Cycling UK Forum

This came as a bit of a shock to me. The well-known bike cleaning company "Muc-Off" (whose products I enjoy) last year uploaded a viral video to youtube where they "compared" their own bike cleaning product (that costs £5 - £10) to a similar product sold by the retailer Poundland (that costs about £1).

In the video, they poured both products onto different pieces of aluminium, and claimed that their own product did no harm but that after a few minutes the Poundland product was fizzing and corroding, and after 24 hours had destroyed the aluminium! I saw this video and was persuaded to use MucOff products as a result.

I now see that someone has replicated the test and discovered that Muc-Off's comparison appears to be untrue. In the replication video, the poundland product did NOT turn aluminium black after 24 hours nor was any difference visible after 24 hours. Could Muc-Off have done something to the poundland product to make it more corrosive before doing the test?

It does seem that some active naughtiness may have occured and it's made me rethink whether this is a product I want to be buying.

Here is a link to the advert (this is a mirror since the original has been taken down...I assume because they realised they were busted!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOScuyn1iQM

Here is a link to the video where the test was replicated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WyTPyL_tBc

Any thoughts? Am I overreacting? Or is this is something they shouldn't be getting away with?

Interesting. As I remember aluminium will fizz & produce hydrogen in a solution of sodium hydroxide. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uTgpcvGdyCw

I would be surprised if the Poundland cleaning product was seriously alkaline as it would be dangerous. I think you are right however to highlight the question.

I can think of 3 possibilities:

• Muc-Off lied

• The Poundland product has changed between the 2 tests

• There's something different between the aluminium samples (which I think is unlikely to make that much difference)

I might just go to Poundland & buy some of their cleaner

Having used Muc Off on my mtb I think all it is is Fairy Liquid or something slightly diluted. Wasnt impressed

Al

I receive the Poundland bike wash every year at Christmas from a cyclist friend who marvels at its bargain price. It's worse than useless in my opinion. I bought the 5l container of Muc Off last week from Halfords for £16. A different product entirely. However, I've seen the litre bottles costing as much as £10 which I wouldn't be prepared to pay. A good test of both products is to try them and compare them in your car's windscreen washer. No sign of a lather, not even a hint, from the cheaper version.

geomannie wrote: ↑25 May 2022, 4:05pm Interesting. As I remember aluminium will fizz & produce hydrogen in a solution of sodium hydroxide.

Which - off topic - is how we deal with a stuck aluminium seatpost.

I’m not impressed with Muc Off, seems like pink coloured water in my hands. I moved on to Fenwick’s bike cleaner as it was cheaper as a bottle of concentrate - works better.

However to be honest, for stuck on grime, the best option is some warm soapy water (use fairy liquid/e-cover or car shampoo) and a sponge, along with degreaser for the really stubborn bits.

I use this in various dilutions for just about everything these days, in home and out:

https://www.imshygiene.com/clover-326-v ... F4QAvD_BwE

Whilst in the realm of Muc-Off and U-Tube videos, watching GPLamas review of their new AirTag holder is a hoot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUcStFN--VA

He gives it a fair trial despite it being a metal case for a device that needs to radiate a wifi signal.

A tip,washing up liquid is just as good as any specialty bike cleaner.
Don't waste your money

EDIT:- Here's an exhaustive test of many proprietary cleaners used on motorcycles,washing up liquid comes out on top and costs pence compared with branded cleaners.
The test is carried out on motorcycles but cleaning bicycles is just the same(I've been using w/up liquid on motorcycles and bicycles for years with any problems at all).
If you're concerned about the salt in w/up liquid it's debunked and explained from 19.07minutes in the video.
Oops,forgot to put in the link :- https://youtu.be/9NsFLPDgFqA

"Where there's muck, there's brass".
I just use cheap own brand washing up liquid and elbow grease. A bucket of cold water from rainwater barrel to soften thick stuff first if it's been a dirty ride.

If you don't have a garden hose or just want to rinse off road grit off the bike before giving it a good wash with w/up liquid you can use one of these:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155001491032 ... SwJ1NgBYPA
Cheap as chips and great for the job!

Ive gone soft on the elbow grease and use lidls finest washing up liquid diluted in a garden sprayer, pumped up with my track pump to 40psi by using a presta valve from a failed innertube.
just pipped by reohn

sizbut wrote: ↑25 May 2022, 9:12pm Whilst in the realm of Muc-Off and U-Tube videos, watching GPLamas review of their new AirTag holder is a hoot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUcStFN--VA

He gives it a fair trial despite it being a metal case for a device that needs to radiate a wifi signal.

Wow, that's just as bad as the example I found!! And in the comments section some people are very mean about other muc-off marketing practices...they appear to have a history!!