Dilutable Interior Cleaner

[DetailZeus]

This is how it lathers on leather.





It also works really well with one of those scrub ninja pads.







Be it plastic or leather, I like how it wipes away and doesn't leave a sticky residue behind.

You can also put it into one of those pump action foamers, which is nice for leather, or preventing over saturation of Alcantara and suede.

That looks solid. I know that lather alone doesn't equal cleaning but it is helpful when you're trying to get a cleaner to stay on a surface and not drip away somewhere.

 

[DetailZeus]

H2O and a few microfiber towels goes a looooooong way when light cleaning interiors ....just a thought...

The truth is I could probably get away with this in most cases.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

P&S Xpress. Cheap but works well. I use it 2 parts water 1 part Xpress.


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[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

What about D107? I see it's a citrus cleaner. Is it not any count?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Good to know when I finish my gallon of Poorboy's APC. Poorboy's feels a little strong for the interior. I don't see sodium hydroxide in D101 which already makes me think it'll be better. I finish the interior by wiping the inside glass with glass cleaner anyways so a quick pass on the nav screen is no big deal.

That’s exactly what I do too.

What about D107? I see it's a citrus cleaner. Is it not any count?

I’m on my 4-5 gallon. I don’t like it for interior because it leaves things a bit sticky, but it’s replaced my normal wheel & tire cleaner.

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

That’s exactly what I do too.



I’m on my 4-5 gallon. I don’t like it for interior because it leaves things a bit sticky, but it’s replaced my normal wheel & tire cleaner.

I wasn't sure if it would be suitable for interior. I figured it would be less harsh than an Alkaline, but it is citrus after all.

 

[Eldorado2k]

I wasn't sure if it would be suitable for interior. I figured it would be less harsh than an Alkaline, but it is citrus after all.

Yup, that’s why they made it.. However in an attempt to please the people who “think” that the normal APC is somehow too harsh to use to maintain their interiors they made this APC which in many ways feels not strong enough while leaving what feels like a sticky film on leather & vinyl surfaces that just turns me off from using it. And just imagine what it feels like on carpets..

However it’s a hell of wheel & tire cleaner. So good I’ve replaced D143 Non Acid Wheel & Tire with it.

 

[DFB]

This is why I "think" APC is better used on exterior surfaces.

Meguiars D101 has a pH of 13 in concentrate. That is one level below oven cleaner. Diluted 10:1 it has a pH of 11.959. Diluted 50:1 it has a pH of 11.292.

Today I was doing an interior detail on a car with gray leather seats, using Megs D101 diluted 10:1. There must have been a spot where the cleaner dripped on the seat back because there was a spot and run mark. I'm not sure why this would happen and i had to scrub hard to get it out.

Might be associating the PH with harshness of the chemical. I know that the dilution of a product changes the PH but i'm also not sure why that would change it so much. Yea i can probably dilute the D101 to a near neutral state, but that would be like 128:1. Then it wouldn't clean. The PH neutral vs alkaline war goes on.

There was a discussion on another thread of how Meguiars D101 left a cloudy white residue on a black vinyl dashboard and the member was afraid that he ruined the interior. I looked at the pH of the chemical and the level 13 seemed too harsh to me. Even with a 50:1 dilution and a pH of 11.292 it still seemed too alkaline.

I used Meguiars APC 10:1 on my interior and it has stained some of the hard plastic areas(around window switches, center console, airbag). In some spots I accidentally let over-spray dry, and others I was just cleaning normally and then wiping with water.

Also some over-spray dried on the glass and won't come off.

I’ve experienced the exact same thing with others APC’s and simply there is no turning back. I stopped to use apc in interior trim. only in floor carpets.

And from Elderado2K................................

Put some leather conditioner on it. It may take a couple or more applications, but it should bring it back to normL. I’ve had the same problem before, usually happens with Toyota or Honda dashboards & door panels if you steam clean them with APC. Leather conditioner brings it back. I use Megs D180.

I like to "think" I do a reasonable amount of research before buying products. With respect, reading the quotes above, how can I not "think" that I should choose or recommend something else?

I'm not saying APC is going to ruin every interior, but they are more aggressive, which for most of us here maintaining our cars, it's not really needed. And on the filthy customer cars I've dealt with, specific pH neutral or balanced interior cleaners such as Pol Star (7.0) or Xpress (9.0) have easily dealt with the neglect presented to me.

Pol Star -









Xpress -

 

[Eldorado2k]

In my quote, that effect that can happen on Toyota vinyl comes from using a steamer not necessarily the APC. Just using the steamer on it will cause that particular vinyl to do that.

It’s my fathers truck and I’ve cleaned it many times, pretty much everytime I clean it using Megs APC without issue, but when using a steamer on it that’s when it’s happened. Fortunately it’s nothing permanent as leather conditioner brings it back.

2 of those quotes talk about pH level but that proves nothing as far as I’m concerned because Meguiars own dedication Leather Cleaner in their Detailers Line of products D181 has a pH level of 11 per their SDS data and I don’t think they’d be making dedicated automotive leather cleaner with that high pH if it was somehow a negative factor.

IMO, the fact that their dedicated leather cleaner has that high pH proves that it isn’t a risk factor whatsoever.

Meguiars Professional Leather Cleaner
pH level 11.5-12.4

IMO, as far as detailing products are concerned, the only time pH level seems to matter is in regards to acid based products being terrible at cleaning rubber tires, but when it comes to cleaning wheels they aren’t anymore hazardous to wheel surfaces than alkaline products and the warnings on the labels themselves state that.

Btw, Meguiars Natural Shine Protectant has a pH level of 9.8. Are we supposed to now be concerned about that? I’m certainly not.