I bought some Valet Pro Bilberry Wheel cleaner along with their none scratch wheel cleaning brush, and Boy am I impressed!
You dilute the cleaner as desired, I made two strengths one with half water and one with a third cleaner to water, they say for intensive use either neat or up to 1 to 3. They say for regular use up to 1 in 10 is ok.
Anyway, the wheels were pretty dirty with all the grime and salt about but boy that stuff shifts the muck and its none acidic too! The brush is the best wheel brush I have used and doesn't mark the alloys at all. I took the wheels off and cleaned them inside and out and the are Gleaming!! Finished off with AG Alloy Wheel Seal!!
Do you know if it is PH neutral?
(03-02-2013 07:51pm)The Valeter Wrote: [ -> ]Do you know if it is PH neutral?
Not sure, I just know it doesn't have any acid, I checked their website but it doesn't say. I have got it pretty concentrated and it looks like it will last a while, it gets great reviews and seems good value, the brush is bloody great too
Where did you get it and the brush?
(03-02-2013 08:14pm)The Valeter Wrote: [ -> ]Where did you get it and the brush?
Yep, I got it from the cleanyourcar.co.uk website I have purchased a few things from there, they seem pretty good although I think there are other stockists. It was £8.95 for the 1 litre cleaner nd the brush was £8.95 too
It is an open secret in the industry that 'non-acidic' wheel cleaners often mean 'highly caustic'
It just lulls customers into a false sense of security, thinking that a pH13 alkaline product is going to be much safer than a pH2 acidic cleaner.
The safer ones are pH balanced now - using neutralised acid salts, detergents etc. The most important thing to do is RINSE.
What makes these products effective against brake debris makes them a menace to pads and discs, so overspray must be rinsed off thoroughly.
Try and remove centre caps as well - wheel cleaners typically find their way behind them and can attack the laquer where it is thinner or has an edge.
And as ever, the stronger products are more effective but require more careful use. You have to make the choice - a safer product that works a little less aggressively, or go for the big guns and watch out for the side effects.
On most painted wheels, aggressive wheel cleaners are convenient and cause little damage given a reasonable dwell time and thorough rinse. But on anodised, chrome, or any bare metal wheels, I'd go for a milder pH balanced product.
It's the best wheel cleaner I have used. I mix it with 5 parts of water in a 2L pump spray bottle, letting it drool for a few minutes before pressure washing off.
As for wheel brushes, I still say the "wheel woolies" can't be beaten .
Currently I use 2 wheel cleaners & they are both Autoglym. The Orange (acid) is used on standard general alloys (like style 3,4 & 6) & wheel trims - damn good stuff but as said don't leave it too long & never use as some tacky car washes do use on hot wheels or in direct sun.
The other is the Blue non acid that you can use on chrome, painted & anadised wheels (style 5, 7 & Eight) - this is also very good & I use it on my chrome wheels I have on my MG ZR-Express Van with no problems however I am often on the lookout for different products.
Does anyone know if the product of this thread id PH balanced? If not there is no point me trying it as I can't see me being any better off.
Wheel Woolies and the little Pastry Brush for around the Wheel nuts do a good job, along with a modicum of elbow grease.
Have a 5 litre bottle of the Bilberry stuff in the garage but didn't need it today, the GTechniq coating still doing its job.