Best bike cleaning kits for a sparkling finish 2024

The best bike cleaning kits can make a messy and time consuming job quicker - whilst also yielding a better end result.

A proper degreaser cuts through muck and grime, resulting in an infinitely more shiny drivetrain, and a purpose designed brush really will help you to get into all the nooks and crannies where crud tends to collect.

Considering how hard your bike works for you over the course of a season or a year, it's well worth investing a little in equipment that will add longevity to its essential components. Check out our guide to how to clean your bike for more detail on how to keep your bike in pristine condition.

The best bike cleaning kits are designed to provide everything you need to get started, then you can top up with those which run out more quickly as time goes on. Many brands sell 'top up' bottles of concentrate, which you can dilute to use and which cut down on the environmental impact of packaging.

Here's a look at some of the best bike cleaning kits on the market.

Muc Off is the market leader - and it's easy to see why. We awarded this kit a 10/10 in our last review in Cycling Weekly magazine.

It comes with Muc Off's famous pink Nano Tech Cleaner, which the brand claims is the most effective formula out there, and it's biodegradable. You also get a bottle of 'Bike Spray' for post-wash protection against rust and corrosion.

The set contains four brushes and a sponge, and the box counts as one of the 'eight' - so the actual cleaning product to equipment ratio is quite low, and though the Bike Spray is a start, you'll need to purchase chain lube separately - but this will certainly set you up for long term bike care.

Weldtite's cleaning kit comes with all the basics you need to get to grips with bike maintenance - a litre of the Dirtwash Bike Cleaner, plus a sprocket brush to make sure you get into the nooks and crannies.

There's a lubricant spray, and an all-weather lube, to ensure your results last and keep rust at bay and a cleaning cloth to help get the job done.

This is a "mini" set, ideal if you're getting started and don't want to spend too much, or are perhaps low on storage space - though it's worth bearing in mind that smaller products mean more frequent refills and more packaging.

This set contains 500ml of Bikehut Cleaner, 250ml of Bikehut Degreaser, 100ml Bikehut All Weather Lube and a sponge.

Juice Lubes make some great kit - and this set should have all your needs sorted.

The £37 set contains some swanky additional extras you don't get elsewhere - such as the 'frame polish and protector' to complete the job.

You also get a bottle of degreaser, basic cleaner - which dilutes to create 10 litres of product, chain lube and a chain cleaner so you can get your silverware truly sparkling.

Crankalicious is a brand born from its creators' combined experience in automotive care and love of cycling. They aim to create effective products, with limited environmental impact - and most of them look and smell great, too - which is always a plus.

This set comes in at £55 - though the combined cost would be £67 outside of the bundle, so it's still far from entry-level or basic.

You'll get a litre of Pineapple Express spray wash, 500ml of Mud Honey bucket wash, 500ml of Limon Velo degreaser, Mayo Jaune frame polish, Gumchained Remedy chain cleaner, Epic Hide leather and Vinyl cleanser, Like Pneu tyre cleaner (100ml each) - plus a wash mitt, sponge and drying cloth. Basically - all bases well and truly covered.

Best bike cleaning kits: what contents should I look for?

Frame cleaner

Most sets will come with a basic frame cleaning product that will help remove dirt and oil - ideally in concentrate form, so you can mix water with it at each wash.

Degreaser

Some catch all bike cleaning products can be used in concentrate form as a degreaser, whilst other brands will supply a separate product. Either way, this is for use on the drivetrain, to cut through built up oil and grease.

Lube

There's no point getting your bike sparkling clean, and putting it away without lube - the result will be miles of noisy pedalling, and even rust.

Apply a small drop of chain lube to each link - ideally opting for a "dry lube" in sunny conditions, and "wet lube" if you expect rain. Read our post on Wet or dry: which chain lube should you use? for more info.

Brushes

Often a bike cleaning kit will contain one or more brushes. Bikes are full of awkward-to-reach nooks and crannies - around the drivetrain, brakes and behind the bottom bracket are particularly awkward to get to. A collection of brushes to get to these places is useful, but even one purpose-designed brush will go a long way. A chain cleaning device is also really handy to make keeping your chain clean that bit easier.

Be careful not to use a brush you've used on your drivetrain on your frame afterwards, or you'll end up with hard-to-remove oil stains on your frame. So keep a brush that's only used for cleaning your derailleurs or expect to give it a thorough clean before using it elsewhere on your bike.