# Baby wipe bike cleaning convert!.



## keithmac (28 Jul 2017)

After a year of just riding it, coming home in the pouring rain tonight I decided to treat the Gtech on it's birthday.

Had a set of front and back brake pads to fit so decided best option was a quick clean of the brakes with a baby wipe before I started.

Anyway I got carried away and found the dirt came straight off with no fuss at all, this was a years worth of road grime..







Daughter was helping out, passing the tools and they wipes.






This is the finished article, came up like brand new after a year of neglect riding through all weathers, seems a very hardy bike and well finished!.






I should have took a before picture, it was absolutely minging!.


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## AndyRM (28 Jul 2017)

Baby wipes are witchcraft. How they can be gentle enough for a tiny pair of buttcheeks yet strong enough to get a bike looking brand new breaks my mind.


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## S-Express (28 Jul 2017)

In cycling terms, baby wipes do nothing that a bucket and sponge can't. They also go straight to landfill. My advice is to try a bucket and sponge instead.


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## keithmac (28 Jul 2017)

Don't think the wife would be too happy sponging the bike down in the kitchen!.


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## S-Express (28 Jul 2017)

keithmac said:


> Don't think the wife would be too happy sponging the bike down in the kitchen!.



Probably not. Do you live in a hi-rise, or something?


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## Drago (28 Jul 2017)

Nah, a restaurant.


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## keithmac (28 Jul 2017)

S-Express said:


> Probably not. Do you live in a hi-rise, or something?



No, a 3 bedroom house.


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## S-Express (28 Jul 2017)

keithmac said:


> No, a 3 bedroom house.



With a garden?


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## gavroche (28 Jul 2017)

I always use baby wipes to clean my bikes. Works a treat.


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## winjim (28 Jul 2017)

I don't even use baby wipes to clean my baby. A damp cloth usually does the trick.


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## KnackeredBike (28 Jul 2017)

If you wash your bike with baby wipes once a year you might as well just buy a chavvy 4x4, as far as I am concerned your environmental credentials are in tatters.

I gently blow the dirt off my bike to save the environmental impact of a sponge and water.

(Actually, I just never clean my bike, but out of laziness rather than wanting to save a few sodding baby wipes.)


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## keithmac (28 Jul 2017)

I'm going to bin a full unopened packet of babywipes tomorrow to save wasting them cleaning the bike..


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## keithmac (28 Jul 2017)

S-Express said:


> With a garden?


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## fossyant (28 Jul 2017)

Soap and water, and a shine with Mr Sheen once every so often.

How do you find the Gtech - it's possibly something my dad might look at but there aren't many small frames.


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## Drago (28 Jul 2017)

I wash my bike using a rag made from tiger skin, dry it with a chamois made from baby crocodile hide. I then protect it with a wax made from dodo egg whites, and polish it using a rag made from panda fur. It needs cleaning regularly as it gets awfully grimy when I'm out clubbing seals with the Freemasons.


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## keithmac (28 Jul 2017)

fossyant said:


> Soap and water, and a shine with Mr Sheen once every so often.
> 
> How do you find the Gtech - it's possibly something my dad might look at but there aren't many small frames.



I love it, it still needs some effort through the pedals though. I'm mainly out of assist on the flat but it helps up the hills.

Think they are 20" frames, they do a stepthrough one as well.


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## tyred (28 Jul 2017)

I clean mine by going for a ride in the rain.


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## Lee_M (29 Jul 2017)

I clean my bike by standing it next to an over zealous environmental preacher. The acid from their opinions removes all the dirt and the hot air they're spouting dries it off.


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## Levo-Lon (29 Jul 2017)

Drago said:


> I wash my bike using a rag made from tiger skin, dry it with a chamois made from baby crocodile hide. I then protect it with a wax made from dodo egg whites, and polish it using a rag made from panda fur. It needs cleaning regularly as it gets awfully grimy when I'm out clubbing seals with the Freemasons.



Feckin Do Gooder


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## lutonloony (29 Jul 2017)

What is this clean of which you people speak?


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## pawl (29 Jul 2017)

odav said:


> I use soggy kittens to clean my mountain bike. Much more environmentally friendly than you baby wipe forest killers.






Warning. Just about to phone the RSPCA


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## Drago (29 Jul 2017)

Royal Society for Poisonous Cleaning Agents?


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## S-Express (29 Jul 2017)

keithmac said:


> View attachment 364835



So no need to clean the bike in the kitchen then?


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## iwantanewbike (29 Jul 2017)

It may not be 100% environmentally friendly either, but if you use frame polish after washing your bike, it'll potentially go 1000 miles before it starts to pick up dirt again. Wilko sell it for a few quid but to me it smells exactly the same as furniture polish, so I'd imagine it is the same stuff - might be cheaper elsewhere in that case.


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## Cycleops (29 Jul 2017)

pawl said:


> Warning. Just about to phone the RSPCA


I think he means these:


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## keithmac (29 Jul 2017)

S-Express said:


> So no need to clean the bike in the kitchen then?



Not when it's pissing it down, I think you need to get a life and stop trolling.

Anyway back to work to do something productive..


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## S-Express (29 Jul 2017)

keithmac said:


> Not when it's pissing it down, I think you need to get a life and stop trolling.



You think I'm trolling - I'm being serious. So after not touching the bike for a year, you decide to 'do some maintenance' when it's raining and the only option is to do it inside, with baby wipes. Read that back a few times. Top tip = wait until it stops raining and clean it outside using the method suggested earlier. HTH.


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## smutchin (29 Jul 2017)

Crankalicious have just launched these bike-specific wipes:
https://www.crankalicious.com/products/pineapple-express-kwipes

Tbh, I'm not in favour of using either baby wipes or a bike-specific version for the reasons others have stated, but these would be pretty handy to pack for use while touring.


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## nickyboy (29 Jul 2017)

smutchin said:


> Crankalicious have just launched these bike-specific wipes:
> https://www.crankalicious.com/products/pineapple-express-kwipes
> 
> Tbh, I'm not in favour of using either baby wipes or a bike-specific version for the reasons others have stated, but these would be pretty handy to pack for use while touring.



That is laughable. £0.85 for 20 wipes. Tesco Own Brand are £0.64 for 60 and I'm sure there are cheaper out there than that

Anyhoo....I used to use them to floss the cassette but I've stopped. I've found a quick squirt with something like Muc Off and then a stiff brush is better and quicker. Other than that it's soap and water


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## phantasmagoriana (29 Jul 2017)

I clean all my bikes with baby wipes (I bulk-buy them in boxes of 12 or 18 packs; I do have 5 bikes to keep clean!). Living in a flat with no outside space, I don't have much choice!


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## smutchin (29 Jul 2017)

nickyboy said:


> That is laughable. £0.85 for 20 wipes.



Actually, they're 85p each - if you want a box of 20, that's £15. But you're not really comparing like with like, since the Crankalicious wipes are individually wrapped.

They're not really meant for everyday use, or for use at home when you have access to a bucket, sponges/brushes and hot water, and a nice big garden to clean your bike in.


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## smutchin (29 Jul 2017)

phantasmagoriana said:


> Living in a flat with no outside space...



You can wash bikes in the street - I know this because I have done it many times. 

After all, people don't take their car into the kitchen to clean it, do they?


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## keithmac (29 Jul 2017)

S-Express said:


> You think I'm trolling - I'm being serious. So after not touching the bike for a year, you decide to 'do some maintenance' when it's raining and the only option is to do it inside, with baby wipes. Read that back a few times. Top tip = wait until it stops raining and clean it outside using the method suggested earlier. HTH.



You're honesly telling my I can't wash MY bike in MY kitchen with MY babywipes when it's raining?.

Top tip, wind your neck in..


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## S-Express (29 Jul 2017)

keithmac said:


> You're honesly telling my I can't wash MY bike in MY kitchen with MY babywipes when it's raining?.



I'm not 'honesly' telling you anything of the sort. You can wash your bike in a wardrobe with a wire brush and a bucket of cat pi55 for all I care. I'm simply pointing out that baby wipes are not necessarily a good thing to be a 'convert' to (as in your thread title) - and your explanations for using them don't really stand up to scrutiny. Wind your own in.


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## FishFright (29 Jul 2017)

Compare baby wipes use to your car use, which one do you consider carries the greater environmental impact? Priorities and all that .


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## keithmac (29 Jul 2017)

S-Express said:


> I'm not 'honesly' telling you anything of the sort. You can wash your bike in a wardrobe with a wire brush and a bucket of cat pi55 for all I care. I'm simply pointing out that baby wipes are not necessarily a good thing to be a 'convert' to (as in your thread title) - and your explanations for using them don't really stand up to scrutiny. Wind your own in.



I'll stick to the babywipes, don't want my bike and wardrobe smelling of cat piss but thanks for the helpful suggestion..


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## Levo-Lon (29 Jul 2017)

So which is better for the long term survival of mankind?

A once a year wipe down with baby wipes?
Or buckets of soapy water ...

Fook im going to struggle to sleep thinking about this one..
Ive just done 130 miles in a diesel car today...and ill wash it tomorrow.
Do i get a humanitarian badge if i wipe my arse with my hand ?


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## hopless500 (29 Jul 2017)

They're so bad for the environment


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## Drago (29 Jul 2017)

Indeed. Every time you use a baby wipe a panda dies.


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## Pat "5mph" (29 Jul 2017)

phantasmagoriana said:


> I clean all my bikes with baby wipes (I bulk-buy them in boxes of 12 or 18 packs; I do have 5 bikes to keep clean!). Living in a flat with no outside space, I don't have much choice!


Hose them down at the Bike Station?
I tried the baby wipes once, before I knew they are bad for the environment 
but cleaning my muddy commuter tank like that took ages!


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## nickyboy (29 Jul 2017)

smutchin said:


> Actually, they're 85p each - if you want a box of 20, that's £15. But you're not really comparing like with like, since the Crankalicious wipes are individually wrapped.
> 
> They're not really meant for everyday use, or for use at home when you have access to a bucket, sponges/brushes and hot water, and a nice big garden to clean your bike in.



At 85p a wipe when the market price is about a penny, I agree that they are not meant for everyday use. Anyway, if someone will pay the price then good luck to them


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## keithmac (29 Jul 2017)

I'd love to leave a witty reply but I'm busy flushing a packet of 100 wet wipes down the toilet at the moment..


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## Drago (29 Jul 2017)

You'll block the loo. Don't worry, I've an ivory and rhino horn poker that you can use to push it round the U bend.


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## keithmac (29 Jul 2017)

Drago said:


> You'll block the loo. Don't worry, I've an ivory and rhino horn poker that you can use to push it round the U bend.



Thanks for the offer Drago but I haven't got the metal capacity to unblock the toilet unfortunately.

I can always mop the water up with wipes though if it backs up..


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## Drago (29 Jul 2017)

I got a few dodo hide rags you can use. They're quite absorbent.


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