# Good Bio-Degreaser



## Durga (Feb 18, 2005)

Any recommendations?

I've heard that some "eco-friendly" degreasers aren't actually so good (or green).

Will be using mostly for chain.

Thanks


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

no reason to ever use degreaser on a chain. use mineral spirits! works better and faster.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

A citrus cleaner..
Goop, Pedros, etc


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## UKMac (Jan 6, 2010)

*I use citrus*

I use Finishline citrus which works well for me. I also use mineral spirits for heavy grease removal, like from bearings. I don't find it works any better than the citrus on my chain however.

As for the environmental impact, I think the main problem with "green" degreasers is what they contain after they have been used, not before (i.e. chain lube, grease, etc...). I now tend to store my used solvent, citrus or otherwise, in plastic jugs and turn them in at our local recycle center periodically.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

if you dont rinse ALL the degreaser out of whatever you're cleaning, it leads to rapid wear. it displaces lube and grinds the metal together. a solvent will evaporate and let your lube do its job. 

solvents can be recycled, not much environmental impact.


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## Durga (Feb 18, 2005)

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll be looking at picking up some citrus deg. soon.


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## Durga (Feb 18, 2005)

One Pivot said:


> if you dont rinse ALL the degreaser out of whatever you're cleaning, it leads to rapid wear. it displaces lube and grinds the metal together. a solvent will evaporate and let your lube do its job.
> 
> solvents can be recycled, not much environmental impact.


Oh, okay, I've not heard that before. I thought degreasers just magically evaporated or something. So what system have you worked out? or how does one rinse, say, their chain of all solvent?

Thanks


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## Durga (Feb 18, 2005)

UKMac said:


> As for the environmental impact, I think the main problem with "green" degreasers is what they contain after they have been used, not before (i.e. chain lube, grease, etc...)


Good point. Actually, I'll be using this mostly to clean the grease that comes on a couple of new chains in preparation for an environmentally friendly "Squirt" chainlube.


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

Durga said:


> Good point. Actually, I'll be using this mostly to clean the grease that comes on a couple of new chains in preparation for an environmentally friendly "Squirt" chainlube.


Exactly...if you use a bio chain lube and a bio degreaser then you don't so much have an issue with disposing of the dirty degreaser.

Purple Power works great for me...costs less than $10 a gallon...and is biodegradable


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

mtnbiker72 said:


> Exactly...if you use a bio chain lube and a bio degreaser then you don't so much have an issue with disposing of the dirty degreaser.
> 
> Purple Power works great for me...costs less than $10 a gallon...and is biodegradable


yeah, but that sh!t sucks for lighting my bonfire :madmax: <~~~just mad - no fire.


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

One Pivot said:


> if you dont rinse ALL the degreaser out of whatever you're cleaning, it leads to rapid wear. it displaces lube and grinds the metal together. a solvent will evaporate and let your lube do its job.
> 
> solvents can be recycled, not much environmental impact.


That would be why you rinse your chain (since it is a water based degreaser) and dry it before applying lube...works remarkably well:thumbsup:

BTW-the energy it takes to recycle oil and solvents is impactful...especially when they're mixed together. Not saying recycling is a bad thing obviously, but really...how many people recycle mineral spirits, most goes right down the drain.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

rising organic degreasers full of grime, oil and other weird things into places where they shouldnt is worse, and even that has nearly no impact. i doubt you're rising your chain and disposing of the waste water differently than washing it down the drain  

its just not necessary to use degreaser.. nothing really greasy on a chain. you could even use dish soap.


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## scyule (Nov 8, 2009)

The "lube" that chains come from the factory can be a real ***** to remove.... the MINERAL SPIRITS suggestion would work well for an INITIAL cleaning.
If you are using a popular brand of chain lube or wax, using a CM-5
Cyclone® Chain Scrubber from PARK will get a chain clean with DISH SOAP


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## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

you can get a giant container of Zep Citrus Degreaser at home depot for about 10 bucks. 5x more than what you get for 10 at your LBS.


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## wi_bigfoot (Mar 13, 2010)

scoutcat said:


> you can get a giant container of Zep Citrus Degreaser at home depot for about 10 bucks. 5x more than what you get for 10 at your LBS.


I've started using this for general repair items and it works well.

For my chain I still use the park tool degreaser. Have not problems with either.

When both are done I store them in a gallon jug and drop off at the local recycling center.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Durga said:


> Any recommendations?
> 
> I've heard that some "eco-friendly" degreasers aren't actually so good (or green).
> 
> ...


Eco-friendly "degreaser" is a misnomer, as many have stated, as the grime you are removing from the chain is not eco-friendly.

On top of that, the waste and pollutants generated from cleaning your chain are negligible when compared to the environmental impact of manufacturing your bike in the first place. The energy, materials, waste, and by-products of manufacturing far outweigh your minuscule efforts with "eco-friendly" degreaser. If you don't believe me, visit a raw metals factory some day. Or a tire factory.

But hey, to each their own. And FYI the citrus degreaser from Home Depot is not eco-friendly.


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## Durga (Feb 18, 2005)

jtmartino said:


> Eco-friendly "degreaser" is a misnomer, as many have stated, as the grime you are removing from the chain is not eco-friendly.
> 
> On top of that, the waste and pollutants generated from cleaning your chain are negligible when compared to the environmental impact of manufacturing your bike in the first place. The energy, materials, waste, and by-products of manufacturing far outweigh your minuscule efforts with "eco-friendly" degreaser. If you don't believe me, visit a raw metals factory some day. Or a tire factory.
> 
> But hey, to each their own. And FYI the citrus degreaser from Home Depot is not eco-friendly.


Eco-friendly lubes exist as well. If everyone used those along with eco-degreasers it would make a significant contribution (although you're right about the toxins produced from manufacturing).

Personally, I don't like being around toxins, nor do I feel good about putting them into the environment. I think the whole "What I'm doing is alright because look at how bad what they're doing is" argument is dangerous.

But like you said, to each their own.


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