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What products & methods do people use for cleaning their chain?
Ideally I'd like a liquid I can soak my chain in overnight that magically destroys the gunk.
I normally spend about about 45 mins with a nail brush, a rag & normal bike cleaner, but it's those bits of gunk in the middle of the links that I struggle with.
Get the bike in the stand and spray the chain and a rag with GT 85. Run the chain through the rag, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe the chain. Spray some more GT85 on the chain and a clean bit of rag and wipe, wipe, wipe. When you're down to bare metal, use a brush or a cotton bud to clear the bits of gunk you describe from between the plates.
Now, search your garage/shed or cave for anything that remotely resembles wet lube, and throw it away.
Use a wax or ceramic lube to lube your chain. Then, next time you finish riding, wipe your chain as above and relube.
I use white spirit. I have an empty bottle, add a little spirit, add the chain, put on the lid, shake for a bit an then leave to soak. Remove chain and leave dirt to settle and add the clear spirit back to the fresh stuff. Works for.me.
I'm sure you can use other solvents with no bother.
I only clean mine every month or so ("summer" bike - ss hardly ever and only roughly cleaned then)
screw top tupperwarey type pot with bio-degreaser in it
drop in chain, lid on, shake/swish for a bit
take out chain, hold in hot water stream under a tap to blast out any klingons and hang to drip, then airing cupboard overninght or GT85 if in a hurry. refit, wipe, lube
every now & then decant off the cleanish dgreaser and pour the sediment onto an old rag