It`s cheap, it has no scent and according to the owner of AF it`s better than anything out there. I can`t find any reviews outside of the Pan guy on YT, and he seems to like everything, a lot. He foamed it with the Foam-It 5l sprayer and the foam looked fantastic. His demo of it was cleaning the wheels on his Alfa Romeo, which the wheels didn`t look too dirty and were probably coated. Since it`s not a color changing wheel cleaner, I`m wondering if it`s any better than a really good soap? I tried Brake Buster and wasn`t overly impressed. It worked well, but I think my Gyeon Bathe+ works close to as good, and is worlds cheaper.
Auto Fanatic Foaming Wheel Cleaner - what says you?
- Thread starter quebert
- Start date
Astouffer512
Member
I watched that video too. If I remember right he said it will remove tar and iron, but yet it’s safe for your hands?
I would like to see some real world reviews. Pan washes his car twice a week he says, I can’t see that his wheels get that dirty to put a wheel cleaner to a good test
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would like to see some real world reviews. Pan washes his car twice a week he says, I can’t see that his wheels get that dirty to put a wheel cleaner to a good test
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Coatings=crack
Active member
Lol you seem to be traveling the same path I did. Look into this stuff where theirs a a few reviews and videos. Seems to be real deal but here’s the thing. Doesn’t seem to work as a touchless.
And if you clean your wheels at least once a month not to much gets on their where soap and water or another dedicated wheel cleaner. I haven’t “coated” my wheels but have used Clutch on them. I use mainly soap and Meguiars Ultimate wheel cleaner I buy OTC. My wheels are perfectly clean.
If I were a pro I’d probably buy it because it does look to do a great job on neglected wheels...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
And if you clean your wheels at least once a month not to much gets on their where soap and water or another dedicated wheel cleaner. I haven’t “coated” my wheels but have used Clutch on them. I use mainly soap and Meguiars Ultimate wheel cleaner I buy OTC. My wheels are perfectly clean.
If I were a pro I’d probably buy it because it does look to do a great job on neglected wheels...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
William_Wallace
New member
Don’t know personally and saw the videos they looked great....but I get same results with megs wheel brighter as an agiate free and rinse wheel cleaner. Megs is way cheaper. Both seem to annihilate brake dust and grime. Megs I get to use as water spot remove and maintain coatings after a year I spray down with diluted version it removes iron, and most water soluble minerals. It just lacked the foam. I love acid...yeah!
That sounds promising, I personally want to order a couple of the Foam-It 5l he sells, they look amazing. But I love stuff that foams lol.
I don`t expect anything to be touchless, even with using my Wheel Woolie any Iron removing wheel cleaner I use is still faster and easier than any soap I`ve used. This one I like the price and it has no scent. But if it`s basically a glorified car wash soap there`s no point in me trying it. The guy that makes it is doing it a disservice by using it to "clean" his Alfa Romeo wheels that look better than a lot of wheels I see that have been cleaned that day lol. So that tells me maybe it doesn`t work so well. If it`s that good why doesn`t he use it on some wheels that haven`t been touched in a year?
"The guy" is easily reached on his web site, why not ask him? He has videos of Mercedes wheels (that Pan used as B-roll) that were severely neglected, I`m not sure why all this distrust. The wheel cleaner dilutes well and my first bottle lasted forever. I don`t understand this mistrust (but also don`t care, it`s up to you). Rather than fret about it, just buy a bottle and see what you think and let us know your informed opinion whether it`s a scam or not.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
I personally would like to see an MSDS on this. The concern about driveways in the instructions makes me wonder what is in it. If you look in his Audi S5 video on the wheel cleaner, at about 1:43, just after he first sprays on the foam, there is some "smoke" coming off the top of the wheel, I don`t know if he had a hot engine that got some overspray on it, or if that is some chemical reaction from the wheel cleaner, or something else.
Astouffer512
Member
Wow, I personally haven’t looked into the wheel cleaner at all because I just bought a gallon of brake buster. However, from the video review I watched on it by Pan the Organizer I recall he raves about how safe it was for both a person and the environment because of no harmful chemicals. Interesting that the video I watched would make that statement and then the instructions speak of something else. When I get home tonight I’m going to have to re-watch the video to see if I missed anything or misheard something
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Maybe I took this part of the instructions too literally:
Step 6: Thoroughly rinse your driveway after use of any car care cleaning solution including soaps and tire dressings.
And maybe I`m a skeptic because of wheel cleaner claims in the past like "non-acid" when they had ABF in them, which technically is a salt...which turns into an acid when mixed with water. And like when they called perchlor a "safe" replacement for ozone-depleting solvents, after everyone stopped using perchlor because it was a likely carcinogen.
Let`s just say you can get wheels pretty clean with a pressure washer, and that there are plenty of things that are safer than acid wheel cleaners (particularly HF cleaners), that you still don`t want to drink.
Step 6: Thoroughly rinse your driveway after use of any car care cleaning solution including soaps and tire dressings.
And maybe I`m a skeptic because of wheel cleaner claims in the past like "non-acid" when they had ABF in them, which technically is a salt...which turns into an acid when mixed with water. And like when they called perchlor a "safe" replacement for ozone-depleting solvents, after everyone stopped using perchlor because it was a likely carcinogen.
Let`s just say you can get wheels pretty clean with a pressure washer, and that there are plenty of things that are safer than acid wheel cleaners (particularly HF cleaners), that you still don`t want to drink.
He literally discusses all of these issues in the product release video. https://youtu.be/nTk5e64OSXU
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
I know we live in a world of personalities-- Sal Zaino, the Ammo NYC guy, Garry Dean, and this Fanatic have reinvented chemistry (eat your heart out, Robert Boyle!), but Eagle One A2Z also is non-acid, has no fumes, and you can get it on your skin without dying. Notice this wheel cleaner says "does not contain cheap caustic components"...which I take to mean that it contains expensive caustic components. I`m sure this is a very nice caustic (high pH) cleaner that has some additional ingredients to improve the foaming.
Anyway, as I said, my wheels come pretty clean with a pressure washer without using any wheel cleaner. I`m sure this is a fine product but it seems to me one of the main ingredients is hyperbole. World-class industrial chemists and the finest raw material suppliers, after all! I do have a helpful hint, if you`re worried about damaging your expensive brake components by getting nasty chemicals in them...I`d suggest not blasting them with 1000 psi of water, either.
I don`t know how I got dragged into this, I would just like to see an SDS before I bought this stuff, see what the pH is, etc., but I`m not buying any, anyway, I got plenty of wheel cleaner, soap, rinseless, and no time to wash wheels anyway.
Anyway, as I said, my wheels come pretty clean with a pressure washer without using any wheel cleaner. I`m sure this is a fine product but it seems to me one of the main ingredients is hyperbole. World-class industrial chemists and the finest raw material suppliers, after all! I do have a helpful hint, if you`re worried about damaging your expensive brake components by getting nasty chemicals in them...I`d suggest not blasting them with 1000 psi of water, either.
I don`t know how I got dragged into this, I would just like to see an SDS before I bought this stuff, see what the pH is, etc., but I`m not buying any, anyway, I got plenty of wheel cleaner, soap, rinseless, and no time to wash wheels anyway.
Coatings=crack
Active member
Yeah my wheels were never coated or had sealant applied till this month and the came clean fine with soap and water. Ultimate wheel cleaner if had been a couple weeks.
I’ll probably buy this as the only hold up was the shipping on early release. Now free.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’ll probably buy this as the only hold up was the shipping on early release. Now free.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Astouffer512
Member
I agree. I will say my question about your comment and the video was to not cause an emotional event. I’m all for anything that makes my life easier, but not at the expense of my or my 2 young boys well being. It’s hard enough to keep them out of the car wash stuff that doesn’t have a slew of negative effects to them. I know that’s tough with detailing supplies and young kids, but I try to keep anything but the soap bucket away from them if possible
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Wow, I`m sure this is a safe wheel cleaner (as wheel cleaners go), but it`s not going to be safe enough to drink. It just doesn`t really seem to be a miracle product to me, although it may be a great wheel cleaner.
I mean...what do we have, about 5 categories of wheel cleaners?
1. HF/ABF: very effective, dangerous, I don`t recommend use of these outside of a controlled environment (not home, not mobile...not really at all)
2. Acid: effective, some hazard to health and hardware
3. Iron-eating: mostly effective, bad smell, and it is of course, a toxic compound, but neutral pH
4. Caustic (high pH): products like E1 A2Z, Brown Royal, etc. Effective but can etch, some hazard, depending on pH
5. pH neutral: Griot`s regular, P21S, etc. Safe but not very effective.
I`d say this Auto Fanatic product is in the "4" category.
But there`s some danger in life, right? People have bleach and drain cleaner and bug spray in their house, in the supermarket, etc. I think about this all the time when I put food on the belt at the supermarket checkout...is that wet spot condensation from a jug of milk, or leaking bleach or drain cleaner or rat poison? And you can find HF wheel cleaner on the shelf at your big-box store.
Again, although it may not seem like it, I`m agnostic on this particular product, I`m just curious about what`s in it, and I would want to know a little more about that before I bought it.
PS Someone post some info about the pH in the neat form and dilutions, maybe I`m wrong.
I mean...what do we have, about 5 categories of wheel cleaners?
1. HF/ABF: very effective, dangerous, I don`t recommend use of these outside of a controlled environment (not home, not mobile...not really at all)
2. Acid: effective, some hazard to health and hardware
3. Iron-eating: mostly effective, bad smell, and it is of course, a toxic compound, but neutral pH
4. Caustic (high pH): products like E1 A2Z, Brown Royal, etc. Effective but can etch, some hazard, depending on pH
5. pH neutral: Griot`s regular, P21S, etc. Safe but not very effective.
I`d say this Auto Fanatic product is in the "4" category.
But there`s some danger in life, right? People have bleach and drain cleaner and bug spray in their house, in the supermarket, etc. I think about this all the time when I put food on the belt at the supermarket checkout...is that wet spot condensation from a jug of milk, or leaking bleach or drain cleaner or rat poison? And you can find HF wheel cleaner on the shelf at your big-box store.
Again, although it may not seem like it, I`m agnostic on this particular product, I`m just curious about what`s in it, and I would want to know a little more about that before I bought it.
PS Someone post some info about the pH in the neat form and dilutions, maybe I`m wrong.
TheMeanGreen
New member
Couple of comments:
1. What are the long term effects of using a product like E1 A2Z on clear coated or aged clear coated wheels? My personal (two month use) of E1 A2Z produced unsatisfactory results at diluted ratios, but the result came at an instant. I had used Super Clean at a dilution of 1oz product to 15oz H2O for the better part of a year without noticable degredation of the clear coat on my wheels. However, it is entirely likely that the E1 A2Z was the push over the edge to noticable effect being cloudy clear coat.
2. The force produced by 1000psi is also flow dependent. I could take the Krause & Becker Paint Sprayer that many use for rinseless and experience no damage (working pressure is above 1000psi), or I could take an industrial PW that produces 1000psi at 5gpm and then possibly begin to experience damage, but still we haven`t even considered the tip that is dispersing the fluid. Zero degree will absolutely produce more damage than a 40 degree tip, given the same pressure and volume. Our pressuppositions must always be accounted for because our words and statements require precision.
3. pH is merely a relative value that only tells part of the story of relative strength. It is entirely possible to have two cleaners of the same efficacy and one cleaner have closer to neutral pH than the other. However to prove my point about presupposed ideas or statements, I generalized "same efficacy" and employed it for the representation of a similar level wheel cleaning, without even clarifying the dilution ratios, price points, and other information that could be deemed "proprietary".
4. I think your driveway comment is what dragged you into this, but I make my above comments without taking it into consideration.
5. Not meaning to offend AF, but there are moments when he comes across as a bit pompous and a little *extra* as the youth call it. Since I am unsure of his presence in this discussion, I will refrain from making most of my comments. But the guy is a freak when it comes to some things, like washing his driveway off. Like bro, you do realize/consider the environmental factors that could wreck your pretty driveway, right?
6. Though iron removers are pH neutral in the bottle, when the product comes into conact with the iron, technically acid is produced, hence the surface rust, an oxidative change. In all honesty, I don`t feel like completely explaining it, today. Sorry for the blanket statement.
Comment for everyone:
In conclusion, my purpose for these comments is not to forum blast, but to bring to light all of the generalized blanket statements that ALL of us, myself included, are capable of making. We owe it to ourselves and others, in light of all the BS/smoke and mirror show that operates within the detailing industry. We owe it to ourselves to not accept face value, but to ask as many questions as we can, and to never be afraid to admit that we do not know something, and to ask questions as forums like thse can be a great source of knowledge.
AF day job seems to be restoration and maintance of statues and other constructions in different bare metalls. This is a very highly personal thought and to a comment he did in one of his videos. The comment where that he claimed he started his Youtube channel only to gather viewers to build up an interest. To the cause of starting his own detailing brand when the time came. During this time he worked with formulating this foaming wheel cleaner with blenders and formulators. Then it where much on getting the business and the wheel cleaner aproved and all that where takeing a little longer time than he thought. I think that with the information he have shared he have found a chemical product that works great in his job with bare metall that where safe on the paint too. And used this a culprit to developing his wheel cleaner. Which product this is I have no idea of LOL. But think that he saw a possibility to make a great wheel cleaner for vehicals. And to ad I do not see anything wrong in this if it`s true as it`s just good business plan. Then it seems to be a good maintance wheel cleaner. The problem with his product and later on products where to get a decent shipping price right from the start. Now when he has Amazon a lot of that has been sorted out it seems to.
Then the wheel cleaner it self just from seeing different videos on it. Seems good but not something game changer from it. A huge thing is if it`s that safe as he claims it to be both for the user and the environment. That`s awesome but to put more behind it would be to make the SDS public. Or it may not be haveing any hazard chemicals that needs to be in the SDS so it`s empty LOL. That would be a very safe wheel cleaner then LOL. And if you have a business and want to use his products in your business and pay it through your business. He must be sending you a SDS if you ask for it. And general speaking it`s a must to have all of the SDS from the products you use in your detailing business. It`s a Safety Data Sheet and there you have all of the precaustions you need to be takeing for your own sake and if something happens. Just think if you get into an accident as a mobile detailer. You can actually get a deathly mix of fumes from your different chemicals that could be leaking out. And if you accidental gets it into your eyes. How many mobile detailers do you think has those eye rinses that`s enough to rinse out any chemicals from their eyes. I mean you have spray bottles and wind and if you don`t use full covered eye protection glasses you can have an accident happen. And it can handle about minutes to get the chemical rinsed out of the eyes or you get badly injured. That`s also why I don`t understand why some companies are able to be masking a chemical in the SDS. Think it`s about the level of hazard the amount of the chemical has if it`s also needed to be said which chemical it is. The information though is something that always needs to be written up in them. Think that these SDS many times can be not rightly filled with what it is. And the controls of them if they are properly haveing all hazardious chemicals put on the SDS is very low. Just see what happened with the first SDS of Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax. And I don`t care about if the SiO2 or not in it as the safety precautions and how you would be doing if you got them in your eyes or swallowed where changed after Scotts video. That`s another discussion but IMO that have read both versions of the SDS the SiO2 was not even a problem vs what was added to the second SDS if something happens and so on that where added. The companies just claims to an authorised company to write SDS what hazardious chemicals they have in their product. And that`s it as they don`t do controls with chemical testing and such. At least not on every product that`s out there and the bigger companies goes through this easier I think than a new company. Then if something horrible would happen and it would be that the SDS is not right then it`s getting a problem for them.
Holy moly what a rant that became LOL. Sorry!
If it`s economical I would just order a small bottle of the AF Wheel Cleaner and test it out. Or try to use another wheel cleaner that you like that suds up good. Dilute it 1:1 and ad more water until you get a good foam that`s not too thick or thin. The little extra dwell time you get with foam you can get a better cleaning ability from it or the same when you dilute it down. This works with most non-acidic wheel cleaners and even with acid based wheel cleaner but then your foamers seals needs to be able to handle it.
Be carefull to think that just cause it`s a bleeding wheel cleaner don`t means it`s a ph neutral one at all. Someone mentioned on AGO that Meguiars Wheel And Iron Decon D1801 has ph14.5-ph15.5 and that`s a very hot chemical! I`m actually surprised that it can be used on the paint and bare metall. And Meguiars are not alone to have alkaline bleeding wheel cleaners. It`s just that they are transparent and have all of their SDS public which is awesome IMO for safety reasons for us personal consumers. And accident can happen so easy so take care my friends!
/ Tony
Then the wheel cleaner it self just from seeing different videos on it. Seems good but not something game changer from it. A huge thing is if it`s that safe as he claims it to be both for the user and the environment. That`s awesome but to put more behind it would be to make the SDS public. Or it may not be haveing any hazard chemicals that needs to be in the SDS so it`s empty LOL. That would be a very safe wheel cleaner then LOL. And if you have a business and want to use his products in your business and pay it through your business. He must be sending you a SDS if you ask for it. And general speaking it`s a must to have all of the SDS from the products you use in your detailing business. It`s a Safety Data Sheet and there you have all of the precaustions you need to be takeing for your own sake and if something happens. Just think if you get into an accident as a mobile detailer. You can actually get a deathly mix of fumes from your different chemicals that could be leaking out. And if you accidental gets it into your eyes. How many mobile detailers do you think has those eye rinses that`s enough to rinse out any chemicals from their eyes. I mean you have spray bottles and wind and if you don`t use full covered eye protection glasses you can have an accident happen. And it can handle about minutes to get the chemical rinsed out of the eyes or you get badly injured. That`s also why I don`t understand why some companies are able to be masking a chemical in the SDS. Think it`s about the level of hazard the amount of the chemical has if it`s also needed to be said which chemical it is. The information though is something that always needs to be written up in them. Think that these SDS many times can be not rightly filled with what it is. And the controls of them if they are properly haveing all hazardious chemicals put on the SDS is very low. Just see what happened with the first SDS of Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax. And I don`t care about if the SiO2 or not in it as the safety precautions and how you would be doing if you got them in your eyes or swallowed where changed after Scotts video. That`s another discussion but IMO that have read both versions of the SDS the SiO2 was not even a problem vs what was added to the second SDS if something happens and so on that where added. The companies just claims to an authorised company to write SDS what hazardious chemicals they have in their product. And that`s it as they don`t do controls with chemical testing and such. At least not on every product that`s out there and the bigger companies goes through this easier I think than a new company. Then if something horrible would happen and it would be that the SDS is not right then it`s getting a problem for them.
Holy moly what a rant that became LOL. Sorry!
If it`s economical I would just order a small bottle of the AF Wheel Cleaner and test it out. Or try to use another wheel cleaner that you like that suds up good. Dilute it 1:1 and ad more water until you get a good foam that`s not too thick or thin. The little extra dwell time you get with foam you can get a better cleaning ability from it or the same when you dilute it down. This works with most non-acidic wheel cleaners and even with acid based wheel cleaner but then your foamers seals needs to be able to handle it.
Be carefull to think that just cause it`s a bleeding wheel cleaner don`t means it`s a ph neutral one at all. Someone mentioned on AGO that Meguiars Wheel And Iron Decon D1801 has ph14.5-ph15.5 and that`s a very hot chemical! I`m actually surprised that it can be used on the paint and bare metall. And Meguiars are not alone to have alkaline bleeding wheel cleaners. It`s just that they are transparent and have all of their SDS public which is awesome IMO for safety reasons for us personal consumers. And accident can happen so easy so take care my friends!
/ Tony
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Well...it`s not a given that a consumer can get an SDS, as we have been through here with PBMG`s house brands...a consumer can NOT get an SDS. Apparently they supply them to business account holders because they have to (OSHA requirements). A little different than say, Duragloss, Meguiar`s, or Optimum, who have their SDS`s on their websites.
Um...the pH scale only goes up to 14. According to the SDS the pH is 6.3-7. Interestingly, they list 2-Butoxyethanol, which is a common ingredient in cleaners, as a confirmed animal carcinogen, and that the thioglycol component is a dermal sensitizer: https://www.meguiars.com/sites/default/files/pdf/D1801 SDS.pdf
To quote Renny Doyle "if it`s on you, it`s in you" which is why I try to wear nitrile gloves a lot in situations where I didn`t when I was younger and dumber.
TheMeanGreen
New member
Is there the possibility that the pH scale can theoretically extend into negative values and values greater than 14?
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed083p1465
https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/5737/is-a-negative-ph-level-physically-possible
I actually think I`ll try it after your recommendation, prior to this thread all I`ve seen is the owner saying it`s the best. And PAAAAAAAAN saying it`s so great. I have invested thousands in detailing products that weren`t that good. I was just a bit suspicious about this one because nobody talks about it.