Nick McKees37
McKee's 37 Product Support
- Jan 6, 2011
- 7,265
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In a perfect world, one product would do it all. One product would clean your windows, polish your paint, condition your leather, gloss up your tires and even double as an octane booster. Until that revolutionary product arrives (don’t hold your breath), the next best thing is Blackfire’s All-N-One All Purpose Cleaner. All-N-One is one of many new additions to the recently revamped Blackfire line and with its performance and versatility; it will quickly earn a front-row spot on your ever-growing collection of detailing supplies.
Blackfire All-N-One is the definitive all purpose cleaner because as the name implies, it can be used on all surfaces. When I say all, I mean everything, including coated leather. Blackfire All-N-One All Purpose Cleaner can be used full strength to clean engine bays and wheel wells, or it can be diluted up to 4:1 to safely clean leather and other delicate interior surfaces. Don’t let the safety of this product fool you, it packs quite a punch.
Among other uses, Blackfire All-N-One All Purpose Cleaner can safely be used on paint as both a cleanser and as a bug and tar remover. If you would like to strip your wax or sealant the safe way and not worry about using soaps that belong in your sink, you can add a couple ounces of Blackfire All-N-One APC to your wash bucket. This is a safe and effective way to strip your wax or sealant. If you have a nasty build-up of bugs like we experience here in southern Florida, Blackfire All-N-One APC makes an excellent bug and tar remover.
To demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of this product as a bug remover, I grabbed the keys to my co-worker’s Mustang which had accumulated two weeks worth of bugs from traveling up and down I-95 on a daily basis.
Most people are hesitant about using an all purpose cleaner on their paint, let alone an all purpose cleaner undiluted. Blackfire All-N-One APC rewrites the book on all purpose cleaners as it can safely be used on paintwork both diluted and at full strength. Just to give you an idea of how safe this product is, I sprayed it full strength on dry paint that was cool to the touch.
To provide the necessary agitation I used a Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Pad. If you’ve ever used a Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Pad you’re well aware of how safe and effective it can be when used properly. With its honeycomb texture, bugs and tar don’t stand a chance. For the best results, and to ensure proper lubrication to prevent scratching or marring, let the sponge soak in a wash bucket full of soapy water for a couple minutes before use.
With the Safe Scrub full of soapy water I lightly rubbed it across the paint. The Blackfire All-N-One made quick work of breaking up the bug remains which meant very little agitation was required from the Safe Scrub.
It’s very important when removing bugs and tar to rinse your wash media frequently. This ensures sufficient lubrication so no scratching or marring is introduced into the paint.
When most people receive their Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Sponge they often question its claim of being paint safe. Before soaking the Safe Scrub in a bucket of soapy water, it’s very stiff and coarse feeling. After you let it soak, the sponge becomes much softer and more malleable but it still provides the necessary agitation thanks to its honeycomb design.
After removing all the bugs I gave the area a strong blast of water from the Industrial High Flow Fireman’s Nozzle. Since its introduction a couple months ago, this is the exclusive nozzle we use at Autogeek because as you can imagine, we wash a lot of cars here and require something that’s durable.
Look ma, no bugs!
With its cleaning versatility, Blackfire All-N-One All Purpose Cleaner is a viable alternative to dedicated tire cleaners. You can use it full-strength or diluted 4:1 depending on how dirty the tires are. To ensure the best performance from your tire dressing of choice, it’s critical that your tires are deeply cleaned to provide a solid foundation. Blackfire All-N-One is up to the task and when used full strength, very little cleaner is required to thoroughly cleanse the tires of dirt and previously applied dressings.
To really give a good cleaning, I sprayed the cleaner directly onto a dry tire. If you wet the tire with water first, this has a diluting affect on the cleaner and it won’t be as strong. Some tire cleaners and all purpose cleaners require the tire to be wet before applying the product, this isn’t the case with Blackfire’s All-N-One because it’s a gentle cleaner that still packs quite a punch.
Once the cleaner had dwelled on the tire for a minute, I gave it a good thorough scrubbing with a Short Handle Green Brush. This brush works great for cleaning tires because it features super-stiff nylon bristles that really bite in to the tire, removing dirt and previously applied tire dressings when used in conjunction with a high-quality cleaner, such as Blackfire’s All-N-One APC.
Once again I used the Industrial High Flow Fireman’s Nozzle to provide a strong blast of water to rinse the tire once I was finished cleaning.
Look at all that dirt!
Interior cleaning is what really sets Blackfire All-N-One APC apart from the rest of the crowd. While the majority of APC’s need to be highly diluted to safely clean interior components, Blackfire All-N-One APC can be used full strength on leather and other interior surfaces. If you question whether or not your APC should be used on interior surfaces, spray a little bit on your hand. Does it dry your skin out or cause irritation? If you answered yes to either question, do you really think you should be spraying that stuff on your leather seats? With Blackfire All-N-One APC, there is no question about its safety because even at full strength, it won’t dry out your skin or cause any irritation. Dirty leather watch out!
To provide safe, but effective agitation, I used a Natural Horse Hair Interior Upholstery Brush. If you’ve ever read any other of my interior articles, you know I’m a huge fan of this brush. It features natural horse hair bristles that are tightly packed together to provide the necessary agitation to remove even the nastiest dirt and grime off leather and other interior surfaces.
After using any APC on leather, regardless of the manufacturer, you should follow up with a leather conditioner. After cleaning the seats and wiping them dry, I applied Blackfire Leather Conditioner with my bare hands. Do you apply lotion to your skin with a microfiber applicator? I doubt it, so why apply a conditioner to leather with one? Use your hands and reap the benefits!
To clean door panels and other interior surfaces, you can either spray Blackfire All-N-One APC directly onto the surface or spray it directly onto your applicator of choice. For the larger interior panels, such as door panels, I prefer to spray the cleaner directly onto the surface and agitate it with a microfiber applicator.
After the door panels were clean, I applied Blackfire Interior Protectant. This particular interior protectant can be used on every plastic, rubber, and vinyl surface in your vehicle's interior. It can even be used to protect leather. It features a water-based formula that dries to the touch. For larger panels, I prefer to spray the protectant directly onto the surface and work it in with a microfiber applicator. For smaller panels, I like to spray the protecant directly onto the applicator.
There you have it! If a surface needs to be cleaned, Blackfire All-N-One APC will do the job without compromising the safety of you or the surface that you’re cleaning. It contains no harsh chemicals that dry out your skin, has no foul chemical smell, and is versatile in the sense that it can be used full strength or diluted 4:1. Like other Blackfire products, All-N-One APC has defined the category that it's in.
Blackfire All-N-One APC
