# What is good to soak a chain in?



## trojans1993 (May 8, 2011)

My chain is ready for a good soak and scrub but I'm not sure what to use. I have seen Chain Bright before but do I really need to spend $10 to soak a chain? Isn't there a no-name citrus cleaner or something that will do the same thing without harming a chain and I can probably buy a gallon for the same price as 16oz of CB. Thanks.

Any kind of cleaners/degreasers to stay away from for chains?


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

A big 67 oz or so container of simple green is under 10 bucks. I think it's around 6 or 7. Seems to do the trick! Smells good too!


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## jonw9 (Jun 29, 2009)

I use mineral spirits. I used to use acetone, but it didn't work nearly as well on a new chain.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Cormac said:


> A big 67 oz or so container of simple green is under 10 bucks. I think it's around 6 or 7. Seems to do the trick! Smells good too!


Should not soak chains in Simple Green as it could lead to early failure;

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Not-so-Simple Green


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## Pingtiao (Oct 23, 2011)

You can use some solvent like acetone to soak the chain in.


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## Sheepo5669 (May 14, 2010)

Hershey's chocolate syrup!










By the way, did yall hear about Afghanistan?


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

AZ.MTNS said:


> Should not soak chains in Simple Green as it could lead to early failure;
> 
> Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Not-so-Simple Green


:madman: well then back to the OP's question. What is good to soak a chain in?


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

kerosene, or diesel. Both super cheap and just right for the job.


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## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

AZ.MTNS said:


> Should not soak chains in Simple Green as it could lead to early failure;
> 
> Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Not-so-Simple Green


My gut tells me that soaking a chain in anything for a prolonged period can cause those problems. 99% of Zinns columns are full of good information. This one however I feel is full of a handful of outspoken lazy consumers feedback. Like he prefaced the article with. "you would likely need at least two chains to soak one long enough to see these kinds of problems" What I read from that is "I'm writing this column for the lowest common denominator" My words not his. If you need to soak your chain for that long you need to learn how to apply lube in the first place!


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## 006_007 (Jan 12, 2004)

I would not recommend soaking a chain - It can cause the bushing material in the links to swell if left for too long, which will cause cracking and lead to failure (yes, this has happened to me lol) I now just wipe it down real good and re-apply chain lube.


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

Saw a post on here somewhere about using paint thinner. Acceptable practice or no?


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## mwb (Dec 4, 2007)

I used acetone on my BMX chains back in the day. Very cheap and it evaporated very quickly.

I use kerosene on motorcycle chains because it won't dry out the o-rings.

For the mountain bike I simply give it a shot of Orange Peelz or Chain Brite and hit it with tooth brush. Rinse it out with water and let it dry. Then apply fresh lube. I don't even take it off the bike.....


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## RTM (Sep 17, 2005)

Don't get too hung up on creative solutions. You can use a standard degreaser. Don't let it soak for hours on end, just soak for 5 minutes and use a brush to clean it up. Rinse with water, dry thoroughly and soak in Rock 'n Roll lube then wipe clean

The rock n roll is an excellent cleanser/lubricant. So, you really wont need the degreasing step more than once or twice a year for really heavy build up. If you lube with rock n roll every 4-10 rides (depending on mileage and conditions) the chain will be great right up until the point where you replace it. I usually buy the $40 chains on sale for $20-$30 and replace them once a year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Ricko (Jan 14, 2004)

I have an old water bottle that I put the chain in, fill with a 50/50 mix of hot tap water and citrus cleaner and let it soak for 15-20 minutes while shaking it up every now and then. After that I give it a good scrub, rinse, dry, reinstall and then lube with chocolate syrup before I hit the trail.


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

I soak my chain for about 15 minutes in a degreaser like simple green or similar, wash with a hose, then air dry.. Ive been using this method for many years and have yet to have any failure.. 



006_007 said:


> I would not recommend soaking a chain - It can cause the bushing material in the links to swell if left for too long, which will cause cracking and lead to failure (yes, this has happened to me lol) I now just wipe it down real good and re-apply chain lube.


What bushing material are you referring to? My chains have nothing but metal in them.. nothing to swell...


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## gdlals (Mar 3, 2008)

citrus cleaner works fine. :thumbsup:


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## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

Ricko said:


> I have an old water bottle that I put the chain in, fill with a 50/50 mix of hot tap water and citrus cleaner and let it soak for 15-20 minutes while shaking it up every now and then. After that I give it a good scrub, rinse, dry, reinstall and then lube with chocolate syrup before I hit the trail.


FWIW I've never heard of a citrus cleaner that was water soluble.


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## 2ridealot (Jun 15, 2004)

I use a little mineral spirits in a small gatorade type bottle and shake vigorously. Dry it off and apply chain saw bar oil, then wipe clean. Cheap, cleans and lubes well.


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## wbmason55 (May 30, 2010)

Cormac said:


> Saw a post on here somewhere about using paint thinner. Acceptable practice or no?


I always use paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Diesel will also work. 
Gasoline will work, but is a really dumb idea - stinks and is highly flammable.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

trojans1993 said:


> My chain is ready for a good soak and scrub but I'm not sure what to use. I have seen Chain Bright before but do I really need to spend $10 to soak a chain? Isn't there a no-name citrus cleaner or something that will do the same thing without harming a chain and I can probably buy a gallon for the same price as 16oz of CB. Thanks.
> 
> Any kind of cleaners/degreasers to stay away from for chains?


Overnight in tranny fluid....then a drain for a couple hours....wipe it off put on your fovourite lube and ride....

I use a 2 liter plastic coke bottle cut-off at the top...

A long piece of 1/2 inch tubing would really reduce the amount of solvent required to fully immerse the chain.

I also store all my old chains in several 2 liter plastic coke bottles filled with tranny fluid.....I give them to people if they show-up with a really worn out chain.


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## RBowles (Jun 1, 2010)

Soak it in brake fluid. It was good enough for cleaning my M16 service rifle and it is damned well good enough for soaking bicycle chains.


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## dadat40 (Jan 3, 2005)

Soak it in Cider.


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## Strafer (Jun 7, 2004)

Palmolive.
It'll soften your hands while you do the chains.


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## 2ridealot (Jun 15, 2004)

jeffscott said:


> Overnight in tranny fluid....then a drain for a couple hours....wipe it off put on your fovourite lube and ride....
> 
> I use a 2 liter plastic coke bottle cut-off at the top...
> 
> ...


How many tranny's does it take to get the right amount of fluid?


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## RBowles (Jun 1, 2010)

pitanan said:


> How many tranny's does it take to get the right amount of fluid?


It depends on whether or not it's a single speed or a nine speed chain.


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## John Kuhl (Dec 10, 2007)

I never soak my chains. Give it a good scrub with a tooth
brush and one drop of oil per link. Then a wipe down with a
rag, and go ride. Why go to all the time and trouble to take
it off of your bike at all?

Best, John


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## vwvapor (Jun 10, 2009)

Off to the hardware store for some mineral spirits for me. Never tried this for chain/cassette cleaning before, but this sounds like the most cost effective and simplest to use.


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

John Kuhl said:


> I never soak my chains. Give it a good scrub with a tooth
> brush and one drop of oil per link. Then a wipe down with a
> rag, and go ride. Why go to all the time and trouble to take
> it off of your bike at all?
> ...


because wiping it down doesnt get the sand out between the links... and taking it off takes less than 10 seconds. They make these things called a "PowerLink" or "Missing Link Connectors"

Why go to all the time and trouble to put one drop of oil on every link?

After the chain is completely off and dry I just take 2 seconds and spray the entire chain, then reinstall..


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## Ace5high (Jan 4, 2011)

Brine


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## Surfdog93 (May 30, 2005)

Strafer said:


> Palmolive.
> It'll soften your hands while you do the chains.


That just triggered an old memory (commercial)......."you're soaking in it"
Palmolive - "You're Soaking In It" (Commercial, 1981) - YouTube


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## sopwithcamel (Oct 2, 2007)

Hey trojans1993:

I recommend just using a mechanical chain cleaner to clean your chain and a detergent soap. See my notes on bike cleaning step 5 for the low down and the logic.










alloycowboy: The Perfectionists Guide to Bicycle Cleaning


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

Double post.


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## RBowles (Jun 1, 2010)

sopwithcamel said:


> Hey trojans1993:
> 
> I recommend just using a mechanical chain cleaner to clean your chain and a detergent soap. See my notes on bike cleaning step 5 for the low down and the logic.
> 
> ...


I've been using this same tool for two years now with the citrus cleaner and love it. I just pop the chain off my bike, connect back into a continous loop, and pull my chain through it for as many cycles as I like. It comes out beautifully clean.


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

I use TSP concentrated degreaser. Cheap and uber powerful. Just not to let sit for too long like anything else. But the stuff is powerful. My drive train looks like new once I'm done 

David


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