Help me choose an APC and degreaser for detailing

Surly said:
Hey Accumulator:

My current DD is in great condition, but my life situation doesn`t give me hardly any of the time I`d like for detailing, so even though I keep things "nice", your vehicle will be far cleaner than mine. For this reason, when I do get to clean, I think I need something like an APC instead of just a damp cloth or whatever. I accumulate (ha) more dirt between cleanings even though it`s rarely gruesome. The tail end of winter is pretty bad with salt I suppose (I`m in the Toronto brine belt), but "filth" and "sticky" isn`t a huge problem despite two fairly young kids.

We`ll see what I can find. I bet that I`ll order 16oz of whatever I decide, dilute it one or two ways, and probably won`t need to re-order for a while.

None of this stuff is OTC for me so I`m ordering with shipping charges, and I want to ask around before buying.

Now all that being said, I sometimes help to clean other much grimier vehicles. Simple Green (I know, I know) at 10:1 or so even had a challenge with some of those.
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Slury,

The best mild APC that doesn`t need to be rinsed, is mild enough to wear without gloves, is paint safe, can be used on glass, leather, vinyl, plastic, carpet, and even can be used as a microfiber towel detergent.....

Nexzett 1z Blitz APC
-I keep it diluted 30:1 and it produces a nice lather at the dilution when paired with a soft boar`s hair detailing brush. W99 is an incredibly potent degreaser and an incredible product, but I think it`s really a bit to potent for what you`re looking for. There is nothing quite like 1z Blitz on the market. I use it to clean car seats, delicate uncoated leather steering wheels. Try it out!
 
OT or On, but Deep Plastic Cleaner from 1Z/Next. is another amazing product to have in ones arsensal.


Granted, the OP is sorta looking for 1 that will do many, in using the 1Z lineup, I find there`s a certain appreciation for how it pairs with the task at hand, and it`s not necessarily how alkanie a product is.
 
LashingStanley said:
Slury,

The best mild APC that doesn`t need to be rinsed, is mild enough to wear without gloves, is paint safe, can be used on glass, leather, vinyl, plastic, carpet, and even can be used as a microfiber towel detergent.....

Nexzett 1z Blitz APC
-I keep it diluted 30:1 and it produces a nice lather at the dilution when paired with a soft boar`s hair detailing brush. W99 is an incredibly potent degreaser and an incredible product, but I think it`s really a bit to potent for what you`re looking for. There is nothing quite like 1z Blitz on the market. I use it to clean car seats, delicate uncoated leather steering wheels. Try it out!
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While looking around for W99 I ran across Blitz and I was going to ask about it. You make it sound so gentle, but it`s called an "exterior cleaner" while W99 is listed as all purpose. I was confused by what they called it.


Accumulator said:
Surly- OK, understand, and yeah....a retired guy with my facilities is awfully spoiled when it comes to what`s feasible regarding the daily drivers :o

Just watch that you don`t go all alkaline on the leather lest it turn into a genuine "oops!" (to put it politely).

Hey, you`re in Canada...[INSERT even more talk about Leather Doctor, who`s up there too]
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Yep - want to be careful with the leather but I need to start cleaning it with a proper brush and decent cleanser to make sure it`s clean.



So, here`s the list I am probably looking at for APC + degreasers. Need to make a decision or decide to buy more than one. A reminder that I`m looking for a product or pair of products which, at proper dilutions, I can use for: "every wash" wheel cleaning (generally waxed, maybe coated in the near future), deep wheel cleaning, "every wash" tire cleaning, deep tire cleaning, interiors (deep and daily), carpets, coated leather (deep, daily will be damp cloth), cleaning salt from underbody, door jambs, engine bays. Note that I plan to use different dilution rates for deep vs. daily, just want a product that`s suitable.

- 1Z Blitz and W99
- PB APC+D
- Optimum Power Clean (and ??) (received multiple recommendations for being excellent)

I cannot get 3D/HD in Canada to my knowledge and I`m not sure that an APC or a car shampoo is "special" enough to order from outside of country. Polish, LSP or tools maybe, but not APC. Luckily I can get all of the above in Canada. I would totally try 3D pink wash and the 3D degreaser if I could get them.
 
Surly- I think once you get the wheels LSPed/coated you`ll do fine with a sorta-strong shampoo mix (I do, even on the "tough German" applications).

For a quickie/daily interior you shouldn`t need anything remotely potent (I do the Tahoe regularly, at least a quick-clean after each dog outing and those happen almost daily).

For the rare/infrequent extremely deep tire cleaning, I`d just follow up whatever you normally use with the Griot`s Rubber Prep (assuming you can get it easily enough).

Heh heh, that`s probably enough input from *ME*...especially since I just don`t use APCs any more :o

Oh, be *really* cautious about what you use on steering wheels. I know a surprisingly large number of people who`ve trashed theirs to the point of having to buy replacements, which can be awfully pricey on some vehicles with electro-crap on the wheel.
 
Accumulator said:
For the rare/infrequent extremely deep tire cleaning, I`d just follow up whatever you normally use with the Griot`s Rubber Prep (assuming you can get it easily enough).

Oh, be *really* cautious about what you use on steering wheels. I know a surprisingly large number of people who`ve trashed theirs to the point of having to buy replacements, which can be awfully pricey on some vehicles with electro-crap on the wheel.
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A couple of things:

The last day or so I`ve really been thinking about the rubber use. On tires, I wasn`t really focusing on tire cleaning (only dressing) until I came across a lot of buzz (maybe one of those "Guru reports" from about 10 years ago about Eagle One A2Z Wheel and Tire cleaner. The way the foam from the trigger turned brown almost right away was a turning point for me. I`d love it if one of these products could be used to clean dressings and oxidation from general rubber like trim, seals and wiper blades. No everything seems to cut oxidized rubber, and some products do it easily.

On steering wheels - I am looking for a product to give them some love. Both somewhat neglected friends` cars from time-to-time and occasional cleaning of my own. Some are leather, some are not.
 
Surly- I gotta admit I`m far from Autopian about cleaning my tires, just not a priority so I (re)dress them after a somewhat cursory cleaning that many/most here would call insufficient. Look fine to me though...

Once I clean the oxidation off seals/etc. it stays gone, probably because I SprayWax such stuff when I dry after each wash (note that I *will* go a looong time between washes.)

Guess I`m no real help on steering wheels either...mine never get bad and when I buy something trashed (e.g. the Tahoe) I do one thorough cleaning (IIRC I used LeatherMasters Strong on that) and then that`s that, just easy maintenance from then on.
 
So here`s what I`m thinking for my "cleaning" products:

- 1Z Blitz and W99 (1L of each)
- was going to get 16oz of OPC too, but either not-for-sale or out-of-stock everywhere I can order
- 1Z Cockpit premium (based almost on buzz alone)

It turns out I accidentally have some 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner on hand (years ago it was sold to me as a dressing, but it`s not, and it sat in my detailing bin). Is that stuff safe for coated leather (the bottle says it is, but I`d rather hear from real humans).

When would I use Blitz, W99, Cockpit Premium and Deep Plastic Cleaner? I assume I just use cockpit premium and if it does everything just stop there? Where does Blitz come into play or is it redundant if I have both cockpit and deep plastic cleaner already?
 
Having multiple cleaners is too complicated and unnecessary. I`d get something effective for all cleaning uses like Optimum Power Clean. From grimy engine compartments to gentle high end leather.
 
Surly- Only one of those I`m familiar with the the Cockpit Premium. It`s just an Interior QD and how many bases it`ll cover will depend on how bad things get.

For us, it`s enough for 99% of the cleanups, I hardly ever have to do a Real Cleanup because our interiors just don`t get that dirty (Dog-Haulers do get a bit more whenever needed). Just another of those YMMV things...some people need Real Cleaning Power for their interiors and other people don`t.
 
Surly -

I concur with what DF just said.

Are you going out of your *ways* and will pay shipping for said products in your list.
LOL, I`m just spoiled by ACC/PBMA promos

It`s been years since I`ve bought from eshine, but eshine.ca is not too far away from you.....
I`d probably suggest just getting your feet wet, buy whatever is most convenient for you - get familiar with the process and then go all out if you know what I mean....

I love all 3 : CP, Blitz and W99. Blitz being the most universal for the majority of what seems your cleaning agenda.
A little goes a long way.....
 
mobiledynamics said:
Surly -

I concur with what DF just said.

Are you going out of your *ways* and will pay shipping for said products in your list.
LOL, I`m just spoiled by ACC/PBMA promos

It`s been years since I`ve bought from eshine, but eshine.ca is not too far away from you.....
I`d probably suggest just getting your feet wet, buy whatever is most convenient for you - get familiar with the process and then go all out if you know what I mean....

I love all 3 : CP, Blitz and W99. Blitz being the most universal for the majority of what seems your cleaning agenda.
A little goes a long way.....
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I know I don`t need *all* of what I`ve bought - but I wanted a shortlist of excellent products, and I`ll figure out what I end up using and get more of that. My tastes have changed away from my formerly favourite interior dressing and I want to give CP a try. I already had deep cleaner, and I think that Blitz or OPC (when I find a place that has it) will end up being my APC for most of the time.

People have said some pretty amazing things about W99 and I`ll probably use it somewhere, slowly. It might be on a BBQ or someone else`s truly nasty car somewhere.

At least I think this stuff doesn`t go "bad" over a few years, unlike compounds and other stuff.

I also ordered a couple of 16oz bottles of a short list of car shampoos - I`ll figure out one or two that I really like and go with those from now on. I got a bunch of PB stuff - bug, bird crap, shampoo. I used to have a bug and bird QD quick in my trunk when I had my "stuff" together. Cottage trips leave me with sap and bugs. Just trying to get my act together, autotopia style. :)
 
My true test of the safeness of an APC is to use it on a variety of delicate non-coated soiled leather and see if you get any color transfer? If it works in that situation you`re generally good to go for everything else (except on bad repairs).
 
Surly said:
At least I think this stuff doesn`t go "bad" over a few years, unlike compounds and other stuff.

:)
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I don`t dilute all my stuff with distilled. Actually, the only stuff I dilute with distilled currently, is just Hydr02. FWIW, I have noticed on some Blitz dilutions, if I don`t use them for quite awhile, with my soft tapwater, it does develop some sort of ~white curdle~.......
 
mobiledynamics said:
I don`t dilute all my stuff with distilled. Actually, the only stuff I dilute with distilled currently, is just Hydr02. FWIW, I have noticed on some Blitz dilutions, if I don`t use them for quite awhile, with my soft tapwater, it does develop some sort of ~white curdle~.......
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Mmmm. "Curdle" has such good visuals. ^_^ I think that I`ll try to stick to diluting my "new" stuff with distilled whenever possible.
 
mobiledynamics said:
Once you get past your initial hump on cleanliness, you might discover water is your favorite apc :-)
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I don`t feel I have any cleanliness "humps" with my DD. The average Joe would probably say it looks like showroom despite being a 2011 and having two young kids. I do need a good product to use with a brush to clean the coated leather. I have sunscreen transfer in a few places. The leather is black so I can`t see the "average" buildup that I know is there. Should I coat it? Maybe. On the outside, I want to part ways with Simple Green as my typical cleaner, and I think what I liked for deep wheel/tire cleaning was discontinued so I need stuff for wheels, tires, bugs, and sap. It`s time for a better soap too.

I`ve just been stuck in 2005 (remember those "Guru reports"?) and I`m running out of stuff or my tastes/needs have changed - time to pick new. e.g. I used to love Meg #40 on interiors - too shiny for me now even wiped off with dry MF. 303 AP looks nice, but smells like BO for the next week and I find it either turns white or visibly comes off of surfaces in the presence of any dampness (like a hot person on a summer day sitting in a seat or putting an elbow on an armrest).
 
Surly- I`m probably turning into a broken record here, but every time you post about the vehicle in question I think "he just doesn`t need an APC for that, just an Interior QD". I mean...my wife`s `00/high-mile A8 gets used fairly hard and that`s all I use on it for years on end...haven`t "properly treated" the leather since forever and it`s fine. I don`t even have to do the Tahoe properly more than once/twice a year, and it has those dogs in it all the time.
 
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