Anyone ever put a splash of APC in their favorite car shampoo bucket to add more 'kick' ?

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Matador

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This is what I've suspected was essentially the case when you'd see these 'bug and tar' shampoos out there.

The APC I've been using lately that's been around forever, but I never seen talked about here is Oil Eater.

That stuff is amazing at cutting the junk I have to pre-treat off my detailing towels or drying towels before I wash them. I'll mix a 3:1 spray bottle that will take off friggin grease and tar stains off of shirts to my nices detailing towels I may have screwed up a bit by using to clean gunk that won't wash out. It also is kick ass at setting up for 'soaking' towels that have wax residue or cermaic spray detailer on them to basically break it down.

I've seen some detailers online through YouTube, put in a splash of APC to their wash buckets to help cut on bug guts and car film. Curious if anyone does this when your car is filthy, and if so how much?

I googled Oil eaters recommendation, and they said 1oz per gallon...which sounds pretty high considering how strong that stuff is. I was going to try out 1oz per 2 gallons.

Thoughts gang?
 
I've added Optimum Power Clean before to their soap for extra cleaning power. One thing I like about using Carpro Reset is it cleans so well I don't have to use an APC. I'm not sure if APC's could dry out clear coat over time.
 
For regular maintenance washes on a vehicle that has solid protection I don't see the point.

I have never said to myself "man I wish the car was cleaner" after washing with a simple pH neutral shampoo. Dirt and grime is completely rinsed free from all the surfaces. What could possibly be left over? Sure maybe some tar spots here and there on lower panels or maybe a little sap here and there on top surfaces but those can be cleaned on a spot-by-spot basis.

I don't see how *objectively* you could make any kind of improvement in cleaning power with just an ounce of APC in a 5 gallon bucket.

Now, doing a APC pre-wash foam is something different and probably more effective. That is because the concentration is higher and thus more potent at dissolving contaminants. Then you would follow up with your ph soap hand wash. The caveat of course is the APC pre-wash foam is going to compromise protection.
 
Every wash I do, whether it be rinseless or bucket o’ suds, has some level of protection in the product. Therefore I don’t wanna degrade that with some APC splash…
 
I've never tried adding some APC to a Car Shampoo. I've always used them separately.
 
evo77 said:
For regular maintenance washes on a vehicle that has solid protection I don't see the point.

I have never said to myself "man I wish the car was cleaner" after washing with a simple pH neutral shampoo. Dirt and grime is completely rinsed free from all the surfaces. What could possibly be left over? Sure maybe some tar spots here and there on lower panels or maybe a little sap here and there on top surfaces but those can be cleaned on a spot-by-spot basis.

I don't see how *objectively* you could make any kind of improvement in cleaning power with just an ounce of APC in a 5 gallon bucket.

Now, doing a APC pre-wash foam is something different and probably more effective. That is because the concentration is higher and thus more potent at dissolving contaminants. Then you would follow up with your ph soap hand wash. The caveat of course is the APC pre-wash foam is going to compromise protection.
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Not 'cleaner' but want something that will dilute all of the junk on the paint, before I wash. Bug guts, road film, grime from driving highway for 12+ hours over a long weekend, etc.

This is the wifes car too. ;)

But with that said, I would recoat it as well when done.


NJNinja said:
I've added Optimum Power Clean before to their soap for extra cleaning power. One thing I like about using Carpro Reset is it cleans so well I don't have to use an APC. I'm not sure if APC's could dry out clear coat over time.
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From what I've seen in Carpro Reset and other cleaning soaps that are higher PH...are just that. Higher PH soaps.

Example is this guy:

3121OZ64_510x.progressive.jpg


Heavy Duty Car Wash Pre Soak Cleaner & Degreaser Solution | 3D Car Care

3D Super PreSoak describes itself as a 'higher PH' wash, to help dissolve grime, road film, oil, etc. from the exterior of the car.

Why not put in a couple splashes of Oil Eaters which is high Alkaline (12PH in its concentrated form) to my PH balanced car soap?


I may also get some Hyper Wash too, since I read it's a about 9PH....

But curious curious....to try something new.
 
Matador said:
Not 'cleaner' but want something that will dilute all of the junk on the paint, before I wash. Bug guts, road film, grime from driving highway for 12+ hours over a long weekend, etc.

This is the wifes car too. ;)

But with that said, I would recoat it as well when done.



From what I've seen in Carpro Reset and other cleaning soaps that are higher PH...are just that. Higher PH soaps.

Example is this guy:

3121OZ64_510x.progressive.jpg


Heavy Duty Car Wash Pre Soak Cleaner & Degreaser Solution | 3D Car Care

3D Super PreSoak describes itself as a 'higher PH' wash, to help dissolve grime, road film, oil, etc. from the exterior of the car.

Why not put in a couple splashes of Oil Eaters which is high Alkaline (12PH in its concentrated form) to my PH balanced car soap?


I may also get some Hyper Wash too, since I read it's a about 9PH....

But curious curious....to try something new.
Click to expand...

Reset isn’t high pH tho

Great thing about Reset - rinses clean leaves nothing behind, pH neutral, excellent lubricity and cleaning power.


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Reset is ph7 and that 3d super pre soak is ph8. Its not just about what ph # it is...its also about whats in it.
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Matador - People all the time talk about a spray down with p21 TAW prior to, or in addition to the standard wash. I wouldnt add apc to every wash, but once a qtr or so, or before doing a re-coat, a re-seal, re-wax would be fine IMO.
 
P21s has a pH of 10 and OPC is around 11. The strongest of the APC's range in the 12-14 pH.
 
NJNinja said:
Funny that 3D thinks 8 is a high pH.
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Lol, so im not knocking 3d. i have loved every product i have tried of theres and will continue to repurchase those products.

I just dont understaand that marketing..to which you have poimted out.

So we know that ph7 is neutral on the ph scale. So techically being ph8 is concidered "higher". But what i dont get is how they say its high ph soap but yet 3d pink and 3d super soap is ph8 as well but it is marketed as a ph balanced soap.

I have and do use those products. Just dont get the marketing is all

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I could see this causing issues over time if done regularly. Be it LSP degradation or drying out rubbers and plastic trims. Again, this is what I would be concerned with from doing this *regularly*. I for one would use the APC separate of my shampoo, spot clean those bug and tar spots. That way you don't have to redo the LSP on the entire car, just those spots. If I did find myself having to spike my shampoo with APC to get the desired result, I would stop using what I'm using and go back to Reset, a known champion. I would also perhaps look at up'ing your pre-wash game. A strong prewash should give any shampoo a fighting chance.

This said, I am all for science and experimenting, within reason.
 
opie said:
Lol, so im not knocking 3d. i have loved every product i have tried of theres and will continue to repurchase those products.

I just dont understaand that marketing..to which you have poimted out.

So we know that ph7 is neutral on the ph scale. So techically being ph8 is concidered "higher". But what i dont get is how they say its high ph soap but yet 3d pink and 3d super soap is ph8 as well but it is marketed as a ph balanced soap.

I have and do use those products. Just dont get the marketing is all

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
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One thing that has not been explained to my simpleton self is how the pH of a shampoo is affected by the water you're diluting it with. Water should be 7, so diluting a pH 8 shampoo/APC with water will bring it closer to 7.... I just can't understand how a high pH product can remain a high pH product when it's diluted with water.

Forgive me, I know about diesel submarines, not chemistry.
 
I do an "APC rinse" on the vehicles that need it. I use 3D Super Citrus APC diluted 4oz to a gallon in a garden pump sprayer. I'll spray it on the dry dirty paint, let dwell, then rinse off. Usually avoid the glass on the car to avoid streaking. Then go on to my wash (usually rinseless with a presoak from another pump sprayer to prevent water spotting)

I was using 3D Super Pre Soak in the foam cannon, but didn't find it to be quite as effective. The previously mentioned pH of 8 in that product doesn't have as much kick as a full on APC. It also feels like a colossal waste of time vs just spraying on from my pump sprayers.
 
NJNinja said:
Reset isn’t high pH tho

Great thing about Reset - rinses clean leaves nothing behind, pH neutral, excellent lubricity and cleaning power.


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Click to expand...

Matador said:
Did not know that...Hmmm...
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I have always said Carpro screwed up with the name of that soap, "Reset" gives the impression that it is a strip wash. "Refresh", "Revive" or perhaps "Restore" would have been better.
 
PouncingPanzer said:
One thing that has not been explained to my simpleton self is how the pH of a shampoo is affected by the water you're diluting it with. Water should be 7, so diluting a pH 8 shampoo/APC with water will bring it closer to 7.... I just can't understand how a high pH product can remain a high pH product when it's diluted with water.

Forgive me, I know about diesel submarines, not chemistry.
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Ditto on this!


And to those eluding to it in this thread, just to clear up confusion: I do not want to wash my car this ahrshly regularly. It's more so trying to see if I can 'bazooka' it for cars that are really grimey...like that of the wife haha to make my life a little easier.
 
Matador said:
Ditto on this!


And to those eluding to it in this thread, just to clear up confusion: I do not want to wash my car this ahrshly regularly. It's more so trying to see if I can 'bazooka' it for cars that are really grimey...like that of the wife haha to make my life a little easier.
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I have a easy fix:

Wash it once a week religiously. And put good protection on the paint. That way washing is super easy with just soap. :D:props:
 
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