P21S Wheel Cleaner

ScottB

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One of the consistent questions I am asked on forum after forum, and several times at DF is what wheel cleaner do I use and offer. Well I consistently offer P21S as I have found it to be a great cleaner, and safe on all wheel types including my Forged Wheels.

I am then asked about the pricing and do I feel its worth it, and for that I too say absolutely yes. A little goes along way and even sold in bulk for detailers.

Heres a couple shots on wifes truck from our early evening detail, and mind you no agitation or brush. Spray, sit, stream, and wipe off.

(Tire Dressing = Optimums New Optibond )

Autogeek_0042.jpg

Before (10+ days of grime and puddles from rain)

Autogeek_0051.jpg

Sitting for 2 minutes

Autogeek_0061.jpg

Stream of Water

Autogeek_0081.jpg

Dried and Tires Dressed
 
Nice, about time you cleaned them. P21s works real well. I like the p21s gel version










you sure you didn't photoshop it :D :D sorry had too
 
Looks good, that stuff seems to always do a great job! Do you like Meg Wheel Brightener, that stuff can do some real damage though
 
Nice. I'm going to give "no agitation" a try. Never tried it.
 
Looks good, that stuff seems to always do a great job! Do you like Meg Wheel Brightener, that stuff can do some real damage though

far too harsh IMO .... Poorboys Spray/Rinse is another that has super cleaning power but very strong and I just wont take the chance with repeated use.
 
Looks nice, I also like the p21s gel version too....I like the look of Optimums tire dressing....:applause:
 
I only use P21S gel, and love it...yes it's pricey, but when they are really dirty and soap and water won't work, then I use it.
 
i have the 5 litter jug of p21s gel . but after useing the reg version a few months ago im happy with just that!! no need for the gel... both are fantastic!!!!!!!
 
this is the liquid version of P21S ... Gel just 'hangs' a little longer for dirty wheels.
 
It's very uncommon for the use of a dedicated wheel cleaner to even be used. Soap and water do just about the same job as most wheel cleaners. I have used and stocked p21s for some time now and only use it on extremely filthy wheels or stubborn brake dust. If being used as a wheel cleaner every wash, it's a complete waste of money regardless if used correctly or not.

Get your wheels clean with it, keep them up with a soap and water combo, can't get much cheaper than that.
 
It's very uncommon for the use of a dedicated wheel cleaner to even be used. Soap and water do just about the same job as most wheel cleaners. I have used and stocked p21s for some time now and only use it on extremely filthy wheels or stubborn brake dust. If being used as a wheel cleaner every wash, it's a complete waste of money regardless if used correctly or not.

Get your wheels clean with it, keep them up with a soap and water combo, can't get much cheaper than that.
true .but we all love to play with our chemicals:D
 
It's very uncommon for the use of a dedicated wheel cleaner to even be used. Soap and water do just about the same job as most wheel cleaners. I have used and stocked p21s for some time now and only use it on extremely filthy wheels or stubborn brake dust. If being used as a wheel cleaner every wash, it's a complete waste of money regardless if used correctly or not.

Get your wheels clean with it, keep them up with a soap and water combo, can't get much cheaper than that.

Actually I would disagree with you, and I'll tell you why. It is completely dependant upon brake pads. When I used ceramic brake pads on our CTS we could get away with soap/water as very little dust and did not stick. However, when I ran carbon metallics on my R/A T/A you needed an aggressive cleaner to remove anything and wheels were quite black in only a couple days at best. Normal OEM brake pads use binders (commonly metal and fillers -- previous abestos) that adhere to the wheel quite easily especially given the heat generated by wheels themselves. (ie. baked on or baked in)

Not what I will offer, that on a wheel that is coated/sealed soap and water are fine and usually a wheel cleaner is only needed one a month or two. That said, I dont seal these wheels and truck see's 1000+ miles weekly alot are city stop and go.

Suggesting that P21S is not safe enough for weekly washing is wrong, and this truck proves it as those wheels are over two wheels old. No clearcoat failure, no etching, and clean as new including barrels. I would not however suggest store bought wheel cleaners as most contain lye or acid bases which could damage any wheel over time with consistent use. Cost is personal as to if any product is worth it or not ....
 
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Actually I would disagree with you, and I'll tell you why. It is completely dependant upon brake pads. When I used ceramic brake pads on our CTS we could get away with soap/water as very little dust and did not stick. However, when I ran carbon metallics on my R/A T/A you needed an aggressive cleaner to remove anything and wheels were quite black in only a couple days at best. Normal OEM brake pads use binders (commonly metal and fillers -- previous abestos) that adhere to the wheel quite easily especially given the heat generated by wheels themselves. (ie. baked on or baked in)

Not what I will offer, that on a wheel that is coated/sealed soap and water are fine and usually a wheel cleaner is only needed one a month or two. That said, I dont seal these wheels and truck see's 1000+ miles weekly alot are city stop and go.

Suggesting that P21S is not safe enough for weekly washing is wrong, and this truck proves it as those wheels are over two wheels old. No clearcoat failure, no etching, and clean as new including barrels. I would not however suggest store bought wheel cleaners as most contain lye or acid bases which could damage any wheel over time with consistent use. Cost is personal as to if any product is worth it or not ....


I never said is wasn't safe enough, I said it doesn't make cost effective sense. your situation is a little more rare than the norm, you are probably running high temps with your metallics. I am not trying to detour anyone from using p21s, there are just so many misconceptions about the product. It's a very safe cleaner, although plenty of times it failed short of doing the job on neglected wheels where other products were needed to reach the finish my clients demand. I would say if there were a scale p21s would rate just above soap and water, the difference is it is designed for prolonged presence whereas soap and water is not. You are able to leave it sit and nit pick at contaminants if you will and finesse corrosion where soap and water does not.

Of all the wheels I have personally kept up from my own vehicles to clients I have never encountered a set of wheels that demanded the use of a dedicated wheel cleaner, beit ps1s or the thousands of others. ceramic brakes to carbon fiber wheels, chrome to bare alum. If you keep up cleaning on your car it's not a needed product for weekly/monthly use.

No offense your wheels look great, but I could send you plenty of products that would clean them just as well, hell onr and a mf towel would do the job on those wheels, so long as they are made of the same material as the millions of others out there.
 
Actually I would disagree with you, and I'll tell you why. It is completely dependant upon brake pads. When I used ceramic brake pads on our CTS we could get away with soap/water as very little dust and did not stick. However, when I ran carbon metallics on my R/A T/A you needed an aggressive cleaner to remove anything and wheels were quite black in only a couple days at best. Normal OEM brake pads use binders (commonly metal and fillers -- previous abestos) that adhere to the wheel quite easily especially given the heat generated by wheels themselves. (ie. baked on or baked in)

Not what I will offer, that on a wheel that is coated/sealed soap and water are fine and usually a wheel cleaner is only needed one a month or two. That said, I dont seal these wheels and truck see's 1000+ miles weekly alot are city stop and go.

Suggesting that P21S is not safe enough for weekly washing is wrong, and this truck proves it as those wheels are over two wheels old. No clearcoat failure, no etching, and clean as new including barrels. I would not however suggest store bought wheel cleaners as most contain lye or acid bases which could damage any wheel over time with consistent use. Cost is personal as to if any product is worth it or not ....
1000+ miles weekly??? Do you drive to work to another city or something???
with that many miles wheels will defenetely get dirty, and soap and water might not work... I usually have 350 miles weekly, and sometimes don't wash a car for two weeks, and soap and water works just fine...I seal those wheels with JetSeal, or Opti-Seal though.
 
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