Your Guide to Bike Cleaners & Degreasers
A clean bike is a fast, reliable, and happy bike. Keeping your frame and components free of grit extends their lifespan and saves you money. This guide explains the difference between the two main cleaning products: cleaners and degreasers.
Bike Cleaner vs. Bike Degreaser: What's the Difference?
It's simple: one is for the whole bike, and one is just for the greasy parts.
- Bike Cleaners: This is your all-purpose bike wash. It's formulated to be gentle and safe on all surfaces, including your frame, paint, brakes, and carbon fiber. It's designed to remove general dirt, mud, dust, and trail grime.
- Bike Degreasers: This is a strong solvent built for one job: to dissolve and remove heavy grease, oil, and old lube from your drivetrain (your chain, cassette, chainrings, and derailleur). You should not spray degreaser all over your bike, as it can strip essential grease from bearings and damage sensitive parts like brake pads.
How to Clean Your Bike: The Right Steps
- Prep: Rinse your bike with a low-pressure hose to remove loose mud and grit.
- Degrease: Apply a drivetrain degreaser directly to your chain, cassette, and derailleurs. Use a brush to scrub these parts until the old, black grime is broken up.
- Wash: Spray the entire bike, including the freshly scrubbed (but not yet rinsed) drivetrain, with an all-purpose bike cleaner.
- Rinse: Thoroughly rinse the entire bike with low-pressure water, making sure to wash off all degreaser and soap.
- Dry & Lube: Dry the bike, paying special attention to the chain. Once the chain is completely dry, apply fresh chain lubricant.
Special Tips for Mountain Bikes & E-Bikes
- Mountain Bikes: After a muddy ride, a foaming bike cleaner can be very effective at clinging to surfaces and lifting stubborn dirt. A strong degreaser is essential for keeping your MTB drivetrain shifting smoothly.
- E-Bikes: Cleaning an e-bike is easy, but you must be careful. Always power down the bike and, if possible, remove the battery before washing. Never spray water directly at high pressure onto the motor, battery contacts, or handlebar display.
