Shift the toughest crud: Best motorcycle degreasers

It's no surprise potion specialists WD-40 make an effective degreaser and this fast-acting version is Amazon's Choice for 'Oil remover for driveways' though it's not just for driveways. According to the manufacturer, it starts to work immediately and can be wiped off once it has broken down the oily or greasy deposits. It works on engines, tools, wheels and chains as well as a host of domestic uses as well. The straw stays attached so you don't lose it and in addition to this 500ml can, there's a 250ml version too.

Riders of a certain age will inevitably have used Gunk at some point in their lives. Younger riders probably won't have but this is the stuff that an entire generation of bikers and car fans used to clean anything from engines to transmissions to suspension components. This version is designed to be applied with a brush, making it perfect for vertical surfaces as well as really caked-on mess but equally, it can be sprayed on using a compressed-air spray gun. Rinses off with water.

Oil and grease can be fairly unpleasant substances so something that removes them can often be just unpleasant but this degreaser from Muc-Off is designed to cut through oil and grease quickly yet it is rinsable with water when done and is also biodegradable so it wonu2019t harm the environment. It can be used on a bikeu2019s chain as well as any other areas where oil and grease have built up and is safe on all motorcycle parts.

This degreaser from kit and accessory giant Oxford is designed to dissolve and remove oil and grease residue from all areas of the bike. As it is a slow-evaporating solvent, its effectiveness can be improved by allowing it to dwell on the workpiece and soak into the stubborn deposits. An emulsifying agent means it can be rinsed off with water and it uses Oxford's trademark Mint odour in use.

This degreaser from British lubricant giant Morris is pink so you can see where you have applied it and sprays on from an aerosol can. It uses hydrocarbon solvents to break down the oil and wax content of the material but in such a way that it can then be washed off with water. It is also non-caustic so is fine to use on bare aluminium or magnesium without worrying about corroding or affecting the surface.

Anyone who has ever worked on a car or bike knows all about Swarfega hand cleaner; it is legendary and is certainly the most effective hand cleaner I have ever used. This degreaser is made by the same company and goes by the name Jizer. It is a water-soluble degreaser that allows you to rinse off the clean part once finished. It removes oil and grease from metals, plastics and painted surfaces as well as synthetic rubbers.

XCP Professional has a fierce reputation when it comes to motorcycle potions; their corrosion preventer won RiDE's product test in January 2020 and the subsequent "light" version did almost as well. So we would imagine that the company's Universal Parts Cleaner is very good at doing just that. The bumf talks about cleaning chains but reviewers state that it cleans all sorts of other things too, including stubborn chain fling from rear-wheel rims.

This degreaser from Putoline has been specifically designed for use on any motorcycle parts, including the engine and gearbox, chain and suspension, frame or wheels. It is safe on paint, rubber, plastic and chrome and is water-soluble so you can rinse it off easily and it wonu2019t leave a residue. Reviews say it is quite light and runs quickly so donu2019t hang around.