Fed up of muc-off et al prices, so what is the cheapest cleaning stuff that wont leave residue on discs, but will clean muck off well….
I already use a motor factors degreaser…

How often do you really need to clean your discs specifically? Personally I just spray some of the Fenwicks stuff from concentrate on the bike generally, then brush it about a bit. Doesn’t seem to matter if some gets on the discs. I then clean the chain with a chain cleaner full of the neat Fenwicks. Then rinse off with a hose.

Bounce a few times then leave to dry for 10-15 minutes, spray a bit of GT85 on the chain to get the water out, then regrease with lube. Mebbe a bit of GT85 on the mechs as well.

I don’t do this very often however. 😉

Fenicks caravan wash if you need to clean, meths for cleaning rotors.

It is more just general bike cleaning – but had a problem when mrs_oab and the kids cleaned all the bikes with carwash that left wax on everything…

grum +1 (i do exactly the same)

It’s the bike cleaning routine of champions 🙂

Big bottle of Zip Wax from Halfords, neat washing up liquid and a Finish Line Grunge Brush on the chain. Towel try, bit of GT85 on the chain.

Car wash from halfords. Kitchen cleaner for the chain cheap citrus based. Scrub chain with a nail brush.

White spirit for oily bits, washing up liquid in hot water for everything else.

Maybe some surgical spirit for disc rotors.

Pound land do a pink bike wash that comes in a familiar looking bottle. Its a pound obviously.

http://www.purpleharry.co.uk/Purple Harry

Isn’t poundland doing a muc-off esque bike cleaner for…err…a pound?

How much is the stuff from Poundland?

I purchased some car wash from poundland and i have to say it was crap, im going back to morrisons washing up liquid which is both cheaper and better.

I have some muc off at home but only cos someone baught it for me. Its all the same stuff just different colours.

I use a diluted down washing liquid of the type used in washing machines Arial Bold etc.
Watered down and put in an old muck-off sprayeer its economical too.

Works great and no bubbles,sidz everywhere.

Or isopropyl alcohol for the discs. Pretty handy for all sorts round the house. cleaning laptop/TV screens, paint from clothes, sticky label residue…

Elbow Grease – £1 in Semi Chem – good for oil stains on clothes too.

Washing-up liquid and a bucket of hot water
It’s yet to fail to produce a clean bike

washing up liquid and hot water. Will do just fine for everything. If your disks are that much in need of a clean, isopropyl or coca cola.

Aldi carvan cleaner £2.99 makes chuffin loads and hasn`t melted anything yet .

C,mon really.. jo,f**kin,joba shampoo on a bike!

Water for mud and a brush for dust, why use anything else?

Daisy all purpose cleaner from Tesco, costs about 99p for a litre or so.

Dilute it 2:1 for stubborn stuff of 4:1 for general cleaning.

grum +1

washing up liquid is allegedly not good for bikes

Washing up liquid, used it for 30 years & no probs.
Don’t believe people who want you to buy expensive “bike specific” product.

Fenwicks.

Hope SH1T shifter, about £13 for 5L, i mix 50/50.

1 litre bike cleaner from the 99p shop, sorted

Having tried all the above, Muc-Off works the best. That’s “when” I can be bothered. I just keep chucking more oil on. Better things to do than wash bikes religiously every ride.

H20 works great. I have some here.

Washing-up liquid has sodium chloride (salt)added to make it wash dishes better.Best thing I have found for general wash is Nikwax Tech Wash,normally for clothing.Use it on bikes and my car paint comes up super glossy,as good as any specialist wash,(it is only pure liquid soap after all).A tiny amount of it goes a long way too.You can get a good Muc-Off type cleaner off a friendly local garage,my wrench lets me have 5l at a tme mucho cheapo and it fine on discs,bribe your supplier with some brewtime doughnuts and charm!.The pink stuff I get loks/smells just like Muc-Off too.

Thanks for the tip cliffyc, i will add a pinch of salt to the mix for even better results!

Washing-up liquid has sodium chloride (salt)added to make it wash dishes better

Are you saying that’s a problem for washing bikes?

I’m a bit of a compulsive bike and car cleaner, I’ve got £00 s of cleaning stuff pro Karcher, snowfoam guns, wookie mitt, DA, and a selection of pro polishes and dodo waxes but for the bike usually use meguiars gold wash for most of the cleaning.
For an initial wash (especially if you can get a foaming spray bottle about £2 from decent car cleaning places) the best value all purpose cleaner is Daisy from Tesco, only about £1 a bottle but don’t use it neat for most cleaning dilute it down to either 50% if it’s something really greasy and dirty but normally to about 10% for most cleaning. I’ve tried some really expensive stuff but none of it’s been any better and lots has been worse.
Use finish line citrus for the drivetrain but it is pretty dear… Might try the fenwicks stuff myself for it tbh.