Be careful with wheel cleaners

I ain't saying there aren't chemicals out there that won't hurt you if you don't handle them right. I do get tired of the "sky is fallin" about everything you use, eat, smoke, rub on your roids or whatever. Read some articles from the Junkscience.com web site and you'll agree.
 
foxtrapper said:
Life has lots of scary chemicals in it. Most of the fear if vastly overblown.



Want to terrify yourself? One of the most deadly chemicals known to man is in....laundry detergent.
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I though gasoline was... if you ever looked the msds up on that you would be scared:funnypost
 
Laundry detergent...that's a little different than using acids that burn your skin and destroy your organs bud. It's kinda like saying that you shouldn't drink water because it has fluoride, which is deadly in large doses.
 
lemans23 said:
Laundry detergent...that's a little different than using acids that burn your skin and destroy your organs bud. It's kinda like saying that you shouldn't drink water because it has fluoride, which is deadly in large doses.
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That was my point, sorry it eluded you. And the chemical I mentioned does a very good job of destroying organs in your body. That would actually be the reason it's deadly. And it's so deadly because it does such a good job at it at such remarkably low trace levels.



My point, as I stated, was most of the fear is vastly overblown.
 
Black240SX said:
It may be worth noting that Wheel Brightener isn't marketed to consumers. The MSDS says:

"This product is for use by professional car washes and detailers only and is NOT intended for home use." I don't know if the packaging is explicit about the hazards of the product or not.



I have seen other brands of wheel cleaners containing ABF marketed to consumers that didn't say much on the label about the hazards.
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Sure, very few consumers will ever use WB, but here on Autopia many might consider using it based on the results of others, so it's good know what we are dealing with. But my guess would be that not many professional detailers are familiar with the health risk of the product either...



Btw ABF is also in Meg's GC Instant Wheel Cleaner, but not in their GC All Wheel Cleaner or Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner. The two last ones is acidic though, so they might irritate the skin, but imply nowhere near the same health risk. This is supported by their NFPA health rating of just 1, compared to 3 for WB.
 
foxtrapper said:
That was my point, sorry it eluded you. And the chemical I mentioned does a very good job of destroying organs in your body. That would actually be the reason it's deadly. And it's so deadly because it does such a good job at it at such remarkably low trace levels.
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I'm still not sure what chemical you are talking about?



The ABF content of WB is 10-15%, so I wouldn't exactly call that a trace level ;)





My point, as I stated, was most of the fear is vastly overblown.
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Well my impression is that the health risks is not mentioned much by manufactures. Take for instance this description of WB from Meg's website:

Meguiar's® Wheel Brightener is the product of choice for professionals looking for a powerful wheel cleaner that quickly and effectively removes tough brake dust. There is a thin line between effective cleaning and dangerous to use products; Wheel Brightener gives users the ultimate in flexibility, cleaning and safety with one product.



Actually the last word used to describe the product is "safety" :rolleyes:
 
I don't really get the argument about how Wheel Brightener is marketed towards professionals instead of consumers. If a product is dangerous, wouldn't this product pose even more health risks for someone who details 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week vs. your average joe who uses it once/twice a week?



I can understand it if there were warnings/safety precautions to wear gloves, goggles, and a mask to limit exposure, but how Zet points out, the product description makes me think this just as safe as other wheel cleaners.
 
I can really see this one from both sides. Because of liability, common-sense and relatively safe items have ridiculous warnings on them now (hammers just about say "don't hit yourself in the head with this" and ladders "if you climb up this ladder you will be up in the air where you may fall and crack your head on the hammer you left on the ground", drain cleaners "don't drink this", etc.). So if you see a label that something is "really dangerous" you kind of say to yourself "well, they all say that".



The distinction about professional products is ostensibly a professional realizes when he is using a dangerous chemical and takes the appropriate precautions, and he also (hopefully) isn't leaving it around his garage where his 4yo can drink it. This is quite blurred when thousands or tens of thousands of amateurs/enthusiasts/hobbyists here and on MOL are using, just as an example, "professional" products from the Meg's Mirror Glaze and Detailer lines.



As I said, I can see this from both sides, since we are all exposed to very dangerous chemicals all the time in some degree, and we shouldn't get all wound up about a lot of it, on the other hand, people should be able to be informed and have their own preferences.
 
I use Wheel Brightener a few times a month with zero issues. I even inhale it inadvertantly. Sort of like a sweet rasberry smell. I get it on my hands too. I get no adverse reaction.



I'm not saying it isn't dangerous but everything has a warning label on it. I saw on the news about people dying from Tylenol due to internal bleeding from it.



But you don't have to get into a biohazard suit when you use Wheel Brightener! Use common sense.
 
[quote name='Spilchy']I even inhale it inadvertantly. Sort of like a sweet rasberry smell. I get it on my hands too. I get no adverse reaction.
Wow are you serious....everytime I ever got a whiff of WB I felt like throwing up. The stuff is VERY STRONG!!
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I just stick with Amazing Roll Off :dance A great deal for price per gallon, even diluted it works great...I've used it on everything and anything for the past year and still have not had to tap into my other gallon. No harsh chemicals, is safe to spray on the paint as well. A little scrub with my Meguiars brushes and everything is nice and clean. I have always been too afraid to use something like WB, I guess Id rather keep the probability of me messing up very minimal and just take my time :nixweiss
 
Spilchy said:
I use Wheel Brightener a few times a month with zero issues. I even inhale it inadvertantly. Sort of like a sweet rasberry smell. I get it on my hands too. I get no adverse reaction.



I'm not saying it isn't dangerous but everything has a warning label on it. I saw on the news about people dying from Tylenol due to internal bleeding from it.



But you don't have to get into a biohazard suit when you use Wheel Brightener! Use common sense.
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Wow man, did you read any of the links or quotes posted in this thread? Like this one:

"McFadden says one of the most frightening aspects of fluoride poisoning is that its effects are not immediately apparent. Unlike hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, damage caused by HF and ABF takes place slowly. By the time a victim feels the effects, it's too late to reverse the damage."



Or this:

"Long-term exposure to even minimal amounts of ABF can lead to brittle bones, weight loss, anemia, and calcified ligaments."



It's really the long term effects of ABF (and thus Wheel Brightener) that you should worry about. Oh well, I guess it's your headache...
 
Look at a detailer's hand (like mine)that uses Acid and you'll see intense cracking. I was told that acid won't directly burn your skin, but it will actually penetrate through your skin and go right to your bones (calcium). Every time I use Acid on wheels or when I get it on my skin, I neutralize it with an Alkaline product. Otherwise, it keeps eating away. It doesn't get washed away with soap or water either.
 
Zet said:
Wow man, did you read any of the links or quotes posted in this thread? Like this one:

"McFadden says one of the most frightening aspects of fluoride poisoning is that its effects are not immediately apparent. Unlike hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, damage caused by HF and ABF takes place slowly. By the time a victim feels the effects, it's too late to reverse the damage."



Or this:

"Long-term exposure to even minimal amounts of ABF can lead to brittle bones, weight loss, anemia, and calcified ligaments."



It's really the long term effects of ABF (and thus Wheel Brightener) that you should worry about. Oh well, I guess it's your headache...
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Jeez, I use it a few times (like 3) a month when I'm able to detail outside if the weather is good. I don't intentionally inhale it like I'm blowing lines of coke, but on occasion I catch a whiff. I'm not some smart a$$ and understand the harmful natures of chemicals, but I highly doubt I will suffer from any of these adverse affects as a result of backyard detailing in my youth.



You should be more concerned about the asbestos you probably breathed while in your grammar, middle and high schools. Trace amounts of that is far dangerous than a wheel cleaner. Or the dust kicked up from polishes that you can't see but breath in every time you polish. The list goes on and on regarding what you breath in on a daily basis that should cause you concern.



I'm confident that I'll live well into my late 80's and early 90's like all my relatives :up
 
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