If you ride a bike you've probably heard of Muc-Off. Not only do they make great bike cleaning products, chain lube and more; they then promote those products in the most ridiculous way, with bubblegum pink packaging, emblazoned with graphics slightly reminiscent of Jamie Reid's designs for the Sex Pistols. In short, they take making your bicycle nice and clean TO THE EXTREEEEME DUDE WOAH!
Muc-Off says it, 'has been the bike-washing benchmark since it first arrived on the scene in 1994,' and for once that is not empty hyperbole; Muc-Off's Nano-Tech cleaning spray is bloody brilliant.
However, the team at Muc-Off – do you see what they did with their brand name there, by the way? – has a serious side. Considering how popular their flagship cleaning spray is, they must be responsible for quite a lot of bright pink landfill. After all, a lot of people are irresponsible about recycling, and in many places recycling is evidently not even possible, despite what your council might tell you. So Muc-Off has come up with a cunning solution: selling its cleaning spray in powder form, along with a reusable spray bottle. Say hello to Punk Powder. WOAH!
Punk Powder: what is it?
It's described as the world’s first plastic-free bike cleaner, and since the proposition includes a Bottle for Life that's made of long-lasting aluminium, that seems to be another true boast.
Alex Trimnell, Muc-Off CEO yells, while making signs with his hands: "This has been a real passion project for us as we continue our mission to reduce single-use plastic! Punk Powder embodies everything Muc-Off stands for, a marriage of high performance and sustainability! It had to be just as good as our other bike cleaners, but in a more environmentally focused and convenient format! The team have done an epic job producing something truly game-changing and totally plastic-free! We can’t wait to get more riders shredding then cleaning their bikes with Punk Powder – it’ll help us all do our bit for Mother Nature!"
To that end, Punk Powder is made from biodegradable ingredients, 75% of which are plant-based. All you have to do is shake together a 30g sachet of it with water, and you have a litre of cleaner ready to go. You get two 30g sachets in every pack. Muc-Off claims a packaging reduction of 92% compared to the equivalent 2 litres of its traditional bike cleaner.
You can either use a Nano-Tech bottle that you have lying around – give it a rinse first – or buy a bundle with the brand's new Bottle For Life. Any type of water can be used, so long as its clean – you could take your eco-friendliness to the next level by using rain water, for instance.
The aforementioned Bottle For Life is 'an ultra-long-lasting' aluminium spray bottle, with a non-toxic, food-grade silicone base. I'm not sure why it needs to be food grade, but what the hell. Punk Powder is also vegan and vegetarian friendly, and Muc-Off is committed to zero animal testing. Since Punk Powder weighs only 60g, the impact of shipping – and its cost – is greatly reduced. Vegetable-based inks are used for printing on the packaging and the sachets are compostable, and packed in recycled cardboard.
In summary, this is just about the most virtuous bicycle cleaning product ever. As Punks go, it is much more Chumbawumba than Sex Pistols.
Muc-Off Punk Powder price and availability
Some stills from Muc-Off's promo video for Punk Powder, entitled Making Rad
Punk Powder is launched today, July 29, priced at £14.99 for two 30g sachets. The Bottle For Life bundle is £29.99. The product is also available globally, with US pricing being $19.99 for the Punk Powder and $39.99 for the Bottle for Life bundle.
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