Hi all,
Quick thread: Just cleaned up the cars a bit with the 45 degree weather today
First off, I added ~1 ounce of optimum no rinse wash and wax to 2 gallons of water and used a 2 bucket method. My car was FILTHY and I hosed it down aggressively beforehand (using a garden hose) to remove caked on salt until the water ran clear. >1 month since my last car wash and probably 2500 miles.
I feel like I didn't get the concentration of ONR right. I didn't feel it was cleaning very well or producing a good slick surface. And I didn't feel the dirt was releasing out of my wash mitt (which went from white to basically black AFTER cleaning it out) Any recommendations? The 5' and 10' look is great - stunning Alpine White paint, glossy, very reflective. But it took some effort and the wash mitt is disgusting looking.
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Now, a few tire and wheel products reviewed:
Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus - A pretty "safe" and not super toxic spray on wheel cleaner. Let sit for 2-4 minutes, agitated with Wheel woolie. Turns deep red as it works.
I used this on my BBS winter wheels with >1 month of brake dust caked onto them. And salt. And God only knows what. I thoroughly agitated with my wheel woolie but only applied once and then hosed off.
AWESOME results. Perfectly clean wheels - I mean every nook and cranny I could reach came out looking brand new with a single application. Very pleased.
Meg's Wheel Brightener - I used this on my wife's 08 535xit wheels. These are in bad shape. Ironically, no real curb rash just caked on brake dust in a bad way inside the wheel nooks and crannies and in the barrel.
This stuff is toxic and acidic. I got some on my skin when it ricocheted off the wheel surface and quickly wiped it off...and my skin is irritated. You are supposed to leave it on for 30-45 seconds.
I can't say amazing results but it did remove more brake dust than any other product. I did 2 applications and agitated. The wheel faces, where the dust isn't caked on, came out brilliant and shine great. The insides are simply less black and there is more aluminum showing.
For a amateur detailer, I rate this stuff a bit too hardcore. It's not user friendly enough, too toxic to want to keep in my house/around my kids, and god forbid you have to walk away from it while it's on the wheels. I'm going to use it with the wheel off and a no-scratch scrubbing pad but it will not be in my normal rotation.
Stoner's Spray on Tire Shine - Spray on Tire Shine? C'mon. That's gotta be gimicky or spotty.
THIS STUFF IS AWESOME. The can has a beautiful nozzle on it that sprays perfect width and thickness. Just be smooth and about 10 seconds around per tire and your tires look perfectly dressed. Can't speak to how long it'll last, especially in winter, but use and initial look gets top marks.
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Last note is I've been using a sponge or old wash mitt to scrub my wheels for ages. Just spent the dough on a wheel woolie which, while very over priced, is simply the right tool for the job. I just went with the 12" model I believe....perfect for my uses.