Hey guys, basically installing a new drivetrain (cassette, 2 new chain rings and and a new chain). Obviously these new parts are new, but I I have some old parts such as one chain ring, crank, the derailleur etc which are really filthy. I was wondering If just cleaning them with dish soap is okay? Obviously I would lube everything up afterwards, this is just to remove the crap in there. I’ve got these two bottles at home and wondering what you would suggest.
by Capable-Mechanic9869
22 Comments
Yes, you can use dish soap. I personally use dawn as it cuts grease the best.
I would check to make sure it ok on metal maybe try a small area first make sure it’s ok . I would go for the all purpose cleaner.
bikes are not made of glass, and metal wont dissolve on contact with dishsoap, all the overpriced bike specific cleaners in any form, are just variations of car products or have some poor excuse to be “bike specific” tailored for the people who think a carbon bike will disintegrate if you park it wrong.
go for it, i use dawn soap or the similar brand of yellow/green dishsoap you have on all my stuff, rinse it well and dry with a cloth, lube after drying and mind the bearings, any product that is not grease (including superfancy overpriced bike specific cleaner), will turn the grease into mayonaisse if you blast water at it.
I wouldn’t. Dish soap usually contains a high concentration of salt. If you don’t remove all the salt post clean them expect corrosion.
Look for something that is oil based like white spirit or even diesel.
I used a cloth dipped in white spirit to clean derailleurs and cranks and diesel to clean chains. Have been using them for years with no issues and 5000+ miles a year.
Asked the same question at my local shop, I was told to keep the dish soap away from my brake rotors.
The Park Tool YouTube video on how to clean a bike uses dish soap
yes. i also wash discs with it and brakepads with liquid soap if they are squeaking.
All I use is dawn , if it works for penguins covered in oil it’ll work for my drivetrain
Yeah, that’s my cleaner of choice (well, not that exact one, but you got the point). The only downside – it might be too liquid and not convenient.
For once in a while dish soap is ok if you have no acces to other detergents. For long term home use not recommended. I am also not necessarily advocate of bikespesific products, some general purpose cleaner gets the job done. Also not all dishsoaps contain salts, which is the component causing issues.
0-2 times a year I see a bike that is absolutely spotless and shiny but derailleurs and screws completely seized up because the tiny ammount of salts in dish soap have caused some internal corrosion and things that should move don’t anymore, but they look absolutely pristine.
edit ps. atleast some if not most of those situations have been due to washing the bike, poorly rinsing it of and then leaving the bike unused due to winter or holiday, and when returning to bike nothing moves.
Yes. I read somewhere anything citrus based, so with lemon really, is best. Don’t remember why. But use it myself and gets things perfectly clean.
Yes, I’ve been doing so for years and have had zero problems.
Dish soap is extremely salty.
I have experimented with cleaning chains in a heated ultrasound bath prior to dipping them in molten wax.
Using dish soap at an elevated temp resulted in a lot of rust after 15 minutes. I’ve settled on a kitchen degreaser called Jantex. I use this diluted with water as a final step after degreasing with an organic solvent.
The finish line citrus degreaser is the best thing I have personally tried.
You can use white spirits or even kerosene both are much cheaper than finish line and still very effective degreasers.
Yes
Yep classic degreaser, hence getting those greasy plates and cooking utensils clean
Yes, and a Park Tool cyclone/Pedro chain pig to make the chain scrubbing easy. I tried soaking—doesn’t work on its own.
I use Dawn as a scrubbing soap (pulleys, cassette, chainring) and half-strength Simple Green for my chain degreaser (to use in a chain cleaner). Been working great for 3 decades.
I only use no tears J&J shampoo. Good enough for a baby. Good enough for my bike chain
You can also use the purple Simple Green. It works well. Dawn also works. If you switch to wax, your bike will be much cleaner.
Dish soap in general could be fine. Your dish soap in particular might have issues. [Simple green has been known to make chains brittle](https://silca.cc/en-ca/blogs/silca/hydrogen-embrittlement-can-you-really-break-a-chain). Take a look at those ingredients and see if there’s citric acid or other acids in it.
Edit: see this more informed comment about hydrogen embrittlement: https://www.reddit.com/r/bikewrench/comments/1i8d7h7/can_i_use_dish_soap_to_wash_my_drivetrain/m8t4lap/
It has salts in. Which will promote rust so no.
would love to see someone touch on the biodegradable aspects? my understanding is whatever will come off the bike will be released into the environment/sewers so you want to use biodegradable cleaner, but dish soap wouldn’t be biodegradable?