Muc Off question

bikeit65

Simple really can Muc Off be diluted?

TheEnglishman

Yes, but I've seen what it can do if you put it on neat and then forget about it, especially bare alloy! Nasty stuff it can be!

My favourite is Castrol Greentec. It's cheaper than SDoc 100 and just as good, without the damage that other products can do to paintwork/alloys etc.

YMMV

bikeit65

Any idea what dilution rate to use?

TheEnglishman

The more dilute the less it cleans. The question is why do you want to dilute it? I think you're on a loosing track if you're trying to make it last longer - just use cheap car wash stuff - a gallon of that is a fiver and it'll last ages if all you're cleaning is 1 bike.

The idea behind these 'high tech' cleaning solutions is to turn a 30 minute job with bucket and sponge into a 5 minute 'squirt the stuff on, leave it for a bit, then jet wash it off.

In short there's no limit to the amount to dilute it - it just doesn't work as well the more dilute it gets.

bikeit65

I want to dilute so there is less risk i will do any harm to my bikes, what cheap car wash stuff are you referring to, i do a lot of car detailing and have different products lying around the garage, so maybe try some of that, just imagined it would do the bike paintwork harm.

TheEnglishman

Well if you don't want to harm your bikes, but still keep them clean then don't use Muc Off at all.

Really - SDoc 100 is the absolute best stuff around but it's expensive. Castrol GreenTec (in Halfrauds) is great(my choice) and not quite that expensive. Cheap wise, a gallon of Halfrauds car shampoo and some elbow grease.

My only worry is that bicycles have loads of things that aren't sealed bearings or have nooks that need lubrication and I don't want them clagged with soap. But I'm coming from a background of motorbikes which can get a lot muddier, IME :P

bikeit65

I will give the Castrol Green Tec a go, but in the meantime i use an APC when cleaning cars i will use that, better safe that sorry.
How do you normally use the Green Tec stuff?

TheEnglishman

I get the really caked on mud and stuff off first (when I was allowed to use a hosepipe). Let it dry for a bit so you're not spraying the goo on dripping paint/engine. Say 30 mins? Less on a bicycle I guess. Then just squirt, leave for 5 mins, as per instructions, then hose/jet wash off. Just be careful firing a jet washer around bearing assemblies etc - but I'm sure you know all that. Thinking out loud - it could be interesting getting concentrated soap solution on bar tape - it'll be foamy for ever!

I think one of the guys on here? removed the chain and jet washes that separately - I guess you could get all the dirt out of the links that way. I'm just used to motorbikes using oil as a cleaning fluid where the oil/dirt mix is thrown off the chain - obviously this doesn't happen on a bicycle. But perhaps I'm being anal - I don't know just how 'clean' you want the result to be.

andy46

Whats wrong with Muc Off? I use it all the time and never had any problems, it's supposed to be safe to use all over the bike.

bikeit65

My work mate was washing his bike and must have left Muc Off on too long as all the decals melted and his brake calibers are no longer shiny.