[how to] clean your chain effectively

[jackal1004]

items needed:
chain (obviously)
tub of water
degreasing agent (I used dish soap)
baking soda
battery charger (2 amp preferably, 6 is good, don't go over 6 though)
about 6 spokes or so
water

Ok, now your chain is a MESS, and you cant get all the old grease and dirt out...how can you clean it!?
Simple. Man made electricity for a reason.

1)take your chain and submerge it in water

2)add the degreasing agent,preferably dish soap,and mix it into the water,also add some baking soda or washing soda,about a teaspoon should do.

3)take one of your spokes,and bend it so that it goes into the water,and hangs over the side of the container.

4)now's the electricity! hook up the NEGATIVE(-) charge to your chain,and the POSITIVE(+) charge to the part of the spoke hanging over the edge

!WARNING! DO NOT let the spoke touch the chain!!!!! EVER!!It will spark!And yes,it WILL SPARK UNDERWATER!

5)Every 20 minutes or so,check the spoke,you may have to clean it off so it keeps conducting. UNPLUG THE CHARGER WHEN DOING THIS. Even if it has a turn off switch,UNPLUG IT!Don't chance it.

6)Mines been in there for about an hour or two now,and it looks like most of the grease is coming off,and the baking soda also gets rid of any rust that's on there too.

now's the fun part,taking it out:

1)Unplug the charger,obviously

2)Take out the spoke that's in there,and just pull up the negative cable,this should pull the chain up too

now you have to do this quick,so have these things read:

Towel, or 3, that you don't want to keep any more to clean the chain
hair dryer to get into the pesky areas
I suggest wearing latex gloves...I mean, I don't like getting grease all over my hands so
pressure washed, or a hose if you cant get a washed

1)take the towels and wipe the chain down, just do it enough to get most of the water off, so its not soaking

2)use the hair dryer, get rid of ALL OF THE WATER!All of it, don't leave ANY.

3)Now,high pressure hose/pressure washed,spray the chain down. Gets rid of any hidden old grease,now wipe and dry it again.

4)clean off your chainwheel/rear gear and apply a small amount of grease to the teeth

5)put your chain on,WITHOUT greasing it yet. Set it up so that its on the chainwheel and rear gear and spins around. Now, slobber one link in grease, and spin your crank reverse a couple, or a lot of times actually..this well spread the grease. Repeat the greasing about 2 times.

It should be good to ride! This is an effective way to clean your chain if you have everything. I do it once a year to get all the hidden grease that I cant get to with a toothbrush. It works really well and I thought Id share it with the BMX community

I've done this with a KMC heavy 410h,nothing else,so I don't know if there's something with different chains that will have a problem with this, but I doubt it.

[band aid]

well. i wasn't arsed to read that but i sounds like a good idea. when it comes time to clean my chain i'll come back and read this for help.

[Dirt Method]

oyou can use an air compressor with high powered air gun and put it directly on the chiain and blow it clean, then re-grease.

[jackal1004]

the air compressor also doesnt get everywhere,water and electricity,yeah that gets everywhere

so far,this is one of the best ways Ive seen,I heard this from my buddy and Im doing it now,and its working great.

[parkstreet]

that seems like a lot of work just to get youre chain clean just buy white lightning chain cleaning kit and wash it in water with a tooth brush

[jackal1004]

eh,I was bored...

also,this way gets off any rust

[Brad]

Nice how to, pics would of been nice. Just seems like to much effort to cleana chain, I just soak mine in WD-40 for a few hours, comes out all shiny and clean! stinks though

[fitbike61]

spray paint it so it looks like its clean.

i never clean/grease my chain. buncha rings are already cracked/broken off.

[SeattleBMX]

you do this once a year?
i buy a new chain once a year...

[SandMbiker57]

to tellu the truth i that seems like alot over a chain and i rather use a chain for a year and replace it after that if it gets to dirty