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Cleaning black denim?

9K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  RGCBandit 
#1 ·
Someone said Windex? What about if it as ammonia?.
Any suggestions?



Sent from my SCH-I535
 
#8 · (Edited)
There is actually an existing thread on this (almost the same wording in the title too lol)



Never use dish soap on any quality paint. Never use glass cleaner because it contains ammonia and will strip away your clearcoat, and paint without clearcoat... it will strip through the paint itself. Don't use Pledge either (some people do this).

Between show cars I have owned, and spending upwards of $10,000 on custom paint on a previous bike... I would never let any chemical touch the surface that could hurt it, nor would I ever touch the paint with a rag, towel, or microfiber cloth.

If you want a fool-proof way to clean your bike (all surfaces) and also spend LESS time, and exert LESS energy doing it.... read on:


Go online or go into any motorcycle shop and grab some S100. Walk past all the other crap out there that promises an easy wash, yet still leaves garbage behind you have to clean by hand.

Simply spray on bike, rinse off with a power nozzle on any regular hose, and dry. You're done. I SWEAR by this stuff.

For those in Europe, it is called SDOC100.

They also make a Special Surfaces Cleaner which is absolute MAGIC on your helmet. Spray on, wipe off, and it feels like you waxed it twice.

Worried about getting swirls in your paint over time? Yes, even microfiber cloths can do this. Get an Air Force Blaster. No rag ever touches my bike for cleaning or drying. It blasts the water out of every crevice and the fins on the motor too. Then blast it off the surfaces and you're done... no water spotting. Best $90 I've spent in a while. You can also use an ELECTRIC leaf blower instead, they are much cheaper. You cannot use a gas powered one however, because they do spit out oil, and you don;t want that on your finish. I bought an electric leaf blower at Home Depot for about $40.



Now for the tough stuff... BUGS and guts. Especially tough are those love bugs. Well, I learned a great technique that works well, and works on every surface including the delicate plastics.

Get a spray bottle and fill it with hydrogen peroxide. Not kidding.

Spray it directly on the bugs and let it sit for 2-5 minutes. You'll see it fizzing up as it literally dissolves the bugs and guts. Rinse them off. Only the absolute toughest will require a LIGHT pass over with a soft sponge... absolutely no scrubbing, just a gentle wipe. Then wash the bike as needed with the S100 for the routine cleaning.



I have used S100 on paint with multiple layers of clear, I have used it on a special matte paint called Hot Rod Flatz (this is the kind that you CANNOT wax), and I use it on my Denim Harley paint as well. My previous bikes did not have much chrome, and my black engines came out rich black, not grey or cloudy. My chrome on the RG comes out sparkling without polishing or buffing or special compounds.

I have used every chemical you can think of on the racing Brembos on my cars and my wheels would still be black and nasty... spray S100 on, let it sit for a minute, wipe with their gentle sponge... all brake dust rinsed off clean. It is super tough stuff. I've tried the Simple Green stuff, Honda Wash... nothing works like S100.

*** Just be certain you do not let it sit too long and dry up, get it off there! ***


About every 3 or 4 washes, if I really want to make it look like it's rolling into a show, I will use a light application of Maguires Spray Detailer and a microfiber cloth. The ONLY time a cloth will touch any of my paint is after a complete and thorough wash, so there is no risk of dust or particles on my paint which will get rubbed in and scratch my finish. On my RGC I am using the HD Black Denim spray, lightly, and it seems to work very well. I use it mainly for touch ups between washes though. I've yet to feel the need to spray down the entire bike with it. Mainly my fairing and tank after a few long rides between washes.


It takes me half the time that it takes to do it "the old fashioned way" and my bikes always look showroom new when I am done. When I sell or trade a bike I am always asked how my paint looks like new, with no swirlies or other common issues... this is my secret.


Also remember that on Denim Black, you cannot "rub it" or buff it, that will create a shine in the spot that you did it on.
 
#12 ·
That's fine for an occasional touch up, but not to wash the bike as he was asking.

Plus.. NEVER use a spray and cloth on any finish unless it is cleaned first. The slightest bit of dust can scratch your paint when you wipe it with a cloth without clearing the dust/dirt/debris off beforehand.
 
#13 ·
I'm a fan of S100 also. I use it whenever the bike needs a thorough cleaning such as after a ride in the rain. I haven't found it to be the 'liquid magic' that some think it is but it does a decent job. For routine cleaning I use the denim cleaner from HD (yea, I know it's pretty much windex but I've had the bike for two years and I think I'm on the second bottle, it lasts forever).

I'm not as picky about the paint so if I was to get a small scratch so be it. I've never had this happen however from a microfiber cloth.
 
#14 ·
I've use Windex with no problems at all. My denim black '09 Street Bobs manual specifically said to use "Windex with Ammonia". Just don't get it on your windshield!
 
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