Has anyone used Meguiers Wheel Brightener?

Blake's Mobile Detailing

Blake's Mobile Detailing

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If so, can you tell me how you like it. I am thinking if getting a gallon but I want to know how well it works. Is it safe for all wheels? This product will be used for my clients vehicles. What would you recommend if You have no experience with it or rather something else?
 
Blake's Mobile Detailing said:
If so, can you tell me how you like it. I am thinking if getting a gallon but I want to know how well it works. Is it safe for all wheels? This product will be used for my clients vehicles. What would you recommend if You have no experience with it or rather something else?
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Wheel Brightener is a stout acid-based cleaner. I use it only for those wheels that aren't going to come clean any other way. Even cut 10:1 or 4:1 I wear gloves, goggles and mask. Somewhat nasty stuff ONLY for coated wheels. If you have occasional need for WB or want to give it a try ADS has sample sizes. Pick up an extra spray bottle and sprayer, you will want to dilute it.

For everyday use I use P21S gel. It can be diluted or left to dwell on cruddier wheels and deals with caked on brake dust fine.

For everyday wheel cleaning I use an APC, also on the tires and wheel wells.

TL
 
Ok, so an APC would work alot better?
I use the OTC megs wheel cleaner now so I am looking for a more cost effective way of dealing with wheels and tires.
What would be better... Megs APC or APC+
 
You should have WB in your arsenal. Nothing beats if for the tough cases...think German cars especially. However if the wheels aren't bad, Zep Citrus APC (available at Home Depot) can be diluted 4:1 or more and is great on wheels. And for like $10/gallon with no shipping, it's a great deal. Their glass cleaner (the green one) is also excellent and can be cut 32:1...that's not a typo.
 
Blake's Mobile Detailing said:
If so, can you tell me how you like it. I am thinking if getting a gallon but I want to know how well it works. Is it safe for all wheels? This product will be used for my clients vehicles. What would you recommend if You have no experience with it or rather something else?
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I wouldn't bring out the Acid on client vehicles unless an APC didn't work after several attempts. Acid is the last thing you should be using with any kind of regularity, especially if you have no experience with it.

I suggest trying Optimum Power Clean for all your cleaning requirements. Very versatile.
 
Speaking a little more in favor of Meguiar's Wheel Brightner, I use it on almost every car. It does have to be on wheels that are coated though. Aluminum wheels without a clearcoat will stain and you'll spend a long time polishing them back to a shine.

APC or APC+ without a doubt are great products that will work on many of the wheels you'll clean, but the Wheel Brightner isn't the devil's acid that it's being made out to be. If time is of the essence, Wheel Brightner will knock it out fast with one shot. Just rinse thouroghly.
 
David Fermani said:
I wouldn't bring out the Acid on client vehicles unless an APC didn't work after several attempts. Acid is the last thing you should be using with any kind of regularity, especially if you have no experience with it.

I suggest trying Optimum Power Clean for all your cleaning requirements. Very versatile.
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Agree 100%. If you think you still need a wheel cleaner, try a pH neutral one P21S is the Daddy Rabbit by all accounts, but is very expensive, DP and Four Star are very good and more reasonably priced. I think OPC will do all but that most wheel cleaners. will.
 
David Fermani said:
I wouldn't bring out the Acid on client vehicles unless an APC didn't work after several attempts. Acid is the last thing you should be using with any kind of regularity, especially if you have no experience with it.

I suggest trying Optimum Power Clean for all your cleaning requirements. Very versatile.
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:iagree:

acid IS not safe on all wheels, and can even etch certain finishes.
 
I like the duragloss APC. Can be diluted and does a good job
 
Jenn1270 said:
I like the duragloss APC. Can be diluted and does a good job
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Never tried their APC but their All Wheel Cleaner is (I believe) non-acidic (says is safe for all wheels, all the time) and is available by the gallon which is a good deal, especially when you consider their flat $5 shipping fee.
 
Back when i started working for a mobile detailing business, we used acid wheel cleaners on almost all cars. We could run around, spray it on all 4 wheels and have another worker be running behind with a power washer to blast all the dirt off. Then you would just have to follow up and touch up what was missed. In all the cars that we did, none of them got damaged with the cleaner, but I can't say it was the best thing to do, it was the most cost and time effective thing to do though since you could clean 4 wheels in under a minute, especially the bmw mesh wheels on the 5 and 7 series, they were brutal!
 
Havent used or tried very many, but OPC basically just melted all the junk off my wheels and tires, then when I hosed it off, couldn't believe the amount of stuff floating down my driveway.
 
I use Megs Wheel Brightener. it is very acidic, ive have been considering getting a less aggressive cleaner like P21s. but for now my APC which is a local line (basically APC+) has been doing a great job on wheels that arent too dirty.

That said dont think of it as a bad product. I own a few BMWs so other cleaners take forever. Megs WB cuts right through the brake dust and leave me a nice clean wheel. been meaning to pick up some wheel wax. Ive used Klasse AIO before on wheels some so great results. but Megs Wheel brightener will remove it in one spray.
 
VR8 said:
Speaking a little more in favor of Meguiar's Wheel Brightner, I use it on almost every car. It does have to be on wheels that are coated though. Aluminum wheels without a clearcoat will stain and you'll spend a long time polishing them back to a shine.

APC or APC+ without a doubt are great products that will work on many of the wheels you'll clean, but the Wheel Brightner isn't the devil's acid that it's being made out to be. If time is of the essence, Wheel Brightner will knock it out fast with one shot. Just rinse thouroghly.
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I couldn't agree more! When I started reading this I thought it was considered another axis of evil!

Meguiar's Wheel Brightener is a great product. It's intended to be diluted 4:1which also makes it a great value. It is a strong solution but when used according to the manufactures instructions it works very well.

All Purpose Cleaner works OK on lightly soiled tires and rims but I prefer to use Meguiar's Wheel Cleaner.

As a general note:

Once your clear coated wheels are clean try coating them with something like DP Wheel Wax or Poorboy's World Wheel Sealant. These products are designed to protect clear coated wheels for the most part clean up nicely with soap and water.
 
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