc brakes etc. I've tried a few other bike cleaners but tend to always go back to Muc off.

Rubbish

Fairy/Daisy is fine on bikes. complete and utter BS that washing up liquid damages you're bike. I've been using it for years!
There's salt in rain and mud.... don't tell me you avoid that too?!

turnerjohn

bigbenj_08 wrote:

T1berious wrote:

The problem with Fairy or a lot of household cleaners is they contain loads of salt, which damages the bike and does bad things for the group set.

I remember reading this in Singletrack hence why Muc off does such a roaring trade



Plus there's no question marks about using it on disc brakes etc. I've tried a few other bike cleaners but tend to always go back to Muc off.

Rubbish

Fairy/Daisy is fine on bikes. complete and utter BS that washing up liquid damages you're bike. I've been using it for years!
There's salt in rain and mud.... don't tell me you avoid that too?!

Tis not BS as it does corrode your metal parts...IF you leave it on..as you wash it FULLY off it shouldn't be an issue. MucOff is still far better !

The Northern Monkey

:roll:

Northwind

If you insist on a "proper" cleaner then Fenwicks makes sense- though you'll probably find that you wear out the squirty bottles faster than you go through the spray.

Someone gave me a muc-off gift box for christmas so I'm using that just now (most times I use nothing, i just wash the bikes while the mud is still wet, clean the drivetrain properly and leave the rest) but usually I just use Tesco's Daisy general cleaner, which does give the impression it'll melt all the paint if you leave it on for 10 seconds too long, but it works and it costs basically nothing.

Doombrain

also Fenwicks

*AL*

Northwind wrote:

but usually I just use Tesco's Daisy general cleaner, which does give the impression it'll melt all the paint if you leave it on for 10 seconds too long, but it works and it costs basically nothing.

I use Tesco Daisy or whichever cheap APC I can steal from the Mrs to clean my bike, usually diluted 2:1 though.

Full strength APC is great for removing brake dust from your cars alloys

TowerRider

To be honest I don't understand all the various cleaning products - understand chain degreaser. For a bike clean I just park the bike against my back yard wall and spray it with the hose pipe, I may use a brush as well. I will then clean the chain and lube, dry and polish bike.

What dirt are you all going through that wont clean off with cold water, rag/sponge or brush? Or are you all leaving your bikes for days before cleaning it?

p.s I have a Muc Off kit that I purchased with my leisurelakes vip membership - used degreaser and after shine (wax?) product.

Radioactiveman

Seen this on eBay. Might get some and give it a go. Not sure about its claims of being non corrosive though.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/motocross-20L-DBC ... 070wt_1251

supersonic

You don't want to see what salt does if it gets in your fork or alu frame and decides to eat them... I have seen fork braces corroded all the way through!

Hercule Q

+1 for elbow grease. that stuff is brilliant

nickfrog

bigbenj_08 wrote:

T1berious wrote:

The problem with Fairy or a lot of household cleaners is they contain loads of salt, which damages the bike and does bad things for the group set.

I remember reading this in Singletrack hence why Muc off does such a roaring trade



Plus there's no question marks about using it on disc brakes etc. I've tried a few other bike cleaners but tend to always go back to Muc off.

Rubbish

Fairy/Daisy is fine on bikes. !

Do you wash your car with it too ?

coolboarder

I cant see fairy doing any more damage than commuting to and from work on the winter roads. If your jet washing/hosing off after, any problem salt is gone. I would have thought the salt in it any way is minimal compared to the neat stuff sprinkled all over the roads.

However, ive just tried a fairy/water mix in an empty muc off bottle on my very dirty work bike and it wasnt brilliant. After drying there was stains still there. OK if you have nothing else i guess. With the muc off or hope cleaner the bike is gleaming afterwards. If im honest im a little old school and agree a soapy sponge wash with elbow gease is best. BUT you guys that havent tried a proper cleaner yet just give it a go, i swear you will be impressed.

But this doesnt help the cost issue here so im going to be buying some of the Fenwicks mentioned above. Ive never heard of it but if you peeps say its good, well that good enough for me

ExeterSimon

Another Fenwicks fan.

While muc-off is good stuff it really is a rip-off.

snotty badger

I use Fenwicks, lasting me agggggeeeeesssssssssss!

Only time I use Fairy is on my dishes! Salts probably the active cleaning agent in it, no way I'd use it on my bike or car.

easyboy

Stardrops for that sparkling shine and Elbow grease
or
Fenwicks nice and shiny too
Although Muc-Off is good

lugsey2k5

+1 for fennix.

quick question if i can steal a little of this tread. how well do frame bearing seals stand up to bike cleaner a brush and a hose. i don't want to start slowly washing grease out of my shiny new zesty

Johnny Napalm

Fenwicks is next on my list to try. I'm currently using Weldtite Dirtwash, which is ok, but not as effective as Muc Off.

That said, I just usually hose down and clean with a brush, and then re-lube. I give the forks a good wipe with a clean cloth, and then apply the Fox oil to the uppers etc. Since I fitted a Bender Fender the forks stay remarkably clean nowadays...even in Wharncliffe!

Just out of interest, is Fenwicks safe to use on the forks?

mrfmilo

Fenwicks FS-1

James Woods

Baby wipes clean anything

Johnny Napalm

Johnny Napalm wrote:

Fenwicks is next on my list to try.

:oops:

I've just realised I bought some a couple of months ago as a degreaser, and never realised the bike-cleaning aspect! :roll:

richg1979

http://www.prestigepumps.co.uk/products ... trate.html

about £15 for 5L that makes 25L and loads better than muckoff.

sarkmeister

bigbenj_08 wrote:

T1berious wrote:

The problem with Fairy or a lot of household cleaners is they contain loads of salt, which damages the bike and does bad things for the group set.

I remember reading this in Singletrack hence why Muc off does such a roaring trade



Plus there's no question marks about using it on disc brakes etc. I've tried a few other bike cleaners but tend to always go back to Muc off.

Rubbish

Fairy/Daisy is fine on bikes. complete and utter BS that washing up liquid damages you're bike. I've been using it for years!
There's salt in rain and mud.... don't tell me you avoid that too?!

There isnt any salt in rainwater....