Thanks for the link.
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WD-40 is a penetrating oil and water dispersant, not a degreaser. If you use a good degreaser (or something as simple as white spirit) then youâll find the chain comes up a lot cleaner a lot quicker. If you use a proper degreaser then ensure you apply your lubricant again - otherwise youâll be running the chain entirely dry and that will cause it to wear very quickly.
Iâve been taking the chain off, dumping it in a jam jar with white spirit and letting it soak for a day or so before fishing it out, drying with a rag and then leaving to evaporate the remains. It comes out sparkling. You can re-use the white spirit if itâs not too crappy!
Step 1. Spray chain with degreaser and let sit 2 minutes (ie simple green)
Step 2. Put degreaser in your cheap $10 chain cleaner tool you got in a no-name brand
Step 3. Run the chain through the chain cleaner tool
Step 4. Wipe down with a rag until rag comes out clean/white
Step 5. Spray WD-40 on chain to displace leftover degreaser and wipe down with rag
Step 6. Once chain is clean/dry apply chain lube.
If you do that every few 100km, it wonât ever take you more than 5 minutes to clean the chain.
You can add other component cleaning on top of it (say once you do jockey wheels, the other time you do the cassette, etc) so itâs kinda like a rotation of what gets cleaned and nothing gets too grungy/ filthy.
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KMC. Reusing. Iâm not good at reading warnings.
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WD40 make a degreaser (and a whole line of actual bikecare products) in addition to their eponymous water dispersant
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Sounds like itâs rubbish! 
If anyone has been on the fence about buying the ultrasonic cleaner (like me), Amazon has a Prime Day deal on one:
CO-Z 3L Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FQJ995/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZOFlDb0FN17SN
Iâve had a 2L of a different brand on my wishlist for a while so considering getting this one for a few $ more.
I got sent a load of sample stuff for free - wasnât particularly impressed. Itâs ok and does the job, just not as well as some of the other high profile brands. If itâs on sale at a really cheap price then itâs definitely worth it, otherwise I still to other brands
Another source for an ultra sonic cleaner is Harbor Freight. Theirs lists at $79.99 but you can get it for $64 with their easily available 20% off coupons. Not everything at HF is great but Iâve been using this cleaner for my chain and other things for a year and half and its working great.
Pros of ultra sonic cleaners for chains:
- I leave mine full of degreaser so its ready to go (you can get several cleanings before changing)
- this model (as do others) have heaters so you can clean with hot degreaser which works a little faster
- fast - it will clean a chain in 3-4 minutes
- great for working inside the house - no sprays or dripping chain scrubber
And nothing cleans a cassette like an ultra sonic cleaner
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Another tip - if youâre taking the chain off to clean it, its great to have a small pan to put it in. They are convenient to use to carry the chain from place to place, keep it from dripping and off stuff when you need to set it down and you can do your actual cleaning in it too. I use smallish disposable aluminum pans you can pick up at the grocery store. (Like these but you donât need 20)
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Believe Dollar Tree has smaller quantities of aluminum foil roasting pans if you donât have storage space for Amazonâs 20 for $10 deal.
IMHO the âtwo scrub brush sandwichâ is the best bang for the buck and your time, at least if you regularly wash bike outside.
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Iâve been scrubbing with an old sock, but essentially the same materials and process as yours. I plan to try the brush method as the sock scrub misses some of the tighter spaces, that maybe the bristles can get.
the bristles on the scrub brushes do a better job cleaning than the chain scrubber tool, and much easier to clean at the end of bike washing session.
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Harbor Freight has good deals on ultrasonic cleaners.
Look for coupons for 20% off etc.
Another cheap tip if you wax your chain is pickup a small crock pot at Goodwill for $5
Big fan of the Fenwickâs chain sponge here, dead simple
I own a chain cleaner and the biggest issue I have with it is that I have to spend time cleaning the chain cleaner, and it doesnât fully seem to get the dirt out of in between the rollers.
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I find it easier to take the chain off. Use a Connex link, no tools needed. Drop the chain in an old water bottle full of degreaser and leave to soak while you clean your bike with the odd shake, empty the degreaser to another bottle and rinse the chain with water, hang up and spray with wd40 to get rid of the water, refit and lube. Reuse the degreaser a few times
WRT removing chains and quick links: I reuse my KMC 10-speed quick links, but am keeping tabs on how many times I use them. I have 5 in my head as a good number⌠with the frequency of chain removal for waxing, the four-pack I bought in January should last me 10-12 months, rotating two chains.
My quick research with respect to quick links, including Jonathonâs concerns with reuse in the waxing thread, is that once youâre above 10-speed, the links start to get pretty thin and the risk with reuse increases with a higher speed chain. I think some folks reuse 11-speed links a few times (maybe 5?), but Iâm pretty sure the recommendation is to NOT reuse 12-speed links at all. Reality is that you can probably make the call on when your link is shot just by how easy it is to disconnect and reconnect.
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How much water do people mix with their Simple Green? I use simple green slightly diluted, spreyed on then use a soapy sponge and rage to clean after itâs set in. I donât get it fully clean and my sponge and rags are so greasy after. I like the idea of either taking it off to soak or using scrub brushes. But stupid second question is how if at all do people get their greasy rags at least somewhat ungreasy?..