Cleaning your bike might not be the most exciting part, but it can be enjoyed when you’re using good, effective products that require little fuss or time.
Giving your bike a full clean should be part of its regular maintenance, especially if you use it a lot. It’s important because it not only keeps it clean and shiny, but it also helps to get rid of any grit and dirt that can damage the body of the bike and protect against rust.
Cleaning a bicycle can be therapeutic and another way of enjoying your biking passion. This blog post will show you the best way to clean a bike. Whether you own a road bike, mountain bike, hybrid bike (or all three), are a professional cyclist, mountain biker or if cycling is your transport to work, this guide will run you through the best way to maintain your bike and make it stand out. Follow our instructions for a fuss free, easy yet professional, full bike clean.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Dirtbusters Chain Cleaner & Degreaser
Dirtbusters Foaming Bike Cleaner
Bucket and sponge OR a hose
Old rags/cloths
Optional: chain cleaning tool, chain lube, chain and bike brush (if lots of old, dry mud)
CLEANING A BIKE CHAIN:
Giving your bicycle chain a regular clean will help to keep it looking brand new as well as maintaining its performance. Making sure your chain does not build up with old grease and dirt will give your bike a much smoother ride, which is more fun for you and great for the bike’s condition. It’s your choice whether you clean your chain by hand with a chain cleaner, or if you use a chain cleaning tool to help you. Depending on how greasy your chain is will make a difference here.
Chain cleaning tools are an inexpensive piece of equipment that makes a lot of difference to cleaning your chain. It’s very effective and saves a lot of time, which is important if you’re eager to get out on the road!
Starting with the bike chain before the framework will avoid cleaning twice as grease and dirt often flicks up from the chain whilst cleaning it.
Firstly, tip your bike upside down, or if you have a bike stand place it on this so you can move the pedals with ease.
Then using Dirtbusters Chain Cleaner & Degreaser, wet a clean cloth with the solution and run the chain through the cloth. Work your way around the chain until satisfied.
Alternatively, you can use a chain cleaner tool. Dirtbusters Chain Cleaner & Degreaser can be used in a chain cleaning tool. Follow the instructions with the tool and clean the chain according to its instructions. Dirtbusters Chain Cleaner & Degreaser works best when left to dwell on the chain for around 5 minutes, so we recommend using a chain cleaning tool to give the best clean finish.
Next, clean the front and rear drive chains. You can do this manually on the bike by pouring Dirtbusters Chain Cleaner & Degreaser onto a clean cloth and cleaning the drive chains. Or to get a deeper clean, take the drive chains off and clean.
Afterwards, dry the chain and drive chains with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.
Dirtbusters Chain Cleaner & Degreaser is a biodegradable, safe but powerful formula. It’s blend of eco degreasers work to break down grease and dirt to leave a professionally clean bike chain.
CLEANING A BIKE FRAME:
Now you can focus on the rest of your bike. Turn the bike so it’s back on its wheels or keep it on the stand if it’s on one.
This is the easiest part of the clean, especially when using Dirtbusters Foaming Bike Cleaner. The solution is designed to give maximum dwell time with its foaming agents and foaming spray head. This product is kind to your bike yet highly concentrated and effective to give a professional clean.
To clean your bike’s frame, it’s as simple as spraying the foaming bike cleaner all over, leaving it to dwell for a few minutes, and then rinsing it off with a hose or bucket of clean water and a sponge. If your bike is super muddy, especially with old hard mud, it’s best to use a bike cleaning brush to agitate the mud and dirt before rinsing the foam off with clean water.
If you’re cleaning a mountain bike, they are often the hardest to clean due to the type of riding done so they tend to get extra dirty. Pay close attention to the suspension, you might need a smaller brush to clean this properly.
If you’re cleaning a hybrid/commuting bike, they are usually straight forward to clean. However some have mudguards so don’t forget to clean these. You can also take mudguards off to clean them properly.
After rinsing off to reveal a clean frame, use a clean and dry microfibre to buff the bicycle frame dry. This will leave a gleaming, polished bike. You’ll be set for best performance on your next ride.
Don’t forget to lubricate any moving parts on your bike e.g. the chain and the breaks after cleaning your bike.