Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner, designed for the foam filters used on off-road motorcycles, further advances the British company’s clean-machine philosophy. Muc-Off started 30 years ago with a bicycle cleaning solution and has since expanded into motorcycle products, taking care of street and dirt bike riders. The new Air Filter Cleaner is simple, easy to use, and effective.
If you have ever tried to clean a neglected filter with traditional products, you know that it typically takes more than just a few steps:
- Dip the filter into a mild solvent and squeeze.
- Take the filter out and squeeze some more.
- Dip the filter into another container of clean solvent.
- Take the filter out and squeeze it yet again.
- Repeat until no more air filter oil and grease comes out of the filter.
- Wash the filter in running water with liquid dishwashing soap (usually Dawn Platinum) over a clean tub so you can evaluate how clean the water coming out of the filter is.
- Rinse and repeat until the soap and dirt are gone and the water is clear. At this point, the filter is clean and is ready for air drying.
- Filter out the liquid in both solvent tubs for re-use—do not pour it in the dirt or down the drain.
After the unboxing, I immediately put the Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner to the test on a filthy, 18-month-old foam Twin Air filter that had been sitting in the airbox of a 2023 Beta 480 RR I recently purchased. This was the original filter that came with the bike, with the original factory filter oil—disgusting.
There are several quick-clean air filter cleaners out there. Most of them work as advertised—submerge, squeeze out, wash in the sink, and so on. The problem is that the cleaning quality of these products usually requires repeated cleaning. This uses an excessive amount of dishwashing soap and water in the sink to get out all the dirt.
Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner is different. While the basic process is the same, less effort and time are needed. Here are the steps:
- Submerge the filter in the Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner for a few minutes.
- Massage the filter until the cleaner becomes a thick lather.
- Squeeze out the excess.
- Rinse the filter in the sink—no soap—then let dry.
- Pour the Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner back into the bottle. Use a funnel to avoid spilling.
That’s it.
The filter comes out completely clean in one or two rinses, unlike the other products. How did I know it was clean? Well, after following the above steps, I put the filter in a tub of clear water with a few drops of dish soap and tried to get the water to show any trapped dirt from the filter, but there was nothing. The water remained clear, indicating the air filter had been thoroughly cleaned.
The Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner is not compromised by the oil, grease, and dirt it has absorbed. It’s ready for another round of filter cleanings with no processing needed. Eventually, the cleaner will get overwhelmed by oil and dirt, but that will be determined by how dirty your filters get.
At $16 for a liter, the Muc-Off Air Filter Cleaner is faster, better, simpler, and less expensive than other products I have tried. It’s great stuff and highly recommended.
