There was a thread on here a couple of months ago I meant to save but forgot and can’t find now – it was alternative eco friendly bike wash stuff to the (expensive) pink muc off, in 5 litre containers. There were quite a few other (cheaper) suggestions for stuff that works as well or better – any tips of what it was again? cheers

Fenwicks?

https://www.evanscycles.com/fenwicks-fs1-degreaser-and-cleaner-5l-00132518

Google “TFR”

Mixed correctly it cost pennies a litre and is basically the same thing as MucOff.

Works better in my opinion.

You can get Mucoff 5 litres on BOGOF deal at Tweeks

It’s called “washing up liquid”.

I usually go for supermarket own-brand.

Sorry to hijack but do you mean this Neal?

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/p/-/-/-/-/?542771930&0&cc5_103&gclid=CjwKEAjwjPXIBRDhwICRg-DbgHISJADP6QXpZ02gHQVPl-NybE6TIb6Ht94vhjpMMpHxjhvQcELnpRoCoP7w_wcB

Looking for a cheap cleaner myself.

+1 for washing up liquid.

Why you’d spend money on Muc-Off is beyond me. Is there something special in it that makes it any different to washing up liquid?

Sorry to hijack but do you mean this Neal?

I’d go for this…….. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272138446555

Even mixed at double strength, you are getting
200 litres of cleaner for Just over a Fiver.

Cheaper than washing up liquid, and works far better too.

Spray it on, leave it 5 mins and hose it off. Spotless bike.

[edited to correct maths]

Fenwick’s bike wash. My bike is a bike, not cutlery or crockery. Or a car.
So I use bike cleaner on it and Fenwicks lasts for ages.

Recently discovered that soap flakes and hot water is the daddy of all bike cleaners.

I got 10.litres from tweaks for 20 something. I dilute 2 to 1 part water so it’s really 15 litres so just over a quid a litre. That’s cheaper than fairy for sure

I like Fenwicks as a degreaser if i’ve let things get ridiculously filthy and need them clean again. That’s when I deploy the FS1 in whatever dilution I see fit – usually 1+9 but I’ve used it much stronger than this on very filthy things before now.

Most of the time it’s over engineered for the job of general bike cleaning and possibly damaging – degreasers and things you don’t want degreasing are a pointless combination. There’s persistent muttering about painted finishes being softened by citrus cleaners and needing a couple of days to reharden although a quick google hasn’t shown up any substantiation for that.

I could see plain soap flake and warm water working well.

I can understand why washing up liquid would be a bad idea as it’s a bad idea for cars too – that salt content. Great for dishes. Car shampoo and I’m struggling to see a downside though. It’s designed for basically the same application and range of finishes, often has desirables like mild wax built in… I’m biassed as I use car shampoo myself when washing bikes, but I can’t see why MucOff or FS1 should be regarded as a better product apart from on the oily bits if they need a degreaser (and they shouldn’t every time, really…) Indeed, if you go and check out MorganBlue bike wash, it’s very much a car shampoo type product and not a MucOff/FS1 type degreaser.

This has been proven to be bollocks

hiya, it’s called Green Oil and it really works. I’ve been using it for years now on mtb and road

Isn’t it screw fix degreaser?

I use Rhino Goo, I bought 10 litres about 3 years ago and it still going.

I am a fan of Rhino goo too. There used to be reports of muck off and washing up liquid knackering seals and for legs. I don’t know if it is true but rhino goo for four years has been great at cleaning and nothing has gone wrong..

water, it doesn’t contain any degreasers or detergents.

Muc-off lasts ages if used sparingly, spray on, generally avoiding stanchions, droppers, seals etc, leave for 20 seconds or so, hose on a light sprinkle, use brush, job done. I have used it like that for years on all the bikes without any deleterious effects.

I suspect that all these spray cleaners are chemically much the same, and not too different to car shampoo, and a bit less salty than washing up liquid (if that matters, which I doubt)

The thing is, MucOff does a really good job, which is why people use it.

But it also does a REALLY GREAT job of marketing, because all they are selling is premixed bright pink TFR in a fancy looking bottle.

But they sell it for £5.00 per litre.

When you can buy the same product and mix it yourself for just over £0.02 per litre.

Geniuses that make Redbull look like amateurs 😆

washing up liquid has quite a bit of salt in it and I would not recommend it
why do people spend a ton of cash on bikes then bark at a tenner’s worth of cleaning stuff .
doesn,t make sense
tfr strips polish from cars & is the main cause of dullness on paintwork so again not recommended on bikes even diluted

thanks simon juice lubes 🙂

I’ve seen a couple of people mention TFR, I would not advise this at all!

We use it at work for cleaning down agricultural machinery and our transport fleet, it’s pretty hardcore stuff and although it cuts through dirt well it’s brutal on old paintwork and plastic parts.

We’ve had numerous older machines come in red and leave pink after they’ve been through the wash bay!

washing up liquid has quite a bit of salt in it and I would not recommend it

Isn’t it screw fix degreaser?

been using the swarfega oil greaser remover, just about to run out, how does it compare?

Use it neat for chain cleaning in a lucozade bottle* and diluted for washing bike

*other wide mouthed bottles are available but it seems that’s the local littering ****s tipple of choice

tfr strips polish from cars & is the main cause of dullness on paintwork so again not recommended on bikes even diluted

TFR doesn’t strip wax (I presumed that’s what you meant) from cars.
(But even if it did, who waxes their bike)

And one of its main reasons for existing, is to remove dirt particles and contaminants from the paintwork prior to the use of sponges/wash mitt etc.
Protecting the paintwork from micro abrasion which causes dullness over time.

When I worked as a valeter/detailer I did paintwork care and restoration courses at 3M and other manufacturers, and they all recommend TFR as a pre treatment to protect paintwork from damage during later stages of cleaning/rectification.

I’ve seen a couple of people mention TFR, I would not advise this at all!

We use it at work for cleaning down agricultural machinery and our transport fleet, it’s pretty hardcore stuff and although it cuts through dirt well it’s brutal on old paintwork and plastic parts.

We’ve had numerous older machines come in red and leave pink after they’ve been through the wash bay!

You are either…
1. Using caustic TFR (not for paintwork)
2. Not Mixing your TFR according to the instructions.

I used it daily, on very high end cars, for years and never experienced anything like you describe.

some divisive thoughts on washing up liquid 🙂

why, is it that bad if it being rinsed off ?

I use some fenwicks stuff you dilute yourself so can make about 10l for a tenner.
But washing up liquid does a great job tbh. Good degreaser too. Salt content is negligible. Not sure I’d use it on a car though as it strips wax etc, a car specific shampoo is better. For bikes I dont really care.

For those that use car shampoo, do you just use wash and wax? If so does it leave a film on brake discs?

It’s what I use, and my rear brake squeals a lot unless I clean it after with alcohol. Just wondered if others experience this too?

why, is it that bad if it being rinsed off ?

Cos folk have read it somewhere, believed it, and spouted it as gospel.

TFR doesn’t strip wax (I presumed that’s what you meant) from cars.
(But even if it did, who waxes their bike)

me 🙁

Poah, that’s ok, you can still use TFR. It doesn’t strip wax off 🙂

Not as cheap as some of the “home brew”/creative solutions, but £4 for a litre of this is a fair deal, and it works very well:

http://www.wilko.com/all-bike-parts+accessories/wilko-bike-cleaner-spray-1l/invt/0342667

nealglover – Member

Poah, that’s ok, you can still use TFR. It doesn’t strip wax off

yeah it does

This doesn’t strip wax, is made in UK, safe on rubber and plastics and costs a £1 from wilkos

Ducksmart Bike wash stuff

Ducksmart Bike wash stuff

More expensive than Muc-Off – the OP is trying to go in the opposite direction, isn’t he?

Bought this stuff in the end, thanks for the tips:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112001102066?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Combo TFR and shampoo, dilutable, both very handy for doing bikes, motorbikes and van. Hopefully will last ages. Both seem good from first impressions.