The garage shelf is full of things that will clean a chain, and half of them will also kill it. The dividing line is simple: sealed chains live and die by their rubber O-rings, so the question is never "does it cut grease" — everything cuts grease — it's "does it attack rubber." Here's the full roster.
Safe: kerosene
The gold standard for decades and the reference cleaner most chain manufacturers name. Kerosene dissolves chain grime and old lube while being gentle on seals. Cheap, available, effective. Its only sins are the smell and the disposal.
Safe: dedicated chain degreasers
Formulated specifically to be O-ring safe, usually in convenient aerosol form with solvents that flash off. They cost more than kerosene per clean but win on convenience. Any major-brand chain cleaner is fine; the technique matters more than the label — all four faces scrubbed, which is the whole point of a wrap-around brush like the CC360.
Conditionally fine: diesel and WD-40
Diesel behaves like slightly oilier kerosene — seal-safe and effective, just wipe thoroughly since its residue attracts dust. WD-40 works as a light cleaner and water displacer but must be followed by real lube; the full nuance is in the WD-40 article. Mild soap and water handles surface mud (standard after wet rides) but won't touch baked-on lube and demands immediate drying and re-lubing.
Deadly: brake cleaner and contact cleaner
Aggressive chlorinated and acetone-based solvents are the O-ring executioners. They flash-dry the rubber, causing cracks that let the factory grease out and water in. A chain cleaned regularly with brake cleaner dies years early and looks spotless doing it.
Deadly: gasoline
Cuts grease brilliantly, attacks rubber, and adds a fire hazard next to a hot exhaust. The old-timers who swear by it learned on non-sealed chains where it was merely dangerous instead of also destructive.
Deadly-ish: acetone, paint thinner, carb cleaner
Same rubber-attack problem in different bottles. If the label says it removes paint or varnish, keep it off your chain.
The technique is half the answer
The safest solvent applied to one face of the chain still leaves grit grinding in the other three. Solvent softens; the brush removes. Spray, wrap the brush around the chain, rotate the wheel a few turns, wipe dry, lube properly. Full walkthrough in the 60-second method.
Quick answers
What is the best thing to clean a motorcycle chain with?
Kerosene or a dedicated chain degreaser. Both dissolve chain grime effectively and are safe for O-ring and X-ring seals.
Can I use brake cleaner on my chain?
No. Brake cleaner's aggressive solvents dry out and crack O-rings and can strip the factory grease from inside the pins. It's one of the fastest ways to kill a sealed chain.
Can I clean my chain with soap and water?
Mild soap and water works for surface dirt but won't cut old lube, and water demands thorough drying and immediate re-lubing. It's a supplement, not a degreaser.