ATV Florida Forum

I'm a new ATV Owner/Rider, I went riding with a few friends on 8/1 for the first time, went to River Ranch. At first, when I bought the ATV I was a little nervous, about the expense and if I had made the right decision. Let me tell you, it was a blast and was WELL worth the money...

Now, the question I have, does anyone have a suggestion on what product to use to clean the ATV after a muddy day? I know that you have to use plastic friendly products in order to maintain the plastics looking nice. I've heard that it is a good idea to use WD40 on the plastic, others say don't cause it dries it with time. What products do you recommend to use to give it that nice new look again and to maintain it looking nice after every wash. Is it safe to use a pressure washer, I know to take it easy on the decals, but what else should I look for?

Thanks for your time, and also congrats on such a nice web site and great forums...

i use something called s-100 it works good but you only get at harley davidson shops :o

I use a pressure washer, i havent seen any negative effects yet. Im not sure what to recommend using to wash it with...i just use the soap that i was my suv with.

One of the electric pressure washers work great and are easy and quiet. My Husky 1650 has enough pressure to clean quick but not enough pressure to damage anything. Great for boats also.

A small pressure washer is good. S-100 or Simple green works great.
I just hose mine off, cover every thing in Simple Green, hose it off, reg car wash soap and a mitt for the tight spots.
I blow it off with a leaf blower then a little STP son-of-a-gun on the plastic.
Note. ArmorAll dries out your plastics, Castrol Super Clean is too alkiline (sp?) and stains aluminium.

Thanks Mars... Where can I pick up this Simple Green stuff, is it plastic safe? How long do you let that sit before you hose it off?. What else do you do to it once you spray it with that, let it air dry?, do you have to make sure it only covers the plastic or any other special considerations?

UPDATE: I just found out that "Son-of-a-gun" has a bunch of products, which one were you talking about?

Thanks again for your help...

simple green is the way to go wont cloud rims & stuff. home depot has it i mix it 50-50 with water. Buy the $10 lawn sprayer mix it in there pump it up & go works great i leave it sit about 5-10 mins & hit it with the power washer Good luck willy & welcome to the sport !!

big willy you should know if anyone does and you have the wheels to prove it lol ;D and thanks for promoting the home depot #1 in the home improvement bussiness :D

I have to try this simple green stuff, i have heard good stuff about it.

You know, I almost bought it the other day, but I got wary when I saw a caution statement that said not to spray on instrument panels and such.. Even if you don't directly hit it with the sprayer some is always likely to hit it... Should I be worried?, if it is not safe for the instrument panel, is it really safe for the rest of the plastics? is it really necessary to dilute it?

Is this simply green stuff enough for the whole bike? or is it recommended to use a plastic cleaner and protector...?

Thanks all...

i use it all the time on mine i have no problem with it on plastics or what ever

ya birdman the depot is great as long as you try to get a job there ( sorry azz people  ) lowe's got better prices im out

Simple Green does not work with the mud I get into [smiley=Tongue.gif]
For years we have been using Greased Lighting! It works awesome!  The only thing is not to let it sit on Aluminum for more the 10 seconds.  I spray it all over on EVERYTHING and the dirt and mud rinses right off!  Never have to touch it with a sponge.  Then I spray it with a spray wax while it's wet and dry with a imitation shamee.
After the bath I spray it down with Silicone Spray and WD-40.
Good-To-Go [smiley=Cool.gif]
I have had people ask me "Don't you ever get this thing dirty?"

Also about the pressure washer thing ....be very careful around any rubber boots etc, especially if you have a Polaris [smiley=Wink.gif] Have heard stories about that.

Simple Green is very safe for almost everything,,,,we had a salesman come to a place I worked at to sell this stuff and demostrated how safe it was to the environment by drinking some of it straight from the bottle,,,then using the same bottle to clean part of our building on the outside.

Id@

I wonder what the long term affect to his liver will be. Will he still be working for the same company or not. If not then workers comp may not pay later. HEHE

Thanks Kawgirl, I've also been told that WD-40 over the long term will dry and crack the plastics... The other day when I went to buy the Simple Green, I noticed there are SOO many plastic cleaners and protectants its like nuts trying to decide what is best...

Thanks again...

Hey Warrior.
Sorry I did not get back to you sooner...Been a bit crazy around here.
The STP Son of a Gun is the regular yellow (automotive) bottle that has been around for years.
I buy S.G. buy the gallon at Home Depot. I leave it on full strength on the bike for 3~5 minutes. I try not to use too much on clear plastic but I have never had a problem on my street bikes in 8 years.
On the WD~40 on plastic..... The new formula should be ok. The old formula (40% kerosene I've been told) was not good for plastic.

I don't use WD-40 on my plastics :o Only my chain etc. and the silicone spray on EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH!
If I want to polish I (steel) Jeff's S-100 WAX  :-X  He gets it at a Motorcycle Acc. Store for his ZRX and says it's too expensive to use on the quads  :(  [smiley=Wink.gif] LOL
Just kidding S-100 is Awesome Stuff!  They also make a great spray cleaner.

Hey I just noticed I'm a "Supreme Member" WooHoo

Thanks for the info Kawgirl... and congrats on making Supreme... How is that done, by the amount of posts?

Laters...

YUP [smiley=BigSmile.gif]

i use sp88 takes eveything off

Never heard of it. Is it safe on bumpers and stuff? Also where do you get it?

is that decresser i super purple or something like that and a lite pressure cleaning then soap  and works great for me  then i use armorall the tire form stuff on my plastics nice and shine and lasts for a while..... and spray the engine with wd40 so it shinny and clean

i bought the simple green in the big bottle at the grocery store and I just pull out the little gimmick on the sprayer so that it foams!  I spray my bike with water cover it in simple green let sit for 3-5 minutes spray off with a pressure washer....just be careful around your stickers (especially ride area stickers)!!!  I then dry and use a spray cleaner/wax that you can buy at any motorcycle shop....just ask the guys there which stuff they use on their bikes and atv's!!!!

I also use Simple Green on the rare occasion I actually wash my quad.  ;) Just wet it down, spray the SG all over, scrubb it with a sponge/brush and rinse it off.  Then I use an aerosol all purpose polish that I have a case of to shine up the plastic.

I've used Simple Green for years to clean anything and everything I own. I mostly use it full strength and have never seen it damage anything from stainless steel, ceramic coated headers, paint and even on my leather interior. It's like liquid gold.  ;D

Ya tell me about.
I have a lawn service and do 2 of the bigshots that work for them.
They live in gated community which the cheapest house is 900K.
They were the biggest wooters on the planet and I told them both to blow my hole.
I will never shop at the Home Crapper ever again.
Lowes is the way to go. Cleaner too.

I didn't realize Simple Green was a cleaner. I always thought of it as a foamy refreshing beverage to be enjoyed after a long ride in the hot florida sunshine.

I used Greased Lightening for the first time yesterday,,,,,WOW.

I just sprayed it on the engine parts and other stuff,,,,then sprayed off with water a minute later and I have never seen this thing so clean.

I had to clean it before ATP gets it again,,,,don't want them to think that I'm not cleaning this bad boy now.

Id@

I use simple green on everything except the plastic. I use PLEXUS ont the plastic and i like it alot. It conditions the plastic so that it doesnt get dry and dull. Its $7 a can. Also i spray the quad down with silicon lightly before i wash it and i spray alot on the engine after i wash+dry it.....Then i saturate it in mud all over again!!! ;D

Yeah, thats the ticket, mud it, clean it, mud it, clean it, etc, hehehe...

Every time I got a new Harley at work I'd wax it once and from then on it got nothing but pure Simple Green, sit for 5-10 minutes then hosed off w/ a pressure washer and dried w/ a leaf blower.

It didn't strip the wax off or damage the windshield, instrument panel, decals or plastic light covers.  And it cleaned it well enough to pass a white glove (LITERALLY) inspection.

SG is the best.

I used it for the first time today, by accident actually. My friend went to buy Simple Green and they were out of it, so he bought Greased Lightening instead. WOW! is right, that thing is GREAT!

Told ya! we buy it by the 5 gallon size and put in a small 1 gallon pump sprayer (like for pestisides) it's Awesome stuff!

Just remember not to leave it on alum for more than 10 seconds!

How does Greased Lightening work on dirt up under my atv? That's always the hard stuff.

greased lightning will clean anything. Like Kawgirl said, don't let it sit on aluminum or it will eat the finish.

Ha, forgot about that when I suggested it to a friend... Oops and also got some on my watch, hehe... But hey, it is GREAT! Where do you get the 5 gallon size and how much does it run for?

Thanks...

Just spray it up underneath everywhere and rinse, especially the hard to get to areas  [smiley=Wink.gif]
Good to go!

[smiley=Shocked.gif] Not good for watches!
We get it at Lowes, I think it is 35.00$ for 5 gallons.
I'm sure Home Depot has it too.

I was wrong on the price of the 5 gallon jug....$27.80 @ LOWES.  :D

Do you dillute the grease lightening with water or use it straight?

Straight-up! ;D

Thanks :)

I dillute it and it works great, I guess if you have REAL REAL heavy mud you can go straight, but it is SUPER strong. I use a 3 gallon fumigation jug and I fill it up with water almost to the top, then add the Greased Lightning and that stuff works incredibly. So just imagine how strong it is...

Laters...

where can I get a fumigation jug?

Home depot, lowes, any hardware type store. It's basically a pump sprayer.

I have been looking for something that I can connect to my hose to hold the soap while i'm spraying the ATV. Anybody have any idea where I can find such a device?

You can get a small bottle that attaches to a water hose for liquid fertilizer. When you turn the valve one way it mixes the g/l with water, when you turn it the other way it's just water. Is this what your talking about ?

This is exactly what i am talking about. I looked at Walmart and Lowes and could not find one.

did you look in the gardening section? because every walmart,lowes,homedepot, any store like that has em but they are usually in like the gardening area or somewhere around that area of the store, also did u ask someone that worked at the store if they had one?

No, but I will ask at the store. I would prefer to buy it online if anyone knows a link to someplace please post it. Thanks

you guys have to much time on you hands, ride it till it drops and then shot it! go to the close Yamaha Dealer and buy a new. works for me  ;D

More brains than money here.

My little girl dropped a gallon of simple green out of the buggy at wal-mart , kaasplat . Once they cleaned it up the floor was not too shiny . Works great on bikes too.

Try Mr. Clean Auto Dry, it has a reservoir for soap and best yet has a filter to get extra clean water for a final spray, after the wash. It's actually for washing your car it leaves NO SPOTS it is great and there is no need to hand dry. It is a great product... You can get it at Walmart, Target, almost anywhere...

http://www.homemadesimple.com/mrcleanautodry/index.shtml

Hey Warrior, I know the situation you were in.  I also spent a weekend at river ranch and had a blast untill I found myself my brand new Grizzly floating in the middle of stump pond.  Luckly no damage and she started right up after walking it out of the lake.

I use simple green and some water and it works great.  

Enjoy

I use rainX on my plastics before i go riding, it dosn't let mud stick as much so a simple hose off will get everything nice and clean.  For stains, like the ones your riding boots put on the rear fender, i tried alot of stuff but what i found works best is this thing called the magic eraser from mr. clean.  Its a sponge you wet and then rub on the stain, it comes right out.  My plastic are white and they were getting pretty nasty and this thing got them looking new again, its amazing.

about that Mr. Clean stuff,,,,,,unless you are going to wax right after washing, DONT use it, it is able to dry without spots because it strips every bit of wax off of the paint and the water then tends not to bead.

I only use it when I'm going to be waxing my truck the same day.

Id@

Try a tire foam, i.e. Black Magic or the dollar store for the cheap stuff. If you coat everything top to bottom before you ride it helps mud shed off. Then it is easier to clean after you ride.
Also clear spray paint (for engines and break calipers) works good on differentials and such. Just clean it real good and spray it. You can't see they overspray and it will seak the pours of the aluminum, preventing staining.

I use a product called formula 88 get it at autoparts or home  depot.. i use it full strength after i rinse down the quad then i hit the whole quad w/tire shine..  

We use this stuff called purple power, just spray everything with it wait a minute and spray it off with the hose, comes clean first time everytime.  :)

I also use Formula 88 ...Workslike a charm and has never tarnished the pipes like grease lighting will


Ed

Pressure washer and marker 88 the best way to go

I'm also a fan of S100......spray it on EVERYTHING,and instantly rinse it off,fire up the leaf blower and you done in less then 10 mins.........it's safe on everything,I use it on my custom chopper........so belive me it's safe!!!!!  And yes i've only been able to find it at Harley dealers

How big is your pressure washer...

i use 88 all the time work for me

I tried out the Formula 88, after seeing people using it on here. It worked great. I mixed about 40% with water. Spray it on for a couple minutes and it rinses everything off, top and bottom of quad. Not scrubbing not even the aluminum.

i'm new to the scene but have had great luck with silicone
spray-after cleaning with mild soap i spray the seat, plastics,
engine components-wiring harnesses-seems to make the
mud stick a little less and easier cleanup for your next
outing.

Purple Stuff!!!
Discount Auto  Parts has a version for $10 for a really big jug.
Mix it about 10 to 1 in a big lawn spray bottle and spray it down. wait 5 minutes and then wash off. Repeat 2 or 3 times and lokks like new.

Simple green is great for cleaning, and Plexus works great for the pastics.  

i use plexus to. its great because not only does it make the plastic look like new, it protects it real well. after a good wash down i cake everything except the plastics in silicone spray. Silicone also protects very well.

Go to the garden section of Wal-Mart, HD or Lowe's and ask for a Miracle Gro applicator or Ortho applicator.

Look here-

http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=92497-446-083651020&lpage=none

This what you want?

Thats it, thanks!

I made the mistake of washing thoroughly my quad before I left ONF with greased lightning then after it dried I sprayed EVERYTHING down with WD40 except for the seat.

I only rode about another 2-3 more miles, but I noticed it was dusty,,,,so I washed it all over again when I got back to Orlando,,,,,dangit, have I got the clean-bug now?

is there a 12-step program to cure me of this terrbile affliction?

Id@

Did you armor all your tires, too, Ida?  Haha.......

Use purified water and a sea sponge. Light some candles. Playing Chicago in the background ;)

TRX, you forgot the bath salts.....

I find ATV's don''t like salt all that much. The whole rust thing you know.  ;D

the pressure washer wont hurt it as long as you dont get too close to the suspension or the decals.  I have to try some of that green stuff

Make sure if you use a preesure washer you dont spray directly on the engine or where any gaskets and seals are because it will knock them out of place, that would not be good. just use a grease-cutting dish soap and when your done go get some silicon spray from an autoparts store. it makes for a nice "shiney/new looking" look. it is what all of the dealerships use to make them look so preety in the showroom. the silicon will have a nasty smell though if you get it on any hot parts (engine,exhaust,etc...)

hey justin dont forget the engine

All those damn 4 wheelers

YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE THEY SELL THAT PLEXOR YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT?

I got it from rockymountainatv.com

Most dealers have the Plexus in stock.  It works great!

Has anyone found 5 gallon containers of Greased Lightning?

Thanks...

I have been using Simple Green for 10 years and IT IS AWESOME   but I am going to look for that s-100 wax next time i am at the H-D shop

OK I went to the H-D in Crytal River today and looked at the S-100 and that is a really good cleaner and Craig over there was really helpful. Told him I was looking to clean the Quads and he explained what to do, so I bought the Swirl and Scratch remover actually made by H-D so I think maybe either tomorrow opr next week I will try the new stuff and let you all know.

I thought Lowe's or Home Depot carried it?

a tooth brush. ;)

OK the Harley swirl and scratch remover works real well on  minor sratches and will actually clean it up real well - just on big scratches that are deep it will not work good and also puts a bit of a shine     the next tiem i am there i will get the shine wax and see how it works 

I haven't seen it the 5 gallon containers though, not yey at least. But thanks for the info, I'll check them out again...

i can only get s100 at cycle gear here in pinellas park

but how do you get the stains out of the alumin

Aluminum stains, that is a good question, I'd also like to know the answer to.

Thanks...

simple green, silicone spray, and plexus on the plastic.

whats the best stuff for geting mud off

wow, one year old thread.

Pressure Washer.

i got simple green will it work and not mess up my bike

simple green works good or just plain old soap and water if thats all you have on hand. Iwould not recomend a pressure washer because you may drive water past your seals

my new sponsor liquid performance. its just as strong as any of the other cleaners but does not take the shine off chrome. all you need is a hose and a bottle of this stuff and your bike will look new. ;D

pressure washer

Yeah, tell me about it, I never thought it would be that popular. But then again a good cleaning is good after a nice ride. Keeps the toy in good shape. I have learned a lot since my original post on this topic...

You know one thing though, I'm STILL looking for that 5 gallon container of Gresed Lightning, maybe it was a hoax and never really existed...

Greased Lightning™
5 Gallon Multi-Purpose Degreaser and Cleaner

Item #: 21240       Model: 105C
$28.96


http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=21240-1383-105C




 
 Online
Shipping Options include
Lowe's Delivery
 In Store
Buy online and pickup at your local Lowe's store: LOWE'S OF ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL
 
 
 

Ahhh, you're the man!, Thank you!!! Great stuff eh?, do you use it?

Thanks again...

I use the purple stuff from Home depot it is highly concentrate & it turns plastic faded if not diluted.I renovate homes & took a look at Lowes.Since I am in there & the depot 4-5 times a week.......I will give this a try though.

I haven't read through this whole thread but Greased lightening WILL take the finish off of your rims,grab bar, nerfs and so forth. I use Orange blast at Home Depot.It's more expensive but weel worth it. I dilute it 50/50.

amen! that stuff is amazing. I just got done washing our quads, and I used it on 1 of them but didn't have enough for the other 2 and was too lazy to go get it. The Wolverine is nice and shiny and no mudstains, the Vinsons are still kinda ugly with mud stains everywhere.

Cody, you trying to hide that you had the fiances quad out this weekend so she doesn't kick your butt next time she sees you?  Good having y'all out this weekend.  We missed you camping.

As for cleaning I've found simple green does a pretty good job.  It's also natural so you don't have to worry about messing up the bike or the environment. 

nearby lake, i just kick the z into 4x4, submarine mode ;)

I use the hose with no attachment to nock off the big globs of mud.  Then if I'm cleaning for real, I take off all the plastic, and the gas tank, airbox, and subframe.  Then I use a tooth bush on everything left on the bike, using just whatever cleaner we got.  And I clean all the plastic and everything just with water and a brush.  And then if it needs it, change the oil, clean the airfilter, and lube the chain.  Put it back together, throw some WD-40 all over the place, and throw in the trailor till next time!

I've been using Greased Lightning for about a year now, never had a problem with it. I dilute it in water as per the instructions and it is AMAZING how the mud comes off with NO scrubbing. You DO have to take extra precaution with aluminum, it WILL stain it, you can still use it on aluminum but you have to remove it within 2 or 3 seconds max, spray on and rinse. Or you can clean the alum with another cleaner. Other than the alum it is fantastic, I strongly recommend it...