# Best APC?



## pajd (Sep 17, 2014)

I dont have much G101 left. My missus and my mum love the stuff and Im looking for an alternative to save them from using mine!. I cant get G101 as they dont sell it online and there is no rep near me.
Whats a good APC i can buy in bulk?
Thanks


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Surfex HD :thumb:


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

As above


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## pajd (Sep 17, 2014)

Thanks.
Is it OK to use on carpets?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Yes, assuming suitably diluted - if just spraying on and agitating by hand would suggest ~5%


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## pajd (Sep 17, 2014)

Thanks a lot :thumb:


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## rob2278 (Jul 18, 2009)

KKD A-Kleen is worth a punt.


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## nog (Jul 14, 2013)

Can get g101 from loads of places online


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## Danny33232 (Sep 11, 2017)

I used surfex hd on my carpets and seat and worked amazing I diluted it 1:20
















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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Surfex HD cleans just about anything.


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## ollienoclue (Jan 30, 2017)

Heck, I didn't realise you can use it on carpets.


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## Danny33232 (Sep 11, 2017)

ollienoclue said:


> Heck, I didn't realise you can use it on carpets.


Worked a treat on mine they were filthy









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## ibiza55 (Feb 22, 2008)

Gtechniq W5, I get on well with and Autofinesse verso is very good too.


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## sm81 (May 14, 2011)

Surfex HD all the way...


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## JoeyJoeJo (Jan 3, 2014)

I love BH stuff but don't get on with Surfex for some reason 

Had 3 triggers seize on diluted bottles and it left the interior plastics on my previous BMW streaky.


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## Peter77 (May 29, 2016)

Autoglanz infinite is another good one


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## BaileyA3 (Jun 14, 2015)

Currently using surfex hd and it's really good stuff but have also used infinite as above and really rate that too plus it smells compared to others.


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

Grime out from Britemax is a good all rounder and cleans very well, is suitable for upholstery carpets etc


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## thedonji (Oct 7, 2011)

Plus one for the bilt hamber 

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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

G101 is fantastic stuff. If you're using an APC on upholstery or carpets, make sure to thoroughly rinse any residue out after cleaning with clean water, or it will attract dirt. As an example, try washing your hands with an APC. You can actually feel the residue that remains and needs to be thoroughly rinsed to fully remove. 

Alternatively, use a dedicated upholstery cleaner and you should have the same results but without any issues. 

Cheers

Cooks.


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## Ben_W (Feb 15, 2009)

Agreed.

I've used G101 for as long as I've been detailing. It's never let me down. Use it at a multitude of dilution ratios, hot or.cold, for whatever job you have on.

My only advice would be wear gloves when using it (I appear to have got dermatitis on my hands and this really aggravates it, especially when used neat or as a strong solution.

I'll agree with Cooks about the residue point. I'd imagine that it would be great in a carpet cleaner etc.


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## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

Surfex is a degreaser more than it is a traditional surficant based APC.

So it generally cleans well, but is particularly epic at certain tasks, like stain lifting and removal. It can leave residual stains of its own, if used too strong or not washed away well enough, but so can most cleaners and chemicals.

I use either Surfex or Stardrops household APC and those two can cope with anything between them.

BTW, Surfex is totally epic at cleaning tyres - use a PW on them after Surfex and they come up looking new.


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Having read many "best APC" threads on here, I get the feeling that any of Surfex, G101, or Grime Out will not disappoint in use - what you buy will come down more to availability (which in this case excludes G101 for the OP), pricing or just personal preference eg Grime Out apparently smells pleasantly of almonds, Surfex has next to no smell, and G101 is....not the most pleasant thing going?


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## WaxIsForWinners (Feb 2, 2014)

BH surfex HD is awesome stuff. 

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## Zetec-al (Feb 28, 2011)

another vote for Surfex HD. I got this after finishing G101 and i think its better


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## SmudgerEBT (Sep 24, 2015)

Depends on job.

General APC use (not carpet) AutoGlym Clean All, smells so much better than G101.

I use AutoGlym Super Interior Clean for seats and carpets.


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## Calvin8r (Feb 17, 2014)

Megs works well for me and is great on upholstery as thats what it was originally developed for !!


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## markito (May 19, 2010)

What is the best apc for tyres? 

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## BrummyPete (Jun 10, 2010)

markito said:


> What is the best apc for tyres?
> 
> Στάλθηκε από το M2012K11AC μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk


I use surfex and it works really well

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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Calvin8r said:


> Megs works well for me and is great on upholstery as thats what it was originally developed for !!


Yes I use megs detailer apc for all interior stuff have two different dilutions ready to hand, also general G101, but I think I will get BH stuff this next time depending on cost that is.
For interior this is very good , but I also prefer VP HD carpet Cleaner for George doing seats and carpets.
Meguiar's D10101 Detailer All Purpose Cleaner 3.79L for all interior and exterior surfaces That's the one I have.


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## RS3 (Mar 5, 2018)

Surfex is good but equally as good and less£ by the litre is Koch Chemie Green Star. You can usually get a litre for just over a fiver and it works well at 1:20 on interiors/carpets and as a panel precleaner or at 1:10 for arches, wheels and tyres. I use both and the biggest difference is the smell.


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

I was going to put a new thread up (and I might still do ) but here seems a good place to put an alternative out there.

If anyone has seen any posts on this subject by ridders66 then "Solclens" is his go to.

Intrigued I thought I'd give it a go.

And my opinion:

It's more effective than Green Star at the same dilutions and cheaper too. :thumb:

Comes from a little family run outfit called Guardian Product (U.K.) Limited in Barnoldswick. None of your internet ordering here, pick up the phone and talk to a human being . And very swiftly it'll arrive at your door.

Ticks my boxes as (1) it's very good at what it's intended to do and (2) it comes from a little business not some multinational (tax avoiding) corporation.

Andy.

https://www.guardian-products.co.uk/services/cleaning-and-hygiene-solutions/


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

markito said:


> What is the best apc for tyres?
> 
> Στάλθηκε από το M2012K11AC μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk


Any apc will work, theres no "best"..


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

An alternative to surfex is 3D's orange degreaser it can be used on anything. Not sure how it stacks up to surfex price wise. Thats one my main concerns with cleaners.

They recommend 10:1 for light duty up to 4:1 for spot treatments.

https://3dcarcare.co.uk/collections/degreasers/products/orange-degreaser?variant=34095486894219


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Surfex HD is great, I love it. However, I think 5% is mostly too strong for most interior jobs - think about it, that’s plenty strong enough as a very strong pre-wash for the paint! We should be looking to use the chemicals at the weakest dilution they will still be effective. 

Surfex is effective at lots of things at just 1% dilution, especially when making effective use of good media like scrubbers, brushes etc. For those as bad at maths as me, 2% is twice as powerful and seeing as we are talking about Surfex, that does make a big difference.

It is also important to note that powerful APC’s at strong dilutions can affect things you might not think of like glue so in time bits start coming apart or rattling when they shouldn’t.


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## Coatings (Feb 10, 2020)

The two i here most from the American forums are Optimum power clean and Meguiars.


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## DsDetail (Jun 22, 2018)

I think its all agreed that the Top 3 favourite APC's are:

1. BH Surfex HD
2. G101
3. Other branded APC's 

But my question to you all is which APC (if any) provides just as good cleaning power but for a cheaper price....for example in the USA they have 'Super Clean' and is very cost effective...anything similar here in the UK? 

THANK YOU ALL


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

DsDetail said:


> I think its all agreed that the Top 3 favourite APC's are:
> 
> 1. BH Surfex HD
> 2. G101
> ...


What do you mean by cost effective exactly? The reason I ask is because there is the simplistic way to look at it - take SuperClean vs Surfex HD as an example.

SuperClean = $8.97 per 3.8 litres or £2.08 per litre
Surfex = £ 17 per 5 litres or £3.40 per litre.

SuperClean is way cheaper! Hang on though, that's straight out of the bottle. What are the dilution rates? Let's look at SuperClean for their dilution rates:

Tyres and arches - Full Strength, carpets and floor mats - 3:1 (25ml to 75 ml water) Vinyl seats, dashboards and upholstery - 8:1 (11 ml to 89 ml water).

Now Surfex - Tyres and Arches 10% dilution (10ml to 90 ml water) … Interior and upholstery 1-2% (2ml to 98ml water).

So to clean tyres with SuperClean costs £2.08 per litre, whereas Surfex costs 34p a litre of mix. For interior upholstery SuperClean costs 23p per litre of 8.1 mix. Surfex costs 7p if you use it at a smidge over 2%.

So something might be cheaper to buy as a liquid, but consider the dilution ratios also before you decide if it is value for money. When you do that, Surfex still wins.


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

roscopervis said:


> .....So something might be cheaper to buy as a liquid, but consider the dilution ratios also before you decide if it is value for money.....


Absolutely.

I'm not a fan of paying the P&P charge for water and I very much consider the point of looking at the results vs costs rather than the simple "basic" price.

Thanks for the practical, broken down, example :thumb:.

Applies when you shop for household stuff like washing up liquid or even shower gel etc. as well.

Andy.


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

roscopervis said:


> Surfex HD is great, I love it. However, I think 5% is mostly too strong for most interior jobs - think about it, that's plenty strong enough as a very strong pre-wash for the paint! We should be looking to use the chemicals at the weakest dilution they will still be effective.
> 
> Surfex is effective at lots of things at just 1% dilution, especially when making effective use of good media like scrubbers, brushes etc. For those as bad at maths as me, 2% is twice as powerful and seeing as we are talking about Surfex, that does make a big difference.
> 
> It is also important to note that powerful APC's at strong dilutions can affect things you might not think of like glue so in time bits start coming apart or rattling when they shouldn't.


Yeah not good at maths. lol

To say 2%/volume of surfex is twice as strong as 1%. On paper yes but do you believe 20%/volume of an apc can clean 20x more? That would be some potent stuff. You would have to breakout lab suits.


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## Itstony (Jan 19, 2018)

*-Kev-*
With you on that one. Best does irritate me. Like asking what's the best pair of shoes.
You do realise this will be asked again very soon too.

Bets reply to the OP's question, I know.
there is no best, maybe best preferred which is dependent on many factors. 
Most people will have several, as one is not best at all.:thumb:


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

Itstony said:


> *-Kev-*
> With you on that one. Best does irritate me. Like asking what's the best pair of shoes.
> You do realise this will be asked again very soon too.
> 
> ...


Yes, i do realise it will be asked time and again and it has been from day one of the forum. However, that doesn't mean to say we have to answer the question every time its asked..


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

noorth said:


> Yeah not good at maths. lol
> 
> To say 2%/volume of surfex is twice as strong as 1%. On paper yes but do you believe 20%/volume of an apc can clean 20x more? That would be some potent stuff. You would have to breakout lab suits.


That's how dilution works. 2% of the mixture is the active ingredient, double what it was at 1%. When dealing with potent chemicals, changes of dilution rates of just 1% make a big difference.

I'm not sure where your 20% example come from in cleaning 20x more? More area or a special dirt exactly 20 times more dirty?


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

roscopervis said:


> That's how dilution works. 2% of the mixture is the active ingredient, double what it was at 1%. When dealing with potent chemicals, changes of dilution rates of just 1% make a big difference.
> 
> I'm not sure where your 20% example come from in cleaning 20x more? More area or a special dirt exactly 20 times more dirty?


I'm not a chemist but its the law of diminishing returns maybe.

For instance, a 5% mixture of surfex would not equal exactly 5x more cleaning power then 1%, that would be significant.

That's my thoughts. Can i be wrong? Of course. :detailer:


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## nicks16v (Jan 7, 2009)

Not sure about the best but i have always liked Meguiars Detailers APC, the green one.


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## Imprezaworks (May 20, 2013)

Greenstar comes highly regarded


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