# Park Tool Chain Cleaner Question



## timberstone (Feb 20, 2009)

I picked up the Park Tool chain cleaner yesterday and have a few questions. From the directions it states to turn the crank 30 times, empty the cleaner, rinse with water and then repeat the cleaning process. 

How do I dispose of the old cleaner? It reads bio degradable so can I just dump it down the drain? I have a septic system so I don't know if it's safe for that or not. 

The cleaner is only good for one 30 turn cleaning or does this depend on how dirty the chain is to begin with?

Lastly I take it that you clean the chain until it looks clean. If you read the directions they have you in an endless loops and would be cleaning it forever.

Any recommendations on a chain lubricant? Where I bought the chain cleaner from yesterday had Pedros but I'm not sure if that brand is any good. 


Sorry if these are basic questions but my last bike I rode for 16 years and never cleaned the chain so on my new bike I want to get in a good cleaning schedule. 
Thanks


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## }SkOrPn--7 (Aug 15, 2008)

In my opinion chain cleaners are a waste of time and money they don't do the best of jobs.

I find one of these brushes the best and plain old Kero and a plastic tub but I remove my chain from the bike when cleaning that way crap doesn't get all over my frame.

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A8021

Once I have cleaned it with Kero I then use this product to rinse it to leave a clean non oily chain.

http://www.motorex.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/show/path/1-418-443-777-824

No I wouldn't dump it down the drain no matter what it says I just place all my waste fluid in a plastic that I can dispose of every two months at the waste depot.

However to get the best clean if you wish to use the chain cleaner but be careful is just fill it with Kero and you will have a clean chain.

The lube I use is

http://www.squirtlube.com/

great for the wet and dry and your chain will remain clean along with your cassette and chainrings.


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## leoh (Dec 8, 2008)

I use that Park Tool cleaner and I spin about 40 or 50 times. May be the chain doesn't look like new, but after being lubed it feels very clean. In my opinion, it's good enough.


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## one incredible donkey (Jul 19, 2007)

I bought the Park chain cleaner the other day and used it for the first time on Saturday. Biodegradeable or not, properly disposing degreasers is for namby-pamby tree huggers. I took the resulting brackish chain-juice, put it in a pint glass and tipped it back down the old gullett. The next morning I woke up with a slight headache and blurred vision but I had twice the amount of hair on my chest and my wife won't complain about that. Oh yeah, and my chain was clean as hell too but my wife didn't even notice!

But really I spun the cranks 30 times, emptied the fluid down the drain, and repeated the process. My chain, once black and greasy, was now silver and clean. I lubed her up properly, called her some names, and she ran like a champ. In dumping the degreaser down the drain I might have killed a few more endangered animals but hey - survival of the fittest right?


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## basilsnow (Feb 22, 2009)

DO NOT DUMP DOWN THE DRAIN. Your septic tank has micro-oraganisms living in it that eat/break down waste. If your septic system is not maintained you will be spending a large chunk of change on a fix.


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## timberstone (Feb 20, 2009)

Ok thanks for the feedback. Now I just need to figure out where to dump it. No real locations by me. I will call the local bike shop and see what they say.


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

i use prolink, and no longer bother cleaning the chain. its spotless after a lube/wipe down.


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## 4 Jaw Chuck (Oct 2, 2004)

Been there done that, water and chains don't mix...you will never get all the water out of the chain. I threw my chain cleaner away after the third chain when I took it apart and found corrosion is what was causing them to wear out. I tried all the bio-crap cleaners too.

Use barbeque starter fluid to clean and Triflow after to lube. The starter fluid evaporates and helps pull the lube inside the chain, lube and wipe down after each ride. Wait an hour before you bring the bike inside the house so the fluid can evaporate.

I use a Zippo lighter fluid bottle to inject the starter fluid on the chain and then just spin backwards to fling off the crud. You don't need much lube on the chain since the starter fluid pulls it in. Zippo lighter fluid works too, same stuff really.

Cheap like Borch, chains last easily three times as long and look new after every ride. Give it a try, all the other stuff takes twice as long to apply and use and costs 10 times as much.

Don't even get me started on waxes, been there done that. I threw all that other crap away after finding this method by experimentation. 

Works great in sub-zero weather too.


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