Author Topic: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway  (Read 1373 times)

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Offline Tugboat

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OK, so here's a stupid question: How do you clean & degrease an engine (and the rest of the bike, for that matter) without leaving a big stain in the driveway? I don't want to do it in the grass since the cleaner will kill it, and my water hose isn't long enough to make it to the street. I could just simple green the whole thing in my garage with some cardboard or paper under it but that would take forever. So, washing tips?
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Offline CycleRanger

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2011, 09:18:06 AM »
Buy a longer hose?  ::)

I use laundry detergent to remove oil stains from concrete.  Works well for me.
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Offline FunJimmy

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2011, 09:18:43 AM »
Take it to one of those drive in, self wash stations, and go to town.
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Offline brandEn

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2011, 09:54:01 AM »
Take it to one of those drive in, self wash stations, and go to town.

+1
or get a longer hose

Offline Panotaker

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2011, 10:06:10 AM »
Wash your bike in the driveway, then park your wife's car over the stain and blame her car for the stain.

Offline Duanob

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Offline trueblue

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2011, 04:10:00 PM »
wait for your neighbour to go out and use his driveway  ;D
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Online Terry in Australia

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2011, 04:41:41 PM »
God that gold bike is beautiful Andy, well done mate! ;D

Back on subject, water is heavier than oil (and solvents and crud) so I hose my driveway down first before I clean my engine, and as long as I keep the driveway wet, the crap coming off the bike won't be able to soak into my concrete, and I just disperse it with the hose. Cheers, Terry.  ;D
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Offline Grnrngr

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2011, 10:04:25 PM »
Bring it in the house and put it in the bathtub...

+1 for  laundry detergent removing oil stains, or preventing them in the first place, learned that trick back in the early '70s as a kid working in a gas station...as I recall TIDE works best...just like DAWN dish soap for gettin it off yer hands...
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Offline dave500

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2011, 10:15:46 PM »
wait for your neighbour to go out and use his driveway  ;D
beat me to it!!
« Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 10:17:52 PM by dave500 »

Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2011, 12:00:46 AM »
don't live in the ffing suburbs...
If it works good, it looks good...

Offline octagon

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Re: Need to clean my bike but don't want to stain the driveway
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2011, 08:11:52 AM »
you can mix dish soap and water in a spray container and put that on and wipe as you go along - use up a few rolls of paper towels.