Lemon Pledge or Silicone Car Wax or NOT?

BKT

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Oct 12, 2001, 9:51:34 AM10/12/01

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Hi,

I've been reading conflicting advice and opinions on the use of Lemon
Pledge (spray furniture polish) as well as on silicone-based sprays on
bike frames.

1. Some claim that Lemon Pledge works without harming a bike's finish
because it's a Wax in aerosol form. However, at the supermarket
tonight, I read at the back of a bottle of Lemon Pledge, "No Wax
Formula". So, if there's no wax in Lemon Pledge, what is in it? Some
kind of silicone compound?

2. Some claim that silicone (wax, lubes) damage the paint finish of a
bike. If that's the case, is it safe to use products such as
Johnson's Speed Wax (, which, according to the label, contains "Wax,
Silicones and Polymers designed to protect and...your car".

Also, the labels of most silicone lubes I've come across eg. AquaSeal,
state that silicone is NOT harmful to plastic, painted surfaces,
metals, rubbers.

Could someone please give me the straightdope on this? I have with me
a can of Lemon Pledge and a can of the above-mentioned
Silicone/Polymer/Wax spray. Which is safe and effective?

lin kern

Bill Lloyd

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Oct 12, 2001, 2:19:24 PM10/12/01

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Pledge is fine.

I actually use caranuba-based car wax once a year or so, for the heck of it.
It's just paint after all, and car wax will work just as well on it...

-B

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JDJ

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Oct 12, 2001, 2:56:11 PM10/12/01

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Both.

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Paul Kopit

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Oct 12, 2001, 6:24:19 PM10/12/01

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On 12 Oct 2001 06:51:34 -0700, nigh...@navy.org (BKT) wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I've been reading conflicting advice and opinions on the use of Lemon
>Pledge (spray furniture polish) as well as on silicone-based sprays on
>bike frames.
>

I don't think a bicycle I used Lemon Pledge or the generic equivalents
ever got it's paint ruined. The stuff works ok and gets off grease.

I stopped using the stuff because it seemed to build up and didn't
really last though a bit after subsequent washes. I began using car
wax in a can. The shine you get is deeper and it seems to last the
mild soap washes.

If your bicycle is has black, greasy stuff on it, use a fine/gentle
Scotch Brite type pad that has Goop on it. The Goop is sort of a soap
paste. You don't have to rub hard at all. Grease comes off and wax
seems to stand up.

BIG BENT BRAT

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Oct 25, 2001, 1:13:43 PM10/25/01

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go ahead and use the car wax,but buff it good and don't worry about look what
it does for cars even in winter.
Thank you Earl
GRR,RANS V2
Ti-Rush,Sunset lowracer

Tom Kunich

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Oct 25, 2001, 3:00:23 PM10/25/01

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The Lemon Pledge won't harm the paint but it will cause decals without
clear coat over them to harden and crack eventually. The same with
anything else with silicones in them I believe. Personally I don't worry
about it but I have seen the decal problem. After all of this stuff I
bought a can of Johnson and Johnson paste floor wax at OSH and it is
nothing but pure wax and seems to harm nothing and lasts a good long
time as wax goes. It is a lot harder to apply though.

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