Disc Rotor Cleaning

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
Post Reply
foxychick
Posts: 389
Joined: 5 Jul 2012, 12:05am

Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by foxychick »

Anyone used fairy liquid and hot water to clean disc rotors or are you better using a specific disc brake cleaner like fenwicks or muc-off?
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by reohn2 »

I've used disc brake cleaner,White Spirit,engine degreaser and washer them off with washing up liquid in warm water all without any detrimental effect.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Brucey
Posts: 44522
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by Brucey »

whether any one thing gets your discs clean or not depends on what the contaminant is, exactly.

Also note that the cut edges of the disc can hold a surprising amount of contamination; just wiping the faces of the disc isn't always sufficient.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
Redvee
Posts: 2465
Joined: 8 Mar 2010, 8:58pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by Redvee »

foxychick wrote:Anyone used fairy liquid and hot water to clean disc rotors or are you better using a specific disc brake cleaner like fenwicks or muc-off?


Worked for me when I cleaned the spares rotors I had kicking around and wanted to get the spare pair wheels ready to ride at short notice. I now have three pairs of wheels for two bikes and the spare pair have mismatching skewers, thought I had a matching pair till I put the skewers through the frame :(
mnichols
Posts: 1465
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 4:29pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by mnichols »

My bike gets a quick brush with water and car wash stuff after every ride including the rotors and the frame wiped down with a rag.

Then I give the rotors a clean with specialised cleaner every once in a while when I have more time or before a trip
LittleGreyCat
Posts: 1177
Joined: 7 Aug 2013, 8:31pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by LittleGreyCat »

Is this a big issue?
As one new to discs on a bike I assumed that they were self cleaning as with a car, or cycle rim brakes.
Unless, of course, I should have been diligently cleaning my rims all these years.
bgnukem
Posts: 694
Joined: 20 Dec 2010, 5:21pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by bgnukem »

I tend to use just a damp cloth. The holes can hold more muck as Brucey says so maybe a nailbrush would be handy to dislodge some of this then wipe with a damp cloth, perhaps with some soap if there's any oil or grease on the rotor.

Much less hassle than constantly cleaning the rims of rim-braked wheels!
MikeDee
Posts: 745
Joined: 11 Dec 2014, 8:36pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by MikeDee »

Brake manufacturers recommend alcohol only. Brake cleaner leaves a residue.
User avatar
Redvee
Posts: 2465
Joined: 8 Mar 2010, 8:58pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by Redvee »

MikeDee wrote:Brake manufacturers recommend alcohol only. Brake cleaner leaves a residue.


Tried it with a bottle of Corona and decided that it was a waste of good beer :lol:
Witterings
Posts: 381
Joined: 8 Jun 2018, 10:17am
Location: Chichester, West Sussex

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by Witterings »

Isopropyl alcohol
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by pwa »

If it were me I would start by using washing up liquid with hot water and only move on to solvents if that didn't give a good enough result. What happens if you get these solvents on your tyres, as you will?
PDQ Mobile
Posts: 4659
Joined: 2 Aug 2015, 4:40pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by PDQ Mobile »

MikeDee wrote:Brake manufacturers recommend alcohol only. Brake cleaner leaves a residue.

+1
Methylated spirit.
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by reohn2 »

pwa wrote:If it were me I would start by using washing up liquid with hot water and only move on to solvents if that didn't give a good enough result. What happens if you get these solvents on your tyres, as you will?

You spray/pour some on a square of kitchen roll and wipe the rotor clean,if you've had a particularly muddy mucky ride or series of rides ie;cake on muck,you wash the rotor and caliper first with washing up liquid in water with a soft brush,then clean them with brake cleaner.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Brucey
Posts: 44522
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by Brucey »

MikeDee wrote:Brake manufacturers recommend alcohol only. Brake cleaner leaves a residue.


depends on the brake cleaner. Most don't leave any such residue, but there are presumably some bad ones out there too. It is not at all difficult to test for this before you buy/use any solvent.

If you want a cheap/good solvent for this sort of cleaning in a small quantity an alternative is cigarette lighter fluid. You can get 100ml for £1 in the pound shop.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suffolker
Posts: 149
Joined: 5 Jul 2014, 7:04am

Re: Disc Rotor Cleaning

Post by Suffolker »

I use surgical spirit or isopropyl alcohol, with rags, cotton wool and buds, and sometimes an old toothbrush for the cutouts.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my Redmi 3 using hovercraft full of eels.
Post Reply