Answered Soapy water? Which soap?

[Beekeeper]

I’ve read that using soapy water is useful for cleaning e-bikes but which type?
I could use washing up liquid but that’s for dishes
Alternatively I could use my Autoglym pH neutral shampoo, but that’s for my car.

maybe I should just stick to very expensive bike Muc Off cleaner?

Or final option just use warm water only.

Any thoughts ?

 

[HORSPWR]

I'd just use a cheap PH neutral detergent or truck wash.

 

[118]

Or Fenwicks..

 

[KennyB]

Juice Lubes

 

[Pukmeister]

It looked like Nanette Newman had soft hands, can't be that bad for your bike surely ??

 

[Funkeydunk]

I bought 20lts of muc off from ebay For £33 Well it’s the pink soap that is marketed for motorbikes but happens to be the same solution they sell for mtb’s. The difference is much cheaper.
Gee bike Cleaner 25L- Free Tap bike motorcycle car Gets muc off fast! + 1 TAP | eBay

 

[TheBikePilot]

I just use a cheap car shampoo concentrate from Halfords. Put a 50/50 mix in a spray bottle and spray that on to soak before cleaning with a garden hose. Make sure the shampoo hasn’t got wax in it though.

I think Muc Off is a bit of an expensive con..

 

[Beekeeper]

I just use a cheap car shampoo concentrate from Halfords. Put a 50/50 mix in a spray bottle and spray that on to soak before cleaning with a garden hose. Make sure the shampoo hasn’t got wax in it though.

I think Muc Off is a bit of an expensive con..

A quick spray of that stuff and half the bottle is gone ?

 

[TheBikePilot]

A quick spray of that stuff and half the bottle is gone ?

What stuff, MucOff??

Yeh, it's 10 pounds a bottle so it's like 5 quid to clean the bike. Obviously, there are deals out there but it's a rip off. Now, of course, there's eBike stuff as well with the associated price hike..

Using Car Shampoo it's like 20p a wash or less..

 

[Beekeeper]

It looked like Nanette Newman had soft hands, can't be that bad for your bike surely ??

I’m not so sure. I understand a few people who wash their hands in that stuff need to be carted off to the Bearing Man afterwards ?

 

[Beekeeper]

What stuff, MucOff??

Yeh, it's 10 pounds a bottle so it's like 5 quid to clean the bike. Obviously, there are deals out there but it's a rip off. Now, of course, there's eBike stuff as well with the associated price hike..

Using Car Shampoo it's like 20p a wash or less..

Yeah I was referring to the pink Muc Off solution.
I have loads of Autoglym mild Ph neutral shampoo for the car and you only need a capful of that. Lasts ages.

 

[Beekeeper]

I bought a Worx hydroshot washer a year ago and it’s an incredible gadget for cleaning the car. I make sure it’s set to a gentle sprinkle for the e-bike. You get absolutely everything with it (attachments etc) even a foldable bucket to wash your bike before putting into the car. Rechargeable Also. I’d be lost without it. Bought a second battery but never needed to use it.

 

[TheBikePilot]

I bought a Worx hydroshot washer a year ago and it’s an incredible gadget for cleaning the car. I make sure it’s set to a gentle sprinkle for the e-bike. You get absolutely everything with it (attachments etc) even a foldable bucket to wash your bike before putting into the car. Rechargeable Also. I’d be lost without it. Bought a second battery but never needed to use it.
View attachment 20206

Oh wow...That's awesome..

 

[Zimmerframe]

Now, of course, there's eBike stuff as well with the associated price hike..

I'm a bit deflated by this thread, I saw the soap bit and thought it was about the breasts again. ?

For the ebike, dry sand rubbed all over is good for removing mud and avoids the problem of water ingress.

Muc off seems to work best with none gloss bikes ? I'm not sure if they have a de-ioniser mixed in to help remove water marks ? It seems to work exactly the same if you pour half out and dilute it 50% so that makes it slightly more economic.

 

[steve_sordy]

I bought 5 litres of the cheapest car shampoo I could find in Halfords (non-wax). It has no salt in it for starters. It works.

 

[Mikerb]

A detergent will strip grease and oil as well as mud so not the best stuff.....best kept for the dishes. If you use a silicon spray on the frame etc just warm water should be enough to clean the bike.

 

[R120]

I have the hydro shot as well and its a great bit of kit for car park cleaning - I just use a garden hose when at home, and whatever cleaner I can get a bulk deal on which usually tends to be Halfords own which they always seem to have some sort of offer on. I then use a washing up brush (50p form Wilko IIRC) and various old rags.

Fenwicks Foaming Chain cleaner is good stuff, when combined with their sponge, if you want to give your chain/drivetrain a quick clean down. ( I think Fenwicks products are the best of the proper bike cleaning brands)

foaming-chain-cleaner

The single best maintenance item I have got for my EMTB, and bikes in general is a Bike Dryer, which is basically a high powered hair dryer - dry the bike properly and gets all the water out of every nook and cranny. I have this one, but there are various similar things out their listed as dog dryers:

 

[Fire_2]

don't use muc off.
just use car wash/wax with a noodle mitt.

 

[Fivetones]

Like many have said, most decent car shampoos are good. They tend to be designed so that they don’t strip off waxes and last stage protection from the car so suit a bike.

 

[KennyB]

Juice lubes is used neat in a chain cleaner or diluted 1:10 as a bike wash so a tenner gets you 11 litres.

 

[Zimmerframe]

"Soapy water? Which soap?"

But more importantly.. which water ?

I personally find sparkling to be far more refreshing to work with and you get more bubbles for free.

 

[Beekeeper]

"Soapy water? Which soap?"

But more importantly.. which water ?

I personally find sparkling to be far more refreshing to work with and you get more bubbles for free.

Probably cheaper than Muc Off ?

 

[Gary]

a tiny amount of washing up liquid (@ about 0.2p a time) in a big bucket of hot water applied with a sponge/brush then rinsed off with plain (hot) tap water from a hose. So why worry?

 

[HORSPWR]

This is my go to cleaner for my bikes, cheap enough in bulk and you only need a capfull, especially awesome on the drive train:

Chemtech: Exterior Care - CT18

http://www.chemtech.net.au/CT18JUNE2010Features&Benefits.pdf

 

[TheBikePilot]

I’m betting our English soap beats the ozzy stuff hands down tomorrow ??

 

[HORSPWR]

I’m betting our English soap beats the ozzy stuff hands down tomorrow ??

Apparently you poms don’t go anywhere near soap ?
At least that pommy fat chick I picked up years ago didn’t know what it was?

 

[Pdoz]

I’m betting our English soap beats the ozzy stuff hands down tomorrow ??

pft, you guys use car wash and we Aussies use truck wash....good luck with that bet!

oh, cr@p, apparently my passport says I'm still a pome - probably explains the once a year lught sprinkling of water the bike gets

 

[Zimmerframe]

Apparently you poms don’t go anywhere near soap ?
At least that pommy fat chick I picked up years ago didn’t know what it was?

You didn't take her home via the truck wash ?

You Aussies, it's just root root root, never any foreplay.

 

[Beekeeper]

This is the French guy who invented the first soap bar in 1790. ?
He was always surrounded by people who asked him why his EMTB looked so amazingly clean after he returned from the trails.
Apparently his Bosch 500 battery still works after 200 years as he was careful to keep the charge between 40-80% at all times and never kept it outside ?

 

[Pdoz]

You didn't take her home via the truck wash ?

You Aussies, it's just root root root, never any foreplay.

I'm confused again. You meet at the truck wash, flick the dial to scrubber, hand over the gold coin....isn't that fore pay?