Just watched that little video on the page, the Dr recommends using washing up liquid. I was always told not to use it on your car as washing up liquid contains lots of salt & you don’t want the residue left on that could cause corrosion.
Any one else think washing up liquid is wrong?

Never done my bikes any harm.

Use it all the time and never had a problem with bearings etc. And I ride alot in winter.

Also do it. Wouldn’t use it on my car though. Dunno why.

Usually use Zip Wax now, and WUL on the transmission.

Been using washing up liquid to wash bikes for over 20 years now,rinse after ,never any problems

This issue comes up repeatedly and the “salt” thing has been debunked as many times.

Is it not because you want your car to look shiny that you use something other than Fairy? Another vote for washing up liquid here.

Probably just an etiquette thing a bit like ketchup with an English breakfast.

Washing up liquid here too. I use a spray bottle like the Dr, big squirt of washing up liquid in a 3/4 full bottle of warm water. The trouble with a lot of car shampoo is that it contains varying amounts of wax to make the paintwork shiny, not good for disc brake performance.

WUL cuts grease so if you have spent time applying wax to your car using WUL will remove this and leave it unprotected.

I’ve been using water to wash my bikes for years…not sure why I’d want to use soap in that water?

It contains salt. It can rust metal if not rinsed off (I have seen this myself with non stainless-steal knives left to soak).

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/behind_the_label/268721/behind_the_label_fairy_liquid.html

The anecdotes that it is used and doesn’t do any harm is non-scientific. Unless everyone has some magic everlasting bikes, surely bearings and other parts up to and including the frame are lubed, maintained, and eventually replaced, with corrosion being one of the main factors in that. Unless you actually do a proper test, say of 4 methods (no wash, wash in plain water, wash in bike cleaner, wash in dishwashing liquid), the argument is conjecture, but still the fact remains that washing up liquid contains salt.

surely bearings and other parts up to and including the frame are lubed, maintained, and eventually replaced, with corrosion being one of the main factors in that.

non scientific?

My point is no one’s bike last forever, and it is unlikely that the exact failure vector is known (especially with bearings, which usually just start getting lumpy / noisy / stiff), therefore, saying “it doesn’t affect my bike” cannot be a factual conclusion without further evidence… IOW, it is purely anecdotal at best.

Would you wash your hair with fairy liquid? Shampoo your car with hair shampoo? Scrub the patio with shower gel? If not, why would you wash an expensive bike with washing up liquid? Laziness? Thriftiness?

Because it does the job?

Its no good on cars becsuse its too agressive and strips off the wax allong with the dirt. I cant see how salt would be a problem when you have to rinse it off with a hose anyway.

I use it because it’s a really good choice for shifting the dirt. I rinse it properly and I believe that it’s less harmful than animal poo or road salt that may be on the bike otherwise.

What question are we trying to answer here exactly? Does wul harm bikes? Or is wul noticeably more damaging to bike than a bike specific alternative?

Nikk I have washed my hair with washing up liquid in my poorer days and guess what it’s all still there and not gone rusty 😀 I have always used washing up liquid to wash my bikes VERY dilute amount in bucket of water household sponge rinse with hose set on low pressure no problem so far and yes iam a tight wad when it comes to bike washing kit 😐

Beaten to the hair / fairy liquid point! Darn my slow server.

Pretty much use anything to wash my bike… Other than specific bike cleaners. Never use those; too expensive and never really seem to work anyway. Car shampoo, Fairy when the wife isn’t looking. Oddly enough the best thing for everything, bar the transmission, is plain water and a brush.