Washing up liquid

**alleycat** Mon Jul 04 2016, 12:36

So I'm up in Tayvallich for the week and obviously the ride up has make the bike quite dirty and apart from a couple of dry weather runs planned for this week for the most part it will sit in the garage until I leave next weekend so I wanted to give it a quick wash but having been to all the local shops all I have at my disposal is washing up liquid.

This a good idea? or would it be better to just scrub it with clean water and give it a good going over when I get home?

**Radar** Mon Jul 04 2016, 13:09

Don't use washing up liquid, it can be quite corrosive

Rinse the bike with cold water and give a decent clean when you get home

**0ldcat** Mon Jul 04 2016, 13:37

alleycat wrote: . . . having been to all the local shops all I have at my disposal is washing up liquid.

You mean to tell me there is a part of Christendom that Hellfrauds hasn't invaded and sullied yet Shocked

No local Garage with the usual array of goodies to choose from ??? . . . Otherwise go with Radar's advice. DO NOT use washing up liquid, . . it's laced with salts.
Just go with a good rinse off with clean water and wait while you get home for a good scrub down.

**alleycat** Mon Jul 04 2016, 13:50

Nearest Halfrauds is 2 hours from me, there must be somewhere local but I've just finished drying out my gear so the thought of heading back out in the torrential rain is somewhat unappealing. I shall heed the above advice and just give I a rinse and sort it out once home.

**SteveCat** Mon Jul 04 2016, 14:04

I think what'll be more important given all the rain you've been through is lubing the chain. I also hope Yamaha abandoned their insistence on having the chain so tight you could play a tune on it, not that they provide any tools to adjust it.

**weasley** Mon Jul 04 2016, 15:56

It'll be fine. If you don't believe me...

Dr Bob Eden BSc MSc PhD MICorr (Member of the Institute of Corrosion) wrote:
Does washing-up liquid damage your vehicle?

“Washing up liquid does contain a ‘salt’ but this is the active ingredient and should not be confused with road salt. There is nothing in a washing-up liquid that will exacerbate corrosion – there’s no sodium chloride salt to worry about. The issue regarding corrosion is the ‘chloride’ bit of the salt. In ‘chloride nests’ at the base of a corrosion pit, the chloride exists as hydrogen chloride, which in damp conditions creates a solution of dilute hydrochloric acid, and it’s this acid that does the damage. You need to avoid ‘chloride’ from any and all sources, e.g. seawater, road grit and fish & chips but not washing up liquid). When I wash my aluminium bodied Lea Francis, a dash of Fairy is just fine…”

In chemistry, the word "salt" is a description of a multitude of things. One of these countless chemicals is sodium chloride, or common salt, but hundreds of thousands of other chemicals are "salts" and are not common salt, nor are they corrosive. In fact a typical detergent is a salt (the reaction product of a fatty acid).

My only advice would be that dish soap is quite a good detergent and could lift any protective wax off of your paint (if there) so you might want to replenish this at some point afterwards (if bothered). I would use it sparingly (simply to minimise the bubbles) and rinse well.

Washing up liquid

Washing up liquid

Re: Washing up liquid

Re: Washing up liquid

Re: Washing up liquid

Re: Washing up liquid

Re: Washing up liquid