Frequently Asked Questions

This is arguably the most important step in ensuring all Squirt chain lubes function optimally. It is very important that the chain is properly degreased before initial application. All other oils, greases, and lubes must be removed from the chain in order for the wax to adhere to the bare metal of the chain. It also ensures full penetration to the pins, rollers, and shoulders/bushings of the chain. A dedicated water-based degreaser of Squirt Cycling’s Biodegradable Bike Cleaner Concentrate and a medium brush can be used to do this. Make sure to follow the user instructions very closely.  Once the chain is dry, shake your bottle of Squirt Chain Lube well and apply lube to the inside or outside (just above the cassette) of your chain. Apply one layer of lube while slowly rotating the cranks backward and continue rotating the cranks another 10 times after application to ensure the wax penetrates the chain properly and evenly. Let the first application dry and apply a second layer in the same fashion. This will ensure the chain is coated in wax.  After the initial Squirt Chain Lube application, use only Squirt Lube and drybrush the chain and derailleur pulley wheels occasionally to clean.

Yes. Squirt should be started on a clean, properly de-greased and dry chain. Factory grease on a new chain should be removed with organic solvent if needed. A second application ten minutes after the first is recommended when starting out with Squirt.

De-greasing is not necessary when using Squirt. It does not form a black build-up like oils that traps dirt to accelerate chain wear. It does not smudge and stays dry. Brush off with dry brush if needed and remove occasional build-up from rear derailleur wheels with a toothpick. 

It depends on riding conditions. In general, when you start hearing a dry chain noise, re-application is already due. In wet, muddy conditions it will not last as long as in dry-dust free conditions. In general, from 30 to 300 miles on one application - the chain will stay clean. If you expect riding in wet conditions, lube your chain the day before if possible.

Wait until the chain is completely dry, and then apply a layer of lube to the inside of the chain while slowly rotating the cranks backward. After applying a layer of lube, continue spinning the cranks slowly for a few revolutions to ensure the lube penetrates the chain rollers and links. If it is the first time applying Squirt Chain Lube, you can wait until the lube has dried (it will go from milky white to colorless) and apply a second layer to ensure complete coverage and penetration.

After initial application, dry brushing of the chain and derailleur pulley wheels to remove occasional wax buildup is all that is required for cleaning before adding fresh Squirt Chain Lube.

Squirt Chain Lube is the original, first to market wax/water emulsion chain lube for use above freezing in all conditions. Low-Temp: Solid wax hardens below freezing point (32℉, 0) impairing lubing function. Low-Temp contains wax modifier that keeps the wax consistency optimal at these temperatures (0℉ to 32℉, -18℃ to 0℃). E-Bike lube contains high-pressure additives to deal with generally higher rotational force on e-bike drive trains. These lubes are interchangeable but the full benefit of each negated without proper de-greasing when changing.

Squirt should be stored between 40℉ and 95℉ with the cap on. If it freezes (below 32℉, 0℃) or dries out, it becomes thick. It can be restored to a creamy liquid by adding a little water and shaking it up (normally about 10% of water).

The small black particles are normal on stationary trainers. This also happens when on the road or trails, one just does not see it.  It is the hard-wax components of Squirt shedding from the chain.  Excess wax and dirt trapped sheds via this method.  You may find that more wax accumulates on the chain of your trainer - this is due the chain not vibrating/shaking enough to promote shedding. Our  biodegradability rating is therefor important as it would end up in the natural environment. 

All our chain lubes are biodegradable wax-water emulsions with additives to prevent component wear. We continually monitor the quality of the waxes we use to ensure we meet the highest standards and legislative compliance. Using newer generation fully refined waxes can result in natural separation of the emulsion if left standing for long periods of time. If you find that your bottle of Squirt Chain Lube has a visible separation layer in the bottom, this is normal.  When shaken well before application, this does not affect the performance of the lube.

If you start seeing a build-up very soon after initial application, it is possible that too much lube had been applied or too often.

A good way to prevent this is to run the chain through a dry rag for one or two revolutions after you have applied and then ride until you start hearing a dry chain noise. Only then reapply or ideally just before then. After some time you'll get an idea how long it lasts but this is also affected by riding conditions.

Most of the wax that gets expelled either accumulate around the jockey/derailleur wheels or on the chainring where it does not cause any damage to your drive train, unlike oily lubes that forms a grinding paste that stays on the chain.

If the chain was degreased properly the first time, there is no need to do it again - just apply a little less.

If stored under recommended conditions, the lube will last for many years. Stability samples of older than 15 years still retain functionality.

When the lube dries out after applying, the wax solidifies on the chain. When you start riding, the excess wax is expelled in small pieces and generally shaken off the chain while riding, especially with mountain biking.  With road biking more of the expelled wax stays on the chain because of the smooth riding surface and starts accumulating on the derailleur wheels and chain itself. The excess wax is out of harms way and does not affect the functioning of the lube unlike oily lubes that re-enter the lubrication process, wearing down the drive train. With Squirt there is a difference between a cosmetically clean chain and a functionally clean one.

The way you can minimize the build-up of wax is to run the chain through a dry cloth after applying. This will remove the excess lube beforehand and reduce the build-up. After that you do not need to de-grease between lubing intervals and just wipe off the excess every time after applying.

The packaging features clear, easy-to-follow instructions on how to top up one’s tire sealant using the Easyfill Pouch. You can easily slide the pouch nozzle over any standard Presta valve for spill-free top-ups, and its milliliter marking gives one a good indication of how much sealant to add to your tire. Completely filling a 29” MTB tire requires 100-120mls, 26”/27.5” tires take 80-100mls, and road/gravel tires require between 60-90mls. Always ensure the valve stem is clear and unblocked, as this is often the barrier to getting sealant into the tire. With the valve core removed, clear the valve stem using a 2.5mm Allen key. It works well to push out any old sealant or other blockages.

 There are two methods for inserting sealant with the 120ml Pouch:

Method one: Rotate the wheel to locate the valve at 12 o'clock and remove the valve core. Shake the pouch properly to mix the granules evenly with the latex. Secure the pouch nozzle to the valve stem. Ensure the pouch has sufficient air before proceeding, as it supplies the necessary "propellant" to propel the sealant into the tire upon applying pressure. Once secured, rotate the wheel gradually to the 6 o’clock position while squeezing the pouch from the 4 o'clock position until it is empty when reaching the bottom of the rotation.

Method two: Rotate the wheel to locate the valve at 6 o'clock and remove the valve core. Shake the pouch properly to mix the granules evenly with the latex. Keep the pouch in the upright position and fold the spout over, almost as if you are sealing a pack of crisps after opening it. While keeping the pouch upright, secure the nozzle onto the valve. Then, while turning the pouch upside down (for the fluid to flow out), squeeze it gradually to transport the sealant into the tire.

 Important: After reading this, it should be clear that one wants to avoid all the BeadBlock™ granules settling in the bottom of the pouch and then only trying to force it into the valve. The two methods above ensure that the BeadBlock™ granules are transported gradually into the tire, along with a lot of fluid (sealant).

Yes, you can, but there's an optimum level beyond which adding more granules won't enhance the sealing effect and prematurely dry the sealant.

BeadBlock™ comes already added to the 120ml SEAL pouches, but for all other containers (1L and 5L), BeadBlock™ is added per application. We recommend 3 5ml (half a cap) per 100ml-150ml as per the instructions on the label.

No, it does not clog up the valves from the inside and you will be able to top-up at any time and also inflate as you need.

In rare cases the sealant might solidify prematurely to form solid pieces of rubber in the tire.  This is due to two factors; chemical contamination and CO₂ bombing with the valve at 6 o’clock (bottom) position.  Chemical contamination usually occurs from the mold release agent used during the manufacturing of tires.  New tires should be cleaned properly with liquid soap and rinsed with water to remove manufacturing chemical residue. 

The second probable cause for solids formation (bombing at 6 o’clock position) is due to the extreme cold stream of CO₂ jetting into the puddle of sealant at the bottom of the tire. The sealant can handle sub-zero temperatures to -4 ℉ (-20℃) without freezing, but not that which comes from the sudden expansion of the high-pressure gas into the immediate surrounding low-pressure atmosphere into the puddle.  This causes the sealant emulsion to solidify, hence forming lumps.

Yes, it's normal no cause for concern.

The latex part of the sealant was absorbed into the tire to seal rubber porosity, especially in tubeless-ready tires and thin-walled racing tires which are more porous.  This seals the side walls and less frequent air top-ups will be required.  Remove the remainder of the translucent liquid in the tire and top-up with fresh sealant.

CO₂ can be used in emergencies with sealant, baring in mind that the bomb should only be activated with the valve at the top (i.e. 12 o’clock) position. The cold blast of gas directly into the sealant can lead to local solidification of most latex-based sealants with resulting lumps.

Yes, you can. There is an optimum level though where-after more kernels will not seal more effectively.

Barrier Balm is not aqueous cream based. It is a more fatty, high lanolin containing balm which is water repelling. It stays on skin longer and  protects for the duration of an ultra-endurance event in wet or dry conditions.

Lanolin melts at 100℉ to 107℉ (38℃ to 41℃). It can still be applied to skin in liquid form. When it cools down again it will set to the original consistency unchanged. Store at room temperature.

This is a characteristic of pure lanolin. Once it's in contact with skin and warms up it softens making applying easier. It can be difficult to apply in very cold conditions though. Storing at room temperature is recommended.

Warm water and a bar of soap are most effective to remove excess Barrier Balm after application.

As the name suggests, Squirt chamois cream is aimed at cyclists while Barrier Balm works as a long-lasting chamois cream and an anti-chafe balm when chafing could be an issue - feet, armpits (running) and your neck in a wetsuit (triathlon/swimming). Both contain lanolin and tea tree oil, but chamois cream is thinner and not as adhesive.

With this new addition to our product range, we aim to reduce the volume of single-use plastic waste that leaves our factory without compromising on the quality and ease of use of our current biodegradable bike cleaning products.

Our Biodegradable Bike Cleaner Super Concentrate can be used as a bike wash solution by diluting 1 x 30ml sachet with 720ml (24 oz) clean water. The most convenient way to dilute your super concentrate is to pour the contents of a 30ml Super Concentrate Sachet into a 750ml spray bottle and fill it with 720ml water. Shake to ensure the concentrate dissolves completely before using it as a bike cleaner to spray directly onto your bike. For mild degreasing, use 1 x 30ml sachet with 180ml clean water. Always test your solution on a small area of the material before continuing.

Our Biodegradable Bike Cleaner Super Concentrate can be used as a bike wash solution by diluting 1 x 30ml sachet with 720ml (24 oz) clean water. The most convenient way to dilute your super concentrate is to pour the contents of a 30ml Super Concentrate Sachet into a 750ml spray bottle and fill it with 720ml water. Shake to ensure the concentrate dissolves completely before using it as a bike cleaner to spray directly onto your bike. For mild degreasing, use 1 x 30ml sachet with 180ml clean water. Always test your solution on a small area of the material before continuing.

Depending on how stubborn the dirt/grease is that you want to remove, the Super Concentrate can be diluted to a strength of 1 x 30ml sachet +180ml water. Stronger dilutions are not recommended. Standard concentrate can be used to a dilution of 1:5 for stubborn dirt or undiluted for mild degreasing. Always test dilution on a small area of the material to ensure safety of use.

Yes, you can use the 30ml Super Concentrate in dilution of one 30ml Super Concentrate sachet + 180 ml clean water as a mild chain degreaser (1 x 30ml sachet + 180ml water). The normal Concentrate can be used undiluted for this purpose. Soak the chain in the solution for at least 30 minutes, scrub, rinse with clean water and repeat if necessary. Squirt Biodegradable Bike cleaner also works well as a degreaser for a sonic cleaner in the above recommended solutions.

Yes, Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner is safe to use on steel, aluminium, carbon, rubber and most fabric garments. That said, always test on a small sample before using if you are unsure.

Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner is a mild and environmentally safe water-based alkaline degreaser free of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO), nonylphenol (NP) and phosphates. Although phosphates are not harmful to humans, anthropogenic (man-made) inputs of phosphorus are well known to have a significant impact on ecosystems and can damage the health of rivers and lakes (eutrophication). Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner is biodegradable according to EEC Objectives 73/404/EEC (biodegradation of surfactants with a Prim.Degra. of > 90%) and does not contain any paraffin solvents, glycols or any glycol ethers.

The Biodegradable Bike Cleaner Super Concentrate is our Bike Cleaner in most concentrated form (30ml Super Concentrate Sachet). It is also more economically priced for those that prefer to mix their own bike cleaner in the concentration they prefer. The standard Concentrate (5 Litre/ 169 oz Container) is ideal for bike wash bays where mixing of small sachets is too time consuming. It is not as concentrated as the 30ml sachets.

Wait until the chain is completely dry and then apply a layer of lube to the inside of the chain while slowly rotating the cranks backward. After applying a layer of lube, continue spinning the cranks slowly for a few revolutions to ensure the lube penetrates the chain rollers and links. If it is the first-time applying Squirt Chain Lube, you can wait until the lube has dried (it will go from milky white to colorless) and apply a second layer to ensure complete coverage and penetration. After initial application, dry brushing of the chain and derailleur pulley wheels to remove occasional wax buildup is all that is required for cleaning before adding fresh Squirt Chain Lube.

It depends on riding conditions. In general, when you begin to hear a dry chain noise, a reapplication is likely due. Like all chain lubricants, Squirt Performance Hot Wax lasts longer in dry, dust-free environments than in wet or muddy conditions,.
As a guideline:

• On tar roads, a single application typically lasts 800–1000 km (500–625 miles).
• For dry gravel and dirt racing, expect around 250–300 km (150–200 miles) per application.

Follow the detailed user instructions here: Squirt Performance Hot Wax User Instructions

Frequent deep cleaning isn’t usually necessary, as it removes embedded wax from inside the chain. However, cleaning is recommended if you hear grinding after a muddy ride — this likely means dirt has entered the chain and should be washed out.

4.1 On-Bike Cleaning

Use a clamp-on chain cleaner
(e.g., Park Tool CG-2.4) with Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner. Two rounds are
usually enough. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and apply a thin coat of one
of our drip lubes according to the instructions.

4.2 Deep Cleaning and
Reapplication

Remove the chain from the bike and
submerge it in 300 -500 ml of boiling water with one 30 ml sachet of Squirt
Biodegradable Bike Cleaner Super Concentrate. Agitate for 5–10 minutes. The
boiling water melts wax, while the cleaner removes any remaining dirt. Rinse,
dry, and follow standard coating instructions.

Remove the chain from the bike and submerge it in 500 ml of boiling water with one 30 ml sachet of Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner Super Concentrate. Agitate for 5–10 minutes. The boiling water melts wax, while the cleaner removes any remaining dirt. Rinse, dry, and follow standard coating instructions from here: Squirt Performance Hot Wax Application Instructions

Degreasing is not necessary once you’ve started using Hot Wax. It doesn’t form black gunk or sticky buildup like oil-based lubes, which trap dirt and accelerate wear. It stays dry and clean. If needed, brush the chain with a dry, stiff-bristled brush and use a toothpick or small flat-head screwdriver to remove occasional buildup on derailleur jockey wheels.

This is normal — you’re just seeing what also happens on the road or trail (but goes unnoticed). The black particles are shed wax and dirt being released as the wax layer breaks down. On trainers, more wax may accumulate on the chain because there’s less vibration to help it shed. This is why Squirt Hot Wax’s biodegradability is important — any particles that end up in the environment will break down safely.

The contents of the hot wax bag can be used several times. We recommend anywhere from 25 to 30 reheat cycles. You melt the wax, wax your chain, and then let the remaining wax cool and solidify in the melting pot for the next application. Each chain only takes up a small amount of wax (about 3–4 grams), so one bag will normally treat multiple chains or allow for several re-waxing cycles.

The best practice is to do more than one chain at a time to maximize the number of heating cycles. Bike shops or enthusiasts with more than one bike usually treat 3–5 chains at a time.

Just ensure that the chain is properly cleaned and completely dry before putting it back into the wax, as dirt or water contamination can reduce the wax's effectiveness.

For regular riders and workshops alike, if the chain has previously been hot waxed with Squirt, there is normally no need to repeat the full degreasing process. You can remove the chain and clean it in approximately 300 - 500 ml of boiling water to flush out old wax and contaminants. For improved cleaning action, you can also add one 30 ml Squirt Super Concentrate sachet to the boiling water.

After cleaning, allow the chain to dry fully (air-dry overnight, or apply heat with a hair dryer, air fryer, or compressed air). It is important that the chain is as dry as possible before it goes back into the molten wax, as water carried into the wax bath can degrade the wax over time.

Once dry, place the chain back into the molten hot wax, allow the wax to penetrate fully by swishing and occasionally lifting out of the wax to let it run off and immerse again, then remove and hang the chain to cool before reinstalling. Ensure that the wax and chain are at temperature (85–95°C) while swishing.

Note: All immersive waxes turn grey/black after the first couple of waxes. This is normal and does not indicate a problem with the wax.

For a road bike in dry conditions, the initial hot wax application will typically last around 800–1000 km, although this can vary depending on rider power, road dust, and overall drivetrain cleanliness. For off-road riding, this may be closer to 250–350 km.

After the initial application, you can either reapply Hot Wax or use Squirt Chain Lube as a top-up. As a general guide, you can top up with drip wax about 3–4 times between full hot wax applications, after which we recommend a full hot-wax reset for best performance. If the chain starts sounding dry before these distances, that is the best indicator that it is time to reapply.

Yes, a dedicated chain stripper or degreaser is suitable for prepping a new chain for hot wax, provided it removes the factory grease completely. As a precaution, we recommend doing a final isopropyl alcohol flush in a glass jar after using the stripper.

Give the jar a couple of shakes and check the alcohol. If it stays clear, the chain is properly degreased. If not, repeat the alcohol flush until it does. Once that is done, allow the chain to dry fully before waxing.

Any quality drivetrain degreaser should work well — just always perform the final alcohol flush step to ensure no grease or residue remains before waxing.

Any quality drivetrain degreaser should work well for first-time chain preparation in an ultrasonic cleaner. After any degreasing step, we always recommend a quick isopropyl alcohol flush in a glass jar to remove any remaining residue. If the isopropyl runs out clear, that is a good indication that the chain is down to bare metal and ready for hot wax.

The Squirt biodegradable cleaner sachet mixed with boiling water is the method we recommend mainly for cleaning a previously waxed chain before rewaxing, especially after wet or muddy rides. The Squirt Biodegradable
Bike Cleaner 30ml Super Concentrate sachets can also be used in an ultrasonic
cleaner (300–500 ml water in a suspended glass jar is what we use). 

In summary: for full initial degreasing, any good drivetrain degreaser is suitable; for ongoing maintenance before rewaxing, the Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner 30ml Super Concentrate sachets plus hot water method remains our recommended approach, whether done with boiling water or in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Yes, our Hot Wax works perfectly well on E-Bikes especially with the higher motor torque. The formulation includes anti-wear and high-pressure additives that prevent metal-to-metal contact and help protect the chain under higher pressures, so it performs reliably even with the increased power from an E-Bike motor. 

You can use our drip version E-Bike Chain Wax as a convenient top-up between hot wax applications. Usually you can do about 3–4 top-up applications and then only do a complete hot-wax reset.

The recommended working temperature range is 85–95°C, with 95°C being the upper target for consistent processing. This range ensures the complete blend is properly molten, flow and penetration into the chain are optimal, and the process stays controlled over repeated use cycles.

A brief rise to 100°C in a double boiler is not generally a problem, but we do not recommend using that as the operating target. If a double boiler brings the wax close to 100°C, simply let it cool back slightly into the recommended range before processing the chain.

We have carried out extended high-temperature testing at 100°C for 72 hours under clean laboratory conditions and observed only a minor pH drift, indicating some oxidation, but nothing dramatic. The broader concern with temperature is not a dramatic effect over a few degrees, but that unnecessary thermal exposure over many cycles is not good process discipline for any wax system.

The Performance Hot Wax is used as the base treatment on a properly cleaned chain. Thereafter, Squirt Long Lasting Chain Lube can be used as a top-up between hot-wax applications when the chain starts sounding dry. As a general guideline, you can usually do around 3–4 drip-wax top-ups before it is best to reset the chain with a full hot-wax treatment again. In terms of durability, the initial hot-wax application on a road bike in dry conditions will typically last around 800–1000 km (some, like Adam Kerin from Zero Friction Cycling, claim much more). In off-road conditions, the duration is usually more in the region of 250–350 km, depending on dust, mud, rider power, and overall drivetrain cleanliness.

So, it is not really a case of choosing one or the other only. The ideal use is hot wax as the main treatment, with the drip wax used in conjunction with it as a convenient maintenance top-up between full hot-wax applications.

The KMC pre-waxed chain is compatible with the Squirt hot wax. It is not the same exact blend of waxes and therefore customers must not expect to get the same longevity from the wax on the KMC pre-waxed chain as from the Squirt Hot Wax. We developed the KMC coating wax for them primarily as a corrosion inhibitor to protect the chain after manufacturing, but also to eliminate the need for degreasing when using a drip wax such as Squirt or KMC Go. Thus, you can ride the KMC chain for 2–3 hours, then do your Squirt hot-wax treatment as you normally would.