# which wheel cleaner?



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

evening all
i'm after a new wheel cleaner that i will be ordering from carwashnwax to add to my buckets from the group buy, but i can't decide which one of these two to get. (are they both non-acidic?)









(blue rim and wheel cleaner)

OR










TIA
kev


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2009)

autosmart smart wheel's top's my list ,but billberry is ok aswell :thumb:


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

blue rim


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

swiftjon said:


> autosmart smart wheel's top's my list ,but billberry is ok aswell :thumb:


is bilberry the same as redberry?


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

fiestadetailer said:


> is bilberry the same as redberry?


It looks similar


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## HC1001 (May 27, 2007)

I've used blue rim and Redberry, blue rim was good but redberry was better now I use Bilberry which is great IMO (Very similar to redberry) HTH


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2009)

not sure mate but they do look very simular,smart wheel's cant get on your chest make you cough if inhaled , but billbery doesnt but smart wheel's does have the edge .


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

thanks guys, think i'll go for the redberry


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## GTIRed (Jan 12, 2007)

On the subject of alloy wheel cleaners does or has anyone on here use Muc-off wheel cleaner. I have been using it for the last few years but never heard it mentioned on here. Is there a reason for this.....


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## Glasgow_Gio (Mar 24, 2008)

I was told but someone in the know that redberry is actually relabeled bilberry...


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## Car Key (Mar 20, 2007)

GTIRed said:


> On the subject of alloy wheel cleaners does or has anyone on here use Muc-off wheel cleaner. I have been using it for the last few years but never heard it mentioned on here. Is there a reason for this.....


 Yeah, I've used it. Did an okay job, but once I wised up that most of these 'non acid' wheel cleaners were just cheap alkali solutions (ie Muc-Off), which can also damage wheels, I switched to Sonax/BMW, which is a more sophisticated product.


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## Streeto (Apr 3, 2008)

I founds chemical guys blue rim pretty w*nk tbh, autosmart smartwheels/ megs wheel brightener are both good


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

GTIRed said:


> On the subject of alloy wheel cleaners does or has anyone on here use Muc-off wheel cleaner. I have been using it for the last few years but never heard it mentioned on here. Is there a reason for this.....


acidic based wheel cleaners are very bad for alloys, hence why no-one uses muc-off


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2009)

fiestadetailer said:


> acidic based wheel cleaners are very bad for alloys, hence why no-one uses muc-off


I don't want to sound picky but that is not true at all actually, alkali can be just as bad (infact worse) than acid on alloy, it all depends on the ingrediants used.

Take AG clean wheels for example, i'd hazard a guess it is a lot more safe than loads of cheaper alkali wheel cleaners you can get, because it is a balanced blend (as it says on the back), and that would be about right, whereas an unsophisticated alkali wheel cleaner may be an extremely powerful alkali which is much more damaging.

Some food for thought anyway :thumb:


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

i fail to see your point tbh, acids eat through things (paint finshes in this case), how do alkalies do this?


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

muc off - used to use that on my BMX bike a while ago, i'm pretty sure its designed for bikes?


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## tonyflow (Mar 6, 2006)

fiestadetailer said:


> i fail to see your point tbh, acids eat through things (paint finshes in this case), how do alkalies do this?


Some Paint strippers are alkaline based....


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## Mugwump (Feb 17, 2008)

fiestadetailer said:


> i fail to see your point tbh, acids eat through things (paint finshes in this case), how do alkalies do this?


Strongly Alkali = Caustic. QED.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2009)

fiestadetailer said:


> i fail to see your point tbh, acids eat through things (paint finshes in this case), how do alkalies do this?


Alkali's eat through things too 

The problem is not with the paint finish it is with a chip or scuff on the wheel, when an alkali reacts with the metal it will cause bubbling to creep in which is where the problems start.... Alkali's will react a lot more with aluminium alloy wheels than an acid based cleaner 

Not that this is a major problem providing common sense is used, but on the general, alkali is a lot more dangerous to an aluminium alloy wheel finish.


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## THE CHAMP (Aug 1, 2008)

If all you car cleaning fans are sealing your wheels and washing at least every 2 weeks at the most you should not need a dedicated wheel cleaner :thumb:


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## PWOOD (Apr 30, 2007)

So acidic is poor alkali is poor:wall: I need to buy some for a few mates one of which has a certain amount of corrosion on his. 

Bilberry was on the list should it still be.


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## 94Luke (Mar 8, 2008)

alan_mcc said:


> muc off - used to use that on my BMX bike a while ago, i'm pretty sure its designed for bikes?


There are different types of muc off, such as bike cleaner, chain degreaser, wheel cleaner etc...


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

fiestadetailer said:


> acidic based wheel cleaners are very bad for alloys, hence why no-one uses muc-off


Erm since when is Muc off acidic?


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

PWOOD said:


> So acidic is poor alkali is poor:wall: I need to buy some for a few mates one of which has a certain amount of corrosion on his.
> 
> Bilberry was on the list should it still be.


Use regular car shampoo 1st, if they do not clean up, try an alkali cleaner, if that doesnt work try an acidic cleaner, once cleaned use a sealant and then regular cleaning with shampoo will do you good.:thumb:


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2009)

PWOOD said:


> So acidic is poor alkali is poor:wall: I need to buy some for a few mates one of which has a certain amount of corrosion on his.
> 
> Bilberry was on the list should it still be.


Bilberry is OK because it is pH 10 (not V strong alkali), since the pH scale is logarithmic a pH11 will be 10x stronger than pH10 (i think) and so on... so Bilberry being a pH10 is much nicer than wheel cleaners at pH 14... Obviously the more closer to neutral you get generally the better it will be.

But Alkali is definately NOT automatically better than an acid, road salt is an alkali remember!


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

G220 said:


> Bilberry is OK because it is pH 10 (not V strong alkali), since the pH scale is logarithmic a pH11 will be 10x stronger than pH10 (i think) and so on... so Bilberry being a pH10 is much nicer than wheel cleaners at pH 14... Obviously the more closer to neutral you get generally the better it will be.
> 
> But Alkali is definately NOT automatically better than an acid, road salt is an alkali remember!


Your hard pushed to get ph14 solutions, and remember whatever you are using is diluted down, you are correct PH is a log value, it's not just about ph value though,it's about chemistry moles and hence why something like Bilt Hamber or Swarefega vehicle wash are safe yet effective :thumb:
They do a nice hand spray 550ml bottle at B&Q put 50ml of shampoo in and top dilute with water, hey presto excellent safe wheel cleaner for all but unloved wheels :thumb:


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## PWOOD (Apr 30, 2007)

Veryberry group buy by Mark at Autobrite looks ideal. Seems the same as Bilberry at a more attractive price. Is there any issue I should be aware of. The main thing I want for my own wheels is something that helps shift the annoying black specs which appear to be pad material as tar remover is useless. Brown stains are not an issue on my weekly cleaned alloys. I take it my EZ detail brush would be okay to use with that stuff.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

PWOOD said:


> Veryberry group buy by Mark at Autobrite looks ideal. Seems the same as Bilberry at a more attractive price. Is there any issue I should be aware of. The main thing I want for my own wheels is something that helps shift the annoying black specs which appear to be pad material as tar remover is useless. Brown stains are not an issue on my weekly cleaned alloys. I take it my EZ detail brush would be okay to use with that stuff.


the ez brush will be fine, however if you clean your wheels weekly it may be worth giving them a few coats of wax or wheel sealant to make cleaning them easier and it should stop the dirt sticking too badly


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## mattyb95 (Apr 21, 2008)

Just to throw something else in the mix, am currently using a sample of Espuma Revolution Wheel cleaner and whilst its an alkaline solution, you dilute it down 10-1 and have to say it cleans better than the Bilberry I also have, particularly in this winter weather with so much crap about.


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## jasonbarnes (Sep 10, 2008)

does it have to be bulk as i really like using chemical guys sticky gel citrus wheel cleaner :thumb:


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2009)

Avanti said:


> Your hard pushed to get ph14 solutions, and remember whatever you are using is diluted down, you are correct PH is a log value, it's not just about ph value though,it's about chemistry moles and hence why something like Bilt Hamber or Swarefega vehicle wash are safe yet effective :thumb:


Very good point about the chemicals, I should have made that clear as you could have two forumulations of same pH and one will corrode metal and one won't..

Re the pH14 solutions I am not too sure, I could be wrong, but I was told most strong wheel cleaners will be right at each ends of the scale, infact, you can actually go greater than pH14 and less than pH0, which is why the pH scale may not even be used to measure their acidity/basicity 

But of course as you say once diluted that will change things


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## PWOOD (Apr 30, 2007)

fiestadetailer said:


> the ez brush will be fine, however if you clean your wheels weekly it may be worth giving them a few coats of wax or wheel sealant to make cleaning them easier and it should stop the dirt sticking too badly


I tried 2 coats of NXT. Specs stuck. 2 coats of bilthamber Specs stuck. I cant see anything stopping the pad material from my 07 Honda Civic.


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## timprice (Aug 24, 2007)

PWOOD said:


> I tried 2 coats of NXT. Specs stuck. 2 coats of bilthamber Specs stuck. I cant see anything stopping the pad material from my 07 Honda Civic.


that may be because those waxes aren't designed for the high temperatures that the wheels will face.

think about how much heat brake pads are under, and subsequent fallout from those pads might be under.

try something designed for wheels - Poorboys wheel sealant, or even FK1000p which you can use on the bodywork too. it's certainly transformed the wheels on my passat from heavily dusty every week to a light covering that's easily removed.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

Go AS SmartWheels.....cracking product works at all dilutions....espcially good full strength for a touchless wash!!


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## m0bov (May 2, 2007)

No ones mentioned using APC or Degreaser! I've never had the need to use a wheel cleaner, just use strong apc and an EZ detail brush!


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

m0bov said:


> No ones mentioned using APC or Degreaser! I've never had the need to use a wheel cleaner, just use strong apc and an EZ detail brush!


APC yes, but I wouldn't use degreaser unless you were going to re-wax the rims.


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## ahaydock (Jan 4, 2007)

Yes I use APC - sometimes cut 10:1 is more than enough.


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## robrobc (Sep 8, 2008)

RosswithaOCD said:


> It looks similar


Does it taste the same :lol::lol:


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## 1animal1 (Aug 20, 2008)

fellas i was looking at purchasing some megs wheel brightener this week, i had my alloys off last week and was able to get most of the crap off but still left with brown patches approx 3inch in diameter in the inside rim..... tried megs foaming wheel cleaner (well the 1/4 bottle i had left) and this seemed to get a bit off with scrubbing but wasnt conclusive...any suggestions?


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## ahaydock (Jan 4, 2007)

Have you tried Tar Remover, Clay or WD40?


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## 1animal1 (Aug 20, 2008)

tried tar remover and bilton hamber suffex scrubbed with stiff wheel brush, several applications infact


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## 1animal1 (Aug 20, 2008)

oh and clay...the wheel cleaner seemed to have more of an effect than the clay TBH (i gave it a good go before trying the cleaner again)...its standard megs clay so not sure if its abrasive enough?


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2009)

i'm not sure megs clay is abrasive at all, it probably works through a shear action (so i hear the word is called)

Have you tried a liberal amount of super resin polish on a cloth with your fingertip underneath and rubbing the areas concerned?


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## Craigus (Jan 22, 2009)

I tried the AutoGlym custom wheel cleaner, i wasn't all that impressed with it, didn't get all the grime i hoped it would off!


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## jimmy_b_84 (Jan 11, 2009)

if megs APC was used to clean wheels at 10:1 would this remove any wax/sealant applied.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

jimmy_b_84 said:


> if megs APC was used to clean wheels at 10:1 would this remove any wax/sealant applied.


ive used it on sealed wheels before with no signs of it taking it off (two coats of poorboys wheel sealant applied a few weeks before), although frequent apc use will probably remove it gradually


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## jimmy_b_84 (Jan 11, 2009)

fiestadetailer said:


> ive used it on sealed wheels before with no signs of it taking it off (two coats of poorboys wheel sealant applied a few weeks before), although frequent apc use will probably remove it gradually


brillant thanks for that i may have saved a fortune LOL

May get some bilberry as a back up though.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

jimmy_b_84 said:


> brillant thanks for that i may have saved a fortune LOL
> 
> May get some bilberry as a back up though.


:thumb:


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## 1animal1 (Aug 20, 2008)

G220 said:


> i'm not sure megs clay is abrasive at all, it probably works through a shear action (so i hear the word is called)
> 
> Have you tried a liberal amount of super resin polish on a cloth with your fingertip underneath and rubbing the areas concerned?


Na havent tried that, although wouldnt imagine that would fectch it off given the scrubbing i gave it with my spare cheapy (medium brstle) wheel brush when the wheel cleaner was applied, the wheel cleaner lightened it a bit but its still there..... was just going to order some megs wheel brightener in the hope that this would do the trick...... is it likely that this will be a waste of time?


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2009)

1animal1 said:


> Na havent tried that, although wouldnt imagine that would fectch it off given the scrubbing i gave it with my spare cheapy (medium brstle) wheel brush when the wheel cleaner was applied, the wheel cleaner lightened it a bit but its still there..... was just going to order some megs wheel brightener in the hope that this would do the trick...... is it likely that this will be a waste of time?


SRP is very impressive at lifting stains which have gone into the paint layer (i guess thats what you describe) for whatever reasons, you can't assume that because you have scrubbed it with a brush and/or strong chemicals that SRP won't work. It is a bit like how if you burn something on the bottom of a pan, you can wire brush it for several minutes and it will still look bad, but a brillo pad will easily restore it, but given you have tried all those products SRP may not be of much help, don't go out and buy a bottle by all means, but if you have some, it's definately worth a try. I wouldn't rule it out though, perhaps if you could take some pictures for us?


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## Troon (Dec 17, 2008)

I had some very stubborn black bits on our C-MAX wheels after not being cleaned for 4 years and 50k miles. I tried WD40, clay, SRP, APC, neat white spirit, petrol and all manner of brushes and cloths.

In the end, I shifted them using a small PCB drill (tiny Dremel-like thing) with a small and very soft cup-shape wire brush. APC to lubricate and cool, and just keep going at them. No obvious damage to the wheels, and they've since had the SRP/EGP treatment.


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## Superhands (Jan 7, 2009)

Bilberry gets my vote , Amazing stuff!


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## 1animal1 (Aug 20, 2008)

G220 said:


> SRP is very impressive at lifting stains which have gone into the paint layer (i guess thats what you describe) for whatever reasons, you can't assume that because you have scrubbed it with a brush and/or strong chemicals that SRP won't work. It is a bit like how if you burn something on the bottom of a pan, you can wire brush it for several minutes and it will still look bad, but a brillo pad will easily restore it, but given you have tried all those products SRP may not be of much help, don't go out and buy a bottle by all means, but if you have some, it's definately worth a try. I wouldn't rule it out though, perhaps if you could take some pictures for us?


ahha i have a large bottle sat on the shelf, will try it this weekend, and try and post pics too..... cheers fellas:thumb:


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## Satty (Aug 24, 2008)

Streeto said:


> I founds chemical guys blue rim pretty w*nk tbh, autosmart smartwheels/ megs wheel brightener are both good


x2 lol :thumb:


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Satty said:


> x2 lol :thumb:


I dont think any bottle of chemicals will remove the soiling the guy escribes though.


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

fiestadetailer said:


> i fail to see your point tbh, acids eat through things (paint finshes in this case), how do alkalies do this?


acids eat through paints?

Paint is a form of plastic at least most of todays clear laquers are. Have you ever seen a plastic wheel acid conatainer being eaten away by the acid inside? Thought not and lets go one step further. The acid in the container is neat and sits in there for years without any damage!

When correctly diluted, a quality acidic product is no more dangerous than an alkaline product to the wheels.

I will leave you with something to think about. When you have your house doors sent away to be stripped back to the bare wood what do they use?


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

fiestadetailer said:


> i fail to see your point tbh, acids eat through things (paint finshes in this case), how do alkalies do this?


it doesn't eat through anything per se, but based on your thinking alkali works in a very similar fashion, PH is the relative measure measure of dissolved hydrogen ions, the difference between acid and alkali is one is trying to gain ions and one is trying to lose ions (cant remember which way round is which) , however there are other chemical reactions that take place which affects metals and other elements in different ways, no then since some of you have not realised yet, when there is a chemical reaction, it generates heat, enough heat can remove wax ,  and that is why you get the wives tale of such and such tfr will remove wax, it can happen but only some of you guys here on DW will find that happening , cos you gotta be using the stuff Dr Frankenstien uses :speechles


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

The Doctor said:


> acids eat through paints?
> 
> Paint is a form of plastic at least most of todays clear laquers are. Have you ever seen a plastic wheel acid conatainer being eaten away by the acid inside? Thought not and lets go one step further. The acid in the container is neat and sits in there for years without any damage!
> 
> ...


just giving my opinion, of what ive seen acidic wheel cleaners (ag wheel cleaner normally) do to alloys. no need for you to be sarcastic.:thumb:


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

fiestadetailer said:


> just giving my opinion, of what ive seen acidic wheel cleaners (ag wheel cleaner normally) do to alloys. no need for you to be sarcastic.:thumb:


I don't think he was being sarcastic, he makes a valid point, and it deflects the outsider looking in on detailers and wondering how they beat the laws of science :thumb:


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

fiestadetailer said:


> just giving my opinion, of what ive seen acidic wheel cleaners (ag wheel cleaner normally) do to alloys. no need for you to be sarcastic.:thumb:


No sarcasm just trying to point out that there is far too much incorrect information thrown about without any real evidence to back it up. You stated that acids eat through paints and that is incorrect certainly in the form of a good quality acidic wheel cleaner.

There are positives and negatives for both acidic and alkaline wheel cleaners.

Acidics can attack any bare metal parts wheras non acidics can cause dis-similar metal corrosion between the alloy wheel and the hub and oxidisation of the wheel nuts causing them to become hard to remove.

Most damage is caused by the user incorrectly using a product be it in terms of dilution or letting the product dry on the surface.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

apologies for my above post. i was getting confused, because as you say there seems to be no real evidence that acid wheel cleaners are any worse than alkaline ones, if used correctly. however, i can't understand why it says on some alkaline wheel cleaners that they are safe for all wheel types, is it the same for acidic cleaners?


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

Avanti said:


> the wives tale of such and such tfr will remove wax, it can happen but only some of you guys here on DW will find that happening , cos you gotta be using the stuff Dr Frankenstien uses :speechles


Another very good point.

If TFR removed wax then dealerships around the country would not be buying a specialist wax remover (double the price) to remove the transport wax that comes on new cars. Of course i will agree that constant use of tfr will degrade wax quicker than a Ph neutral product but to hear some people talk one wash in TFR will strip the wax away which is simply not true. I think this kind of thinking comes from the fact that when washed in tfr paintwork does not seem to bead as well. This is due to the fact that most tfr's contain ingredients to make the water sheet away as tfr is used a lot of the time in situations where the user wants a quick touchless wash without drying so the less water beading the less chance of water spotting.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

fiestadetailer said:


> apologies for my above post. i was getting confused, because as you say there seems to be no real evidence that acid wheel cleaners are any worse than alkaline ones, if used correctly. however, i can't understand why it says on some alkaline wheel cleaners that they are safe for all wheel types, is it the same for acidic cleaners?


All wheel cleaners are unsafe in the wrong application methods, you cant compare wonder wheels against say a 10% shampoo mix, as there are times when only wonder wheels will do, after the initial clean, the follow up washes should not demand the use of a wheel cleaner.


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

fiestadetailer said:


> apologies for my above post. i was getting confused, because as you say there seems to be no real evidence that acid wheel cleaners are any worse than alkaline ones, if used correctly. however, i can't understand why it says on some alkaline wheel cleaners that they are safe for all wheel types, is it the same for acidic cleaners?


Safe for use on all wheel types means exactly that (Wether or not the product that the label refers to is actually safe on all wheel types is another matter). It certainly adds appeal doesnt it and it makes any wheel cleaner without that sort of wording look dangerous.

In general a low hazard wheel acid is just as safe as a non acidic one on painted wheels. The problem comes with bare alloy polished lips in which an acidic wheel cleaner can attack the bare alloy. Saying that,so can a non acidic wheel cleaner it all depends on the ingredients in the product.

As i said both products have positive and negatives to them but the whole point of the discussion is that acids dont eat,melt or destroy paint.


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## Mr Shoelaces (Dec 27, 2007)

the one thing that every seems to forget here is what are you actually cleaning? everyone is talking about alloy wheels, when in fact you are cleaning a painted surface, or be it lacqured. the second point is what are we trying to clean off? in most cases its brake dust, road film and general grime. so weather you use acid or Alkaline wont really matter as long as its used correctly. in the past I have used both and both give good results nad dont damage wheels if used correctly. now to really throw a spanner in the works but might get you thinking....! I have been using brake cleaner, yes i said brake cleaner.....! my thinking is that a mechanic when servicing a car and cleans the brake dust off he uses brake cleaner, safe on alloy, or laqured surface. not the cheapest way of cleaning but great results. all this talk of acid and alkaline what do you think the pro's use? remember they dont have the time to faff about they need a product that works instantly..! Espuma Revolution seems to be a very firm fave with them, the Billberry seems to be popular with the weekend detailer. im not suggesting that brake cleaner be used I was just trying it and it works, but so does acid and alkline.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Mr Shoelaces said:


> the one thing that every seems to forget here is what are you actually cleaning? everyone is talking about alloy wheels, when in fact you are cleaning a painted surface, or be it lacqured. the second point is what are we trying to clean off? in most cases its brake dust, road film and general grime. so weather you use acid or Alkaline wont really matter as long as its used correctly. in the past I have used both and both give good results nad dont damage wheels if used correctly. now to really throw a spanner in the works but might get you thinking....! I have been using brake cleaner, yes i said brake cleaner.....! my thinking is that a mechanic when servicing a car and cleans the brake dust off he uses brake cleaner, safe on alloy, or laqured surface. not the cheapest way of cleaning but great results. all this talk of acid and alkaline what do you think the pro's use? remember they dont have the time to faff about they need a product that works instantly..! Espuma Revolution seems to be a very firm fave with them, the Billberry seems to be popular with the weekend detailer. im not suggesting that brake cleaner be used I was just trying it and it works, but so does acid and alkline.


Indeed, but between acids and alkali there are thousands of dilutions in between, water is actually slightly acidic as it is less than ph7, however it does depend on the soiling concerned, I am yet to see as you mention a weekender's wheels requiring anything but some shampoo mix, instead of reaching for something more 'aggressive' .


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2009)

Avanti said:


> it deflects the outsider looking in on detailers and wondering how they beat the laws of science :thumb:


Indeed - too much trend following on the forum.


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

I certainly wouldnt use brake cleaner to clean anything painted. Now we are into solvents and whilst some are ok on paint others can quite easily damage it. Back to the laquer is essentially just a thin layer of plastic argument and solvents should be used with caution on any plastics. Most solvent cleaners come in a metal tin as they will degrade plastic containers.


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## Mr Shoelaces (Dec 27, 2007)

its different plastic mate! powder coated wheels is thermosetting plastic, a polyester resin baked on to the wheels at around 200 degrees c for about 15 mins! Plastic continers are maily poly prop, the main reason why solvents are in metal tins is the fire risk/hazzard! im not suggesting that solvents are used but making the point, what is being cleaned off from the substraight (brake dust) from a painted/laquired surface! the ideal situation is once the wheels are clean is to protect them with a sealent or wax and clean them regular to keep them to the required standard and this will make them easy to clean without using harsh chemicals.


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## matwilliams (Jul 30, 2008)

sorry to hijack, but i have just got a set of new wheels (buddy club P1's in gunmetal, if it makes any difference) they are not even on the car yet, so am i right in assuming that if i keep on top of it (clean and seal them before they go on the car, and APC twice a week probably) i shouldn't need to use anything stronger than megs APC and some poorboys sealant once a month?

mat.


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## DJStevieD (Jul 19, 2008)

matwilliams said:


> sorry to hijack, but i have just got a set of new wheels (buddy club P1's in gunmetal, if it makes any difference) they are not even on the car yet, so am i right in assuming that if i keep on top of it (clean and seal them before they go on the car, and APC twice a week probably) i shouldn't need to use anything stronger than megs APC and some poorboys sealant once a month?
> 
> mat.


That will be fine even soap and water will clean them fine as there only new. Keep them sealed and you shouldn't have to use anything stronger.:thumb:


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2009)

matwilliams said:


> sorry to hijack


Not at all...


matwilliams said:


> but i have just got a set of new wheels (buddy club P1's in gunmetal, if it makes any difference) they are not even on the car yet, so am i right in assuming that if i keep on top of it (clean and seal them before they go on the car, and APC twice a week probably) i shouldn't need to use anything stronger than megs APC and some poorboys sealant once a month?
> 
> mat.


Sounds good to me, you can get away with washing with car shampoo providing you get the physical action there (i.e., washmitt, sponge, etc) and do it frequently enough to stop deposits baking on. Sure you will get some built up deposits which won't shift eventually but at least you can deal with them on a more specific basis as and when they occur, rather than using a wheel cleaner when it isn't really neccesary on regular occasion.

I think a lot (note, I didn't say all!) of problems with people complaining about wheel cleaners not cutting it is because they are not using a strong enough brush in the first place, or not even using a brush at all and just expecting it to be a spray on rinse away job.

It comes down to how much time you have on your hands I suppose..


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## matwilliams (Jul 30, 2008)

thanks for your prompt help there guys!!

i get quite a lot of time off (213 days a year, but whose counting!!) and i have an AG high tech wheel brush (any good??) to aggitate the APC with, looking forward to getting the new wheels on now, just gotta wait for my APC and ultralite nuts to arrive!!

thanks again,

mat.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2009)

I like the AG hi-tech wheel brush myself, some say it is a little harsh, I think it is just right, if your wheels are very delicate it may be a little harsh... I had a google to look at your wheels and the Vikan Multibrush:








http://www.car-care-direct.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=8&products_id=140 comes to mind as a very worthy brush to have for your wheels. I have one and its brilliant, very soft but very dense bristles so very effective. (I got mine from car care direct)

Coupled with the AG brush for stubborn marks I think you have a perfect combo 

Also take a look at the EZ which may be good for the inner bits if you poke it through the spokes http://www.motorgeek.co.uk/detail-brush-p-324.html, but looking at your wheel I think you could get away with just the vikan multibrush.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

matwilliams said:


> sorry to hijack, but i have just got a set of new wheels (buddy club P1's in gunmetal, if it makes any difference) they are not even on the car yet, so am i right in assuming that if i keep on top of it (clean and seal them before they go on the car, and APC twice a week probably) i shouldn't need to use anything stronger than megs APC and some poorboys sealant once a month?
> 
> mat.


yes,give them a few coats of sealant before fitting them, then you will only need ordinary shampoo to keep them mint. and a sealant top-up every few months


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## matwilliams (Jul 30, 2008)

thanks again G220 and fiestadetailer - all advice is in my brain and a vikan multibrush will soon be on its way!! the AG brush is good but the vikan looks a lot more user freindly, as you say i think they will work well together...

thanks,

mat.


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