How to keep pedal plates clean

Pedal Plates are easy to store. Most bikers even put them in their saddlebag, jeans, or jacket. That is one of the reasons why these accessories should be kept keep squeaky clean. After all, It gives you a feeling of satisfaction, knowing you are riding around with clean pedal plates.

However, one thing that most people will agree on is that the cleaning may be a little hard to do so. Why? If you share the same opinion, you may want to read further for knowledge on how to keep your pedal plates nice and clean.

Quick rinses or deep clean?

Now you might be thinking, “What’s the big deal? I’ll just spray my pedals with a hose”. A quick rinse like this might be okay but chances are that you might miss a lot of dirt hiding in the Pedal Plates. Therefore, two reasons why you should give your pedals some extra care after a couple of quick rinses are:

1. The grip. Pedal plates provides a flat surface and a good grip. Which is why keeping them clean will help you maintain the grip quality. A deep cleanse also means preventing grime from lubricating the pins or filling the concavities that are meant for your feet. Materials on your pedals like mud or grass can cause slippage. To prevent accidents, you always want to keep them clean for maximum grip, safety, and comfort.
2. The second reason is the functionality. Pedal Plate pedals affect your bike ride. The pedals are not upside-down and are easy to remove. However, when mud gets stuck between any of these moving parts chances are that you will notice an obvious difference in the functionality of the plates.

To avoid this kind of disaster, it’s worth spending a little extra time cleaning your pedals before riding.

What you need

You don’t need any fancy tool to clean the pedals or your bike in general. Therefore, what can you use instead of these expensive tools?

1. Instead of using a water blaster, weed sprayer, or garden hose, you could just use a bucket.
2. Instead of brushing with a metal brush, you can choose to brush it with a dish brush or a soft car brush.

Hand cleaning

When it comes to cleaning pedals, your hand is the most important key. Take a high-pressure hose, as an example for the opposite of a soft hand. The hose can blow particles past the seals and into the bearings, and frequent water utilization can even flush grease from critical areas, which can corrode the exposed metal. Instead, you can:

1. Use a low-pressure water source to soften stuck-on debris and then remove it with a damped cloth.
2. Use q tips under and around the knobs and switches.
3. Use a paintbrush to remove dust and sand.

You may want to remove your pedals from the bike to make them easier to clean. This also allows you to inspect the pedals for damage and re-grease the spindle threads, both of which should be done once or twice a year.