Bike cleaning n' flats

greasedscotsman

How do people manage? If you live in flat, apartment or somewhere without any garden or outdoor space, how do you wash a bike?

navrig2

Find a grassy area and take a bucket and sponge. Even Glasgow will have grassy areas. ;-)

CHRISNOIR

When I lived in a first floor flat I used to clean my bike in the bath with the showerhead. Yes, this is a bit scruffy but it had the added bonus of encouraging me to clean the bathroom thoroughly afterwards.

KnightOfTheLongTights

greasedscotsman wrote:

How do people manage? If you live in flat, apartment or somewhere without any garden or outdoor space, how do you wash a bike?

Not very often.
It's a flippin pain - I'm never buying a first-floor flat again.
At the moment I just take the bike out the front door - we do have a small area at the front before the pavement so there is only a wheel stuck out into the street, which is a fairly quiet one.
Then it's one bucket of soapy water and one of clear water down the stairs (plus all the usual degreaser etc).
I leave bike in the shared hallway for half an hour to dry out before taking it back up to the flat.

Phil_D

I live in a bungalow with a detached garage with a hosepipe and tap between the two and yet I never clean my bike. Where there's a will there's a way.

lostboysaint

Phil_D wrote:

I live in a bungalow with a detached garage with a hosepipe and tap between the two and yet I never clean my bike. Where there's a will there's a way.

peat

If no outdoor space at all, then in the shower.

If you have a bit of outdoors to play with but no hose etc, I leave a (filled) portable sprayer & cleaning gear just inside the door before i leave so I can give it a once over before i take it inside. Then leave it on a bit of newspaper to catch the drips.

dj58

Anyone tried one of those waterless "show and shine" type products on their bike? Did it remove the grit and grime without scratching the paint finish? Always been a bit sceptical about those claims and can't imagine it would be any good on the brake pads and wheel rims.

photonic69

Babywipes are good. The cheaper the better. Also cleans the grease from your fingers. Quick dry off with a microfibre and you are done.

w00dster

Bath and cleaned with the shower. I lived in a city centre development, was much simpler than carrying cleaning gear down to communal area.
To be honest, I miss how simple cleaning it used to be. Now I'm in a house, the missus' house at that, bike has to be cleaned in the garden with a bucket of soapy water and a cheap packet of baby wipes. In the bath it was nice and easy to clean the chain and cassette, I just used the shower on a low jet and used an old toothbrush.

jordan_217

DJ58 wrote:

Anyone tried one of those waterless "show and shine" type products on their bike? Did it remove the grit and grime without scratching the paint finish? Always been a bit sceptical about those claims and can't imagine it would be any good on the brake pads and wheel rims.

DON'T! I use detailing sprays on cars and they are designed to remove light dust and finger prints. You'll get marring if you attempt to use them on heavily soiled bikes. Most will contain a wax and/or lubricating/ant-static agent to prevent dirt from sticking, so defo don't use on a braking surface.

Babywipes are good enough. Screwfix also sell big tubs of multipurpose/workshop wipes that look good for cleaning drivetrain components.

MichaelW

The problem I found was security. Some passing scumbag will nick your bike/wheels/tools when your back is turned or when you pop inside to refill your bucket.

alihisgreat

Whilst I was at uni I'd fill my two water bottles up after a ride, then use muc-off and a brush and microfiber cloth to clean it.

This works ok in winter when the bike is wet/damp already so having limited water is fine.

Then I used GT85 to flush the crap out of the chain, use it after most rides and you won't get an accumulation of crap that would require a serious clean, at least for a while.

on-yer-bike

The bath. The tyres stop the bath from being ruined. If its very dirty I wouldnt use baby wipes before getting the worse off with water as they wont float the dirt off.

g00se

This stuff that bike radar reviewed the other week may be useful for where you can find water (petrol station hand car wash)?

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/u ... -in-42506/

http://www.scottoiler.com/uk/products/u ... ution.html

type:epyt

2 jaycloths, one wet, one dry, and just do it in the hallway of your block.

Just remember to run the wet cloth over the tyres before taking it in the house so no mess on the floor/carpet.

When your bike gets too messy for this method then it's a bucket of water round the back of the block.

I managed fine for 15 years with this method.

chris_bass

Go to a friend or family member's house near by who does have outside space?

greasedscotsman

Thanks for all the replies, looks like I've found a place with a garden!