Muc Off = Streaks!

[mediamark]

Hi folks, I've washed my bike with Muc Off for the first time today. After leaving it to do "its thing" for a few minutes, I came back to find it had left streaks all over the plastics. Not only that but the streaks appear to have faded the plastics!!!

So, my question is what do you lot use for cleaning & what cam I use to restore the plastics?

Regards

Sent via Tapatalk

 

[Timpo]

What does it say on the instructions about use on painted surfaces?

 

[zimzimmer]

Hi folks, I've washed my bike with Muc Off for the first time today. After leaving it to do "its thing" for a few minutes, I came back to find it had left streaks all over the plastics. Not only that but the streaks appear to have faded the plastics!!!

So, my question is what do you lot use for cleaning & what cam I use to restore the plastics?

Regards

Sent via Tapatalk

Did you let it dry?

if you let it dry or apply to a dry bike it can be over powering, I have had this (dare i say here) on a Kawasaki and simply washed it again, a good spray of water first then Muc-Off for w2 minutes before hosing off.

Hope it works for you as I by it in 25 litre drums of Muc Off Nanotech Bike Cleaner from Rutland Cycles and use it all year round with no ill effects.

 

[CJM180]

I agree, my gsa has had nothing else since new and has covered 5k miles. I rinse the bike thru, spray it everywhere, then rinse again, not letting the muc off dry. Then wipe it down, and cover it in wd40 or gt85

 

[mediamark]

My bike was thoroughly hosed down before applying. I should point out it's only the black plastics it's affected. I used it on my old xj6 without any issues.
I'm wondering if its just the polish it's taken off?

I've gone over the black areas with GT85 which has rectified it if only temporarily(?) Doesn't GT85 fade plastics over time?

What polish do you guys use?

 

[(RIP) Mark H]

Muc-Off will damage your bike, it will do it quickly if you dont follow instructions and slower if you do, with a progressive ageing effect of your bikes finish, blacks go grey & silver loses its lustre, it would be very noticeable if you could take 2 identical new bikes and treat one to regular cleaning with muc-off and the other cleaned with traditional methods and compare them after say 3 years, the paintwork and finishes of the "Muc-Off machine will be noticebly degaded when compared to the other bike.
The last owner of my bike used Muc-Off and I,m still putting it right

note streaky damage and general flatness of the silver finish;

I use a simple car shampoo, and gunk as a degreaser.

 

[mediamark]

Bugger! Just water from now on!

 

[DING-DONG]

Ayup, what ever you do never tell a bmw dealer you use muc-off to clean your bike, if you ever make a warranty claim bmw will void the claim they insist you dont use this to clean your bike im aware of quite a few claims they have turned down after owners told there stealer they clean with muc off, also when i made a warranty claim on some paint issues on the engine casings on a 800 i was asked what i use to clean and my reply was not muc-off! however i think the previous owner used this and in the end i got a brand new engine .

 

[ronecc]

What is wrong with good old soap and water? Muc Off is like TFR (traffic film remover) used in valeting bays. It will etch anything it touches, including glass if you use it on your car. Best avoid anything like this at all costs. If you are going to wet the bike first as suggested, just let the water soften the gunge, then soap, brush and a strong jet of water, although not near bearings and chains.

 

[mediamark]

As daft as it may sound, what do you class as soap?

General advice seems to be to avoid washing up liquid because that can be harmful.

I use car shampoo on the car but have noticed how the plastics have faded on that.

I've contemplated buying SDoc100 but not only is it expensive, after the results of Muc Off, I'm guessing it may have similar results? Your advice?

Again, if anyone can recommend anything for restoring plastics and a good polish, it'd be much appreciated!

Cheers

 

[Taff]

What is wrong with good old soap and water?

It's no good on tar and oil.

 

[(RIP) Mark H]

I use cheap Tesco car wash liquid and gunk degreaser,and a bit of elbow grease, plus bit of petrol on a rag to shift tar spots,

Trouble is with these aggressive cleaners is the average punter is lazy, he wants a product he can spray on his filthy bike leave and rinse of to a showroom condition machine, so the manufactures try to pander to demand , who cares what the bike looks like in a year or two


Restore black plastics with Simoniz back to black, but its not a permanent fix and will need repeating.

 

[BM_donator]

Coming up to 3 and half years old, muc-off from day one following the instructions of water-mucoff-water and people still ask me if my bike's new.

I'm not saying I recommend it to anyone as we all have our own experiences, but I will continue using it while it works for me

 

[StumpyFingers]

I use a cloth soaked in Cillet Bang to wipe the oil and grease and other gunge, I then use polish to protect the rims.

 

[MattW]

White spirit on a rag to get rid of tar deposits etc followed by Castrol Greentec (bought a 5 litre jerry can of it cheap on ebay - decant into an old Sdoc spray bottle)

 

[Engineer]

I now use BMW's stupidly expensive motorcycle cleaner, available from a dealer near you - it doesn't appear to be quite as aggressive as say Muc-Off, AutoGlym or that S100 stuff BUT,BUT,BUT if it does damage my bike then BMW will just have to give me a new one

However I used all of the above on my old 1200GS (2005) and never had a problem, no damage to paint, or plastics or metal work - it is fine as long as you soak the bike beforehand - never let it dry and rinse off with a gazzilion gallons of water from a hose - simples

 

[swissrob]

general all purpose cleaner or APC. go to and get a bottle of daisy APC for 89p or less.

 

[CJM180]

I might have too much time on my hands, but i wet the bike, then muc off as the instructions say, then rinse again and then get a bucked of cold water with a little autoglym car shampoo and just give it a rub all over with a big sponge.

The muc off gets into all the little corners etc, then the autoglym flows in and removes anything else that remains, including remaining muc off.

Then it gets the compressed air all over it, particularly between the fins on the engine, and the front shocker to get rid of excess water, or anywhere where pools of water develop, then anything thats not plastic gets coated in gt85 or wd 40.

If i am in a good mood or got some more time to waste, i might get the pledge out on the plastics

kr Craig

 

[outrunner]

Much the same as my method, hose bike, spray with muc off, leave it for 2 minutes then wash off with warm water and car shampoo and finally hose the bike down again. Used this method for 4 years with my Tiger and it never took any harm so I am sure my BMW will be OK.


Andy.

 

[ronecc]

I agree with easyrider5253.
Gunk is ideal for oil and grease, been around for donkey's years before all these fancy surface eating cleaners. Brush it on and wash it off.
As for using Fairy Liquid. There is nothing wrong with that. It does NOT contain salt nowadays. Even if it did, the small amount contained in a half litre bottle is negligable. Once you have squirted a small amount into a bucket and filled it with water, the amount of salt in there would be less than the bike would collect riding along Blackpool sea front.
There are numerous black plastic restorers around. If you do not want to get yourself black as well as the plastic, use MER gel plastic restorer. It is a pale green gel, and a very little goes a long, long way.
If you want to use a cleaner for the dead flies etc, get a spray of caravan black stripe remover. It dissolves flies off panels and windows on caravans without eating into the perspex.