Advice on General Cleaning Solution ?

[kballowe]

For years, I've been using about three fingers of Mr. Clean citrus scent (florescent green) in a quart spray bottle for cleaning on cars/motorcycles and around the shop.  It's the best stuff that I've found, smells good and it even cleans up brake calipers.  It has a sodium hydroxide base with an undisclosed surfactant.

Well... now they've completely changed their formula to something that's quite the disinfectant and less of a cleaner.  Also, the original was $5/gal and the new stuff is $10/half gal - and less concentrated (according to label instructions).

What's everyone else using ?  Please don't say Simple Green green.  It stinks.

[normzone]

I've personally never cleaned a general, but the same stuff used for cleaning enlisted personnel should work just fine.

[Ncdan]

I mix my own with three ingredients.
1 cup of vinegar
1 cup of dishwashing liquid
1 cup of Mr Clean
Then finish off bottle with water. It works great but a little smelly due to the vinegar.

[MikeP996]

Been using Vulcanet cleaning wipes for a couple of years now - very happy with them.  No washing necessary on my bikes (all street bikes).

[rocker59]

S100

https://www.s100.com/portfolio/s100-total-cycle-cleaner/

[mechanicsavant]

What Rocker said !

[Dirk_S]

The Bennetts Bike YouTube channel did a test of a bunch of moto/auto washes and found cheap dishwashing liquid was more than adequate.

[LowRyter]

Once you clean the bike, try this.

[kballowe]

Is this a Guzzi forum, or what ?

Put your cheap skates on !

There are all manner of motorcycle-specific cleaning solutions available, but not anywhere near as cheap and effective as the Mr. Clean that I had been using.

Nobody said Purple Power ?  Zep ?  Fabuloso ?  I see that Simple Green now has a lemon scent.  That's gotta be better than the original sassafras scent.

[AJ Huff]

Is this a Guzzi forum, or what ?

Put your cheap skates on !

There are all manner of motorcycle-specific cleaning solutions available, but not anywhere near as cheap and effective as the Mr. Clean that I had been using.

Nobody said Purple Power ?  Zep ?  Fabuloso ?  I see that Simple Green now has a lemon scent.  That's gotta be better than the original sassafras scent.

I did a quick search and you seem to far from alone with this issue. LOTS of complaints. Few solutions.
I did find one suggestion for Odoban which fits your "cheap" criteria if it works.

-AJ

[kballowe]

This stuff is getting rave reviews.
Cheap, and effective.

LA's Awesome Cleaner.

[Matt Story]

++ on LA's Awesome Cleaner.  Been using it for years

Simple Green Purple Pro HD has a different smell than the green, is supposedly more HD whatever that means and comes concentrated for dilution as you see fit.  I just used it to degrease an engine bay and cast iron block.  I used it in a higher concentration and it worked well.

[Moparnut72]

I use both Totally Awsome and Purple Power. When one doesn't work well on some kind of grunge the other will. When I worked in the aircraft shop we bought the Totally Awsome by the case.
kk

[Perazzimx14]

General cleaning Purple Power dilute to a percentage to match the task or dish soap and elbow grease. Simple Green is afraid of dirt/grease and not worth the bottle it comes in. Lemon Pledge and micro fiber towel for dry wash detailing and/or face shield/windscreen cleaning. Great at cleaning bug guts and inexpensive.

[kingoffleece]

I like Bennetts stuff but they are incorrect on dishwashing detergent.  Way too harsh for paint.  We saw several over the years that lost a lot of luster.
YMMV, and I guess it doesn't matter if you wash one time per year.  At the dealership we wash every bike and the LAST thing we want to hear is "..............my wax, my paint, my decals............. ............."

Never a power washer either.

[SIR REAL ED]

I've personally never cleaned a general, but the same stuff used for cleaning enlisted personnel should work just fine.

If I has to clean anyone who has had military training, I think a (very) long handled brush might be applicable.....

[SIR REAL ED]

This stuff is getting rave reviews.
Cheap, and effective.

LA's Awesome Cleaner.

At our year end trials club meeting, we often gave out bottle of Awesome as random drawing prizes!

Everytime anyone got one the whole club would yell "That's Awesome!"

I think I have seen it sold at Ollie's.

[elrealistico]

I used cheap dishwashing detergent, now I use S100.

[Moparnut72]

Awsome is sold at Dollar Tree. I don't know if this chain is nationwide but they are quite common in California.
kk

[Perazzimx14]

Once you clean the bike, try this.

Mothers Back to Black in aerosol is the bee's knees. Like money in a can. Spray it on (overspray on to other surfaces no problem) let it dry for a few seconds and lightly and quickly buff with a microfiber towel done. 

More than once, I've taken a bike that looked old weathered and tired and with a can of B-T-B and 30 minutes brightened up all the rubber and plastic bits making look new.

[kingoffleece]

Spot on.  Back to Black is great stuff.

[Motormike]

I use diluted Simple Green on oily spots or grease.  The rest of the bike gets cheap car-wash suds in a bucket. 

[Perazzimx14]

Spot on.  Back to Black is great stuff.

And the aerosol gets into hard to reach places and does not build up or leave a sticky residue like Armor-All.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I use S100 if it's really grungy..but..just small areas at a time immediately followed with a hose. It's caustic and not your friend if left on for *any* period of time.
Purple power is a great grease and oil cutter. It's hard to beat trichlorethelyne, but it gives you cancer. 

I'll look for Awesome. Never have heard of it.

[Perazzimx14]

I use S100 if it's really grungy..but..just small areas at a time immediately followed with a hose. It's caustic and not your friend if left on for *any* period of time.
Purple power is a great grease and oil cutter. It's hard to beat trichlorethelyne, but it gives you cancer. 

I'll look for Awesome. Never have heard of it.

Totally Awesome MSDS: