GamJams Reviews: Cleaners & Degreasers

As you might know me, I always try to do thing cheaply. I don't buy the stuff from the bike stores as it's really expensive.

When it comes to cleaning the bike, I love this stuff. De-Solve-it Contractors Solvent.
It's non non-hazardous, non-corrosive and works like a charm and has that orange oil cleaner in it. It even has a bit ability to lube and get things unstuck.
http://www.dtep.com/de-solve-it.htm

I buy this stuff usually in a gallon jug as it's not too expensive in comparison to the Goo be Gone stuff which is much more expensive in the tiny bottle.

Buy a spray bottle and fill it up and you can just spray this on the chain, use a toothbrush and scrub to loosen the harder dried up gunk and wipe with a rag. Sometimes, I'll just spray it on, use the hose and spray water on it, then dry with a rag.


The other way you can clean the chain is to break the chain and dip it in paint thinner. Paint thinner is really cheap for a gallon jug. Even much less than the De-Solve-it stuff and works wonders. Leave it in a shallow pan and get your old toothbrushes out. After about 3 minutes of sitting there and scrubbing, take it out and rinse. The chain looks really clean.. However I've been told by one of my trusted mechanics that cleaning the chain like that, causes the chain to stretch more easily as you remove all the tiny particles within the links causing the chain to loosen and stretch more. Oh well, at least it's clean. I don't often do the chain cleaning like that however it makes it really clean, only to get dirty after a few rides.

Back to cleaning the bike.. you can spray the De-Solve-It stuff on the bike as well. Any areas where it's dirty it can clean it. It safe for cured, lacquered, or dried paint. I don't leave it on too long just in case.

This stuff also works wonders on tubular cement/glue. It takes the glue off of the rims, sidewalls, if you make a mistake.
What else... oh yeah. if you carry the bike in the car and the grease gets on the seats or carpets, one spray and a scrub with a rag, gets the grease right out. Make sure that the rag is cotton so it absorbs the liquid instead of just rubbing it around and spreading the grease.

Try it and you'll like it! By the way, this stuff can be found in the paint or adhesive aisle in the local hardware store or buy it online.
Hope this helped.