Degreasing parts - what to use?

[dyna-ti]

Thinners
If its the mechs then pound shop equivalent of gt85 is very good as its pressure helps it penetrate and blast the bits off
Cassette.Best you scrape the majority of the gunk off first,if you can immerse the whole thing in a solvent that would be easiest,then attack it with a toothbrush
Use the edge of a tea towel in between the sprockets to get the gunk out and dry it off
Muc-off is great for the rest of the bike and is safe around hydraulics
Putting the chain in a 2ltr coke bottle with thinners or paraffin and shaking hard is a good trick to cleaning the chain without getting covered in oil.

 

[xerxes]

I use Gunk or a similar engine degreaser by another brand, I think the stuff I have at the moment is called Comma Hyperclean.

Work it in with a brush, or use it in a garden sprayer, then you can wash off the residue with water and leave it to dry. That way there's no solvent left to contaminate the oil or grease that you apply when you reassemble the part.

 

[karlomanx]

White Spirit is the only thing you need for degreasing. Best is bathing your parts in a box and of course scrub with the mandatory old toothbrush. Open air and plastic gloves are too.
After use put the WS back in a bottle that you'll leave for a while on a shelf so the grime falls at the bottom. Next time just pour slowly the WS in the box. That way you can use the WS again and again.
Not totally environmentally friendly but close.

Diesel is too oily to degrease quickly and thoroughly.
Gasoline or thinners are very dangerous to use : extremely flamable and solvent, they can penetrate deeply the skin (severe burns or skin cancer here !).

Baby wipes made of synthetic fabric are okayish if you don't use a lot of them.

 

[brocklanders023]

I use some gear called Deepio. Think you can get it from Bookers. Leave any parts in a bucket with that stuff and it'll come up like new!

 

[MagD]

Old electric / battery tooth brush - same brush head as current toothbrush, so when they are worn out for use on teeth they are nice and soft for use on bike parts.....

 

[retroklein]

i used some "bikehut" citrus degreaser yesterday, its crap don't waste your money...

I went back to using white spirit which is excellent the "bikehut" degreaser was good for getting the white spirit off afterwards

 

[mikeekim89]

if your a mechanic type, use brake cleaner, works good on metals, just dries fast, NOT for plastic as it turns it white

 

[bmystcl]

Gunk or Muc-off

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

I use what ever i have arround, so usually Petrol, Thinners or Meths.