Not your typical wheel cleaner question...

[umi000]

I'm trying to do a multi-quote but it's not working right, perhaps from some info I tried to cut-and-paste.

I don't know anything about that Autoglym wheel cleaner, and whether it's "safer" or not--clearly the Sonax/Griot's/IronX marketing is implying that a neutral pH cleaner is safer.

The color change thing isn't like that toothbrushing dye--I don't think that's an apt analogy. And the color change isn't from exposure to oxygen, because I've never gotten the Sonax to change color. (Which is perhaps why it doesn't seem to work any better for me than other mild wheel cleaners).

Another site that sells the Sonax says that it "contains unique chemical ingredients that effectively dissolve the sintered iron by forming a water soluble iron complex". From the list of ingredients at the Sonax website, it must be one (or a combination of some) of the following:

Sodium thioglycolate
Sodium gluconate
Sodium citrate
Sodium hexyl sulfate
Xanthan
Limonene
Methylisothiazolinone
Benzylisothiazolinon

That phrase sounded familiar, and a search on Google turned up the following:

"IronX contains unique chemical ingredients that effectively dissolves the sintered iron by forming a water soluble iron complex."

Checking the other site you mentioned, I noticed a funny thing - the description it has for Sonax uses phrases that are identical to those on Car Pro's IronX page! And now Car Pro has a copyright notice on that page if you try to right-click it... Hmmm, interesting...

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Checking the other site you mentioned, I noticed a funny thing - the description it has for Sonax uses phrases that are identical to those on Car Pro's IronX page! And now Car Pro has a copyright notice on that page if you try to right-click it... Hmmm, interesting...

It's not surprising. Companies that make car detailing products don't make the base chemicals, those are made by companies like Dow, BASF, etc. Clearly, IronX, Sonax FE, and the new Griot's HD wheel cleaner all use the same active ingredient, which has been newly "invented" or has recently begun to be marketed for this application.

This is not unlike a few years ago when the 3 WOWA sealants all came out within a few months of each other, it was obvious that some new polymer/chemical had become available that was the basis for all 3 products.

 

[maluminas]

The chemicals in those cleaners actually dissolve the iron particles atom by atom by binding them into an ionic complex which is soluble in water. The complex itself is colored purple. Many metalic compounds are vividly colored.

So if it turns purple, iron is being removed. If it doesnt turn purple, there was no iron to begin with, or the cleaner doesnt use that mechanism.

At least thats what i remember from school... lol

 

[dreamps]

i dont think the color change is a gimick. i cleaned my rims with sonax and they were bleeding red. just as a test i redid the same rim after i did the remaining 3 and the sonax did not turn red at all the 2nd time around. after i use sonax i also wash down the rim w/reg car soap in-case there are any traces of sonax still lingering around.

 

[Avi@CarPro]

The chemicals in those cleaners actually dissolve the iron particles atom by atom by binding them into an ionic complex which is soluble in water. The complex itself is colored purple. Many metalic compounds are vividly colored.

So if it turns purple, iron is being removed. If it doesnt turn purple, there was no iron to begin with, or the cleaner doesnt use that mechanism.

At least thats what i remember from school... lol

Exactly. ^^

Ironx formula is totaly NOT the same as Sonax FE, not even close .
reaction effect could look the same but we dont use at all the same chemicals.
Ironx do not contain any acids or salts in it.
the color change you see is the tiny iron particles dissolved in chemical reaction.
not for "cool" color changing effect... although its very nice to see.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Exactly. ^^

Ironx formula is totaly NOT the same as Sonax FE, not even close .
reaction effect could look the same but we dont use at all the same chemicals.
Ironx do not contain any acids or salts in it.
the color change you see is the tiny iron particles dissolved in chemical reaction.
not for "cool" color changing effect... although its very nice to see.

Indeed.

All I know is that the stuff really works; I'm enough of a believer that I just bought a 5L jug of it rops:

 

[jamores23]

Today I encountered the dirtiest wheel ever!! I PEEd on it and it changed colors and loosened up all the dirt and hosed it off Hope that helps mark!