Product Review: Grease Monkey Heavy Duty Cleaning Wipes

Grease Monkey Wipes are one of those things that make you think, "Why didn't I think of that?!" The concept is simple: moist towelettes that can clean up a greasy mess. According to their website, "Grease Monkey Wipes use a natural citrus formula to safely clean grease, grime, oil, lubricants, adhesives, ink and much more. No soap and water? No problem! Pre-moistened Grease Monkey Wipes are ideal for cleaning mobile messes associated with biking, boating, driving, fishing, hunting, camping, and much more." They are safe for use on your hands for a quick clean-up after an unexpected mechanical problem, and work just as well to clean up the bike before putting it in the car after a race, or, in my case, positioning it along side my bed in hotel rooms across Italy.
Grease Monkey Wipes are sold in a canister as well as individually wrapped singles. This is where I think the Grease Monkey Wipe really shines, no pun intended. It's something that easily slots into your saddle pack between your spare tubes for that messy roadside moment. Fixing a dropped chain, changing a puncture, etc., can easily turn into filthy bar tape, ruined gloves, or worse, accidental exposure to poison ivy from cleaning your hands in the grass (I've never seen it happen but it's not unlikely). A Grease Monkey Wipe solves these problems. Plus, while traveling, cleaning your bike is no easy task and after rainy day a filthy bike can easily slop up a hotel room, not to mention your bike bag and everything else you're traveling with. And, you can't turn up at an Italian Gran Fondo with a dirty bike.
I received the Grease Monkey Wipe that I had with me in Italy in the goodie bag at the Hell of Hunterdon ride back in March. It sat around until I went to Italy and I figured I should bring it with me just in case. After an extremely wet day riding over the sand littered roads of Umbria, my bike was a mess. I first cleaned the bike with a sponge like towel thing I got at an Italian grocery store, mostly to get the heavy sand, dirt and water off the bike. What was left was a greasy filmy mess. I broke out the Grease Monkey Wipe. I couldn't believe how far the wipe went. I cleaned every millimeter of the bike, the wheels, between the cassette cogs, the chain, everything. One little wipe got my bike nearly as clean as I could get it in the stand at home. I was sold. The citrus degreaser works wonders. I plan to keep Grease Monkey wipes around both in the shop and on the road. A simple product executed perfectly. Highly recommended!!