My rear rim usually looks like crap. With all the grease flung onto it. Nomatter what wax/grease you use, inevitably you'll have to clean it.

I saw my friend cleaning his bicycle frame recently with baby wipes. He said they're amazing for getting grease off the frame.
It looked pretty good.

I've tried petrol, but I just ended up getting fuzzy headed, felt like crap, lungs felt like crap, and the rims weren't even 100% clean after that.

How about diesel?
Inevitably though, you need something disposable to wipe it with. Toilet paper is crap. (falls apart)
My mechanic buys bags of rags from fabric places.
I've started keeping old raggedy clothes for cutting up and making rags out of :)

I've yet to try a high pressure washer, my friend has one.
I'd have to take the wheel off or wrap the chain in plastic or something...

i got orange wheels and like white show up all the crap real bad , i found a cheap wilko lemon cream cleaner works a treat, the type of stuff for cleanin baths and sinks and stuff , cuts thru all the crap and rinse off with a hose *bling*

wd40 on a rag ,rub rag on rim = clean and shiney rims,next time chain lube is flung on iit'll be easier to rub off again

TFR & Jetwash, or wonder wheels but its expensive at 7 quid a chuck, TFR should be about 20-25 squid for 25 litres

Parafin / Kerosene is my tipple of choice.

Glug some into an old jar / container and brush on with a decent paintbrush, a soft-one will do, I have one just for this job alone.

Work it into all the nooks and crannies and leave it to sit for a couple of minutes (make a brew)

Use the hosepipe and it just washes away to leave a shiney rim :)

I'd avoid using a pressure washer, if the wheels on the bike water can get into the bearings of the rear hub and damage it, the force also removes the paint off the rear wheel >.<

Much easier with some parrafin.

As for the chain.. if it's flinging off onto the wheel your using too much.

+1 with WD40

Smells good too

another vote for wd40 on a soft cloth

I use cillit bang, get a big bottle from tescos and fill up a spare spray bottle, or own brand furniture polish and spray the shit out of the wheel and leave it for a while.

another vote for paraffin. it does however stain concrete, patio blocks, and makes tarmac disintegrate but it does clean grease and lube off exceptionally well!! just be sure to lay down a couple of layers of newspaper and then dash it on generously with a paint brush as neo says and work it into the nooks and crannies.

WD40 / any cheap penetrating lube is good, but i have found on the green wheels on my ZX6 it takes some of the paint off (altho Kwaks are known for having really cheap and thin paint on there wheels) on the white wheels on the NC30 WD works really well.

Sligeach wrote:another vote for paraffin. it does however stain concrete, patio blocks, and makes tarmac disintegrate but it does clean grease and lube off exceptionally well!! just be sure to lay down a couple of layers of newspaper and then dash it on generously with a paint brush as neo says and work it into the nooks and crannies.

WD40 / any cheap penetrating lube is good, but i have found on the green wheels on my ZX6 it takes some of the paint off (altho Kwaks are known for having really cheap and thin paint on there wheels) on the white wheels on the NC30 WD works really well.

You can get a gallon of parafin for the price of a large can of WD40 though, and it lasts 100x longer :-)