Simple Green and Dawn degreaser Beware! (2024)

It sounds weird because Simple Green is all microbial based and works off of enzymes that eat grease. I didn't think there was anything chemically active about it. Curious why you added Dawn soap to the mix since the Simple Green usually works pretty good on its own.

I normally fill a plastic Tupperware container with straight Simple Green and let the small bike parts soak in it overnight without any issues.

Simple Green is pretty harmless. They do say not to soak for extended periods of time.

My name is Denise Dochnahl and I work for Simple Green. I’m writing because I recently read a posting about someone leaving his bike chain soaking in undiluted Simple Green for five months, and then having the chain disintegrate on them. I also read that something similar happened to someone else, after having left his chain in undiluted Simple Green for just two weeks.

I have received comments from other bicycle enthusiasts that have tried a new Simple Green product on their bikes and bike parts, and have had great success with it. The product is a little bit different – it was designed specifically for the aircraft industry, and has heightened non-corrosive properties. It has passed Pratt-Whitney specs and Boeing specs, as well as other testing protocols. This is very likely a much better product to use for the applications I read about on VeloNews.

While Original Simple Green is an excellent all-purpose cleaner/degreaser, it was not designed for long-term storage of bike chains or other parts. While we stand by the efficacy of the product, and believe it to be an excellent cleaner for bikes and bike parts, we feel we must stress the importance of using the product according to the label instructions. Under

Rat Rod said:

It sounds weird because Simple Green is all microbial based and works off of enzymes that eat grease. I didn't think there was anything chemically active about it. Curious why you added Dawn soap to the mix since the Simple Green usually works pretty good on its own.

I normally fill a plastic Tupperware container with straight Simple Green and let the small bike parts soak in it overnight without any issues.

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I saw a post here where someone did that so I thought I would give it a try.

cman said:

Simple Green is pretty harmless. They do say not to soak for extended periods of time.

My name is Denise Dochnahl and I work for Simple Green. I’m writing because I recently read a posting about someone leaving his bike chain soaking in undiluted Simple Green for five months, and then having the chain disintegrate on them. I also read that something similar happened to someone else, after having left his chain in undiluted Simple Green for just two weeks.

I have received comments from other bicycle enthusiasts that have tried a new Simple Green product on their bikes and bike parts, and have had great success with it. The product is a little bit different – it was designed specifically for the aircraft industry, and has heightened non-corrosive properties. It has passed Pratt-Whitney specs and Boeing specs, as well as other testing protocols. This is very likely a much better product to use for the applications I read about on VeloNews.

While Original Simple Green is an excellent all-purpose cleaner/degreaser, it was not designed for long-term storage of bike chains or other parts. While we stand by the efficacy of the product, and believe it to be an excellent cleaner for bikes and bike parts, we feel we must stress the importance of using the product according to the label instructions. Under

no circ*mstances should anything be stored in any formula of Simple Green.

Read more at http://velonews.competitor.com/2005...ot-so-simple-green-2_9216#s6QT9FZMmIkklpqg.99​

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Thanks for the info about using it too long. it really did an amazing job, better than kero, naphtha or brake clean I have been using. I really like that I can use it inside during the winter. It was obviously my user error but the learning curve is now much better. I will use it again all the time. I left it in too long, about 50 hours. After about 10 hours there was still grease in the ball bearing races, so I left it and forgot about it. It was an interesting result and it will not have any negative effect on my project. I was just warning people that the combo of copper or copper alloy and steel in the same batch might not be a good idea. Next time I will use just an old tooth brush and rags and not be so lazy as to try and let Simple Green do all the work.

Bicycle808 said:

Post pics. That actually sounds like it might look rad.

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I will post as soon as I get it all out of the kerosene that I am using to give a final soak and then I will use a brass brush. This 2 speed coaster brake is from 1951 and the grease was part way dried, caked and ground into the deepest recesses of the planetary gears. A little ground in dirt is still in the deep recesses. I'll try and post a photo tomorrow.

Rat Rod said:

It sounds weird because Simple Green is all microbial based.....

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Not strictly true. I checked the MSDS sheet for this product here http://simplegreen.com/pdfs/MSDS_EN-US_AllPurposeCleaner.pdfpurpose. Nothing about bacteia or enzymes.

It it does have a small quantity of sodium citrate, also known as citric acid and Tetrapotassium Pyrophosphate which is a salt. This results in an ionic solution that is can cause electrolytic and galvanic reactions.

The confusion may arise from the fact that their pet stain cleaners have a bacterial component that uses enzymes break up the stain and bacteria to eat it.

restodave said:

Not strictly true. I checked the MSDS sheet for this product here http://simplegreen.com/pdfs/MSDS_EN-US_AllPurposeCleaner.pdfpurpose. Nothing about bacteia or enzymes.

It it does have a small quantity of sodium citrate, also known as citric acid and Tetrapotassium Pyrophosphate which is a salt. This results in an ionic solution that is can cause electrolytic and galvanic reactions.

The confusion may arise from the fact that their pet stain cleaners have a bacterial component that uses enzymes break up the stain and bacteria to eat it.

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Thanks, that clears it up. I am not going to use anything with copper in it anymore and will limit the amount of time I let stuff soak. The salt type reaction you mention might account for the slight pitting on the chain cog?

Ahhh...okay, I thought I always heard that it broke down grease via the enzymes. Didn't even know that they sold pet stain cleaners.

I've never left anything in the stuff for longer than 24 hours so I've never had a problem. Whatever remaining grease was left on any parts easily cleans up with water and dish soap and a blast of the hose.

Rat Rod said:

Ahhh...okay, I thought I always heard that it broke down grease via the enzymes. Didn't even know that they sold pet stain cleaners.

I've never left anything in the stuff for longer than 24 hours so I've never had a problem. Whatever remaining grease was left on any parts easily cleans up with water and dish soap and a blast of the hose.

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Yeah, sounds like about 10 hours should do it, then hose er off. I was going for no work cleaning.

outsider13 said:

This actually may work in some builders favor...!.[me] If you throw in a few copper chunks of pipe or scrub pads , to give parts That Vintage patina on purpose look. Great Idea
BRILLIANT! i like the look........

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I also don't mind it and will leave it. I am planning to build two more Klunkers and this patina should look good on the Bendix manual 2 speed that I hope to use on the first build. I think the Simple Green didn't cut through all the grease evenly and that is why it has that uneven copper blotchy look on some of the parts. Keep checking it as it might not work right away and then suddenly work too good? Who knows, its an unknown. Keep me posted on your soak times and results.