Simple Green

Q

qbmurderer13

New member
Hey guys, I'm looking to get some simple green apc. I've heard great things about how good it can clean the engine bay. I was wondering what is simple green safe for and what it isn't? Can it be used as a wheel/tire cleaner and on paint? Also what dilution would work best for certain jobs? 3:1?
 
I used Simple Green as my "go to" APC for a couple of years, but I no longer use it. I used it as a tire and wheel cleaner, mixed to about 1:1 with water. I suppose you could use it on paint to soften bugs and tar, but not as a general car wash soap. SG is a little too expensive for me, and it's nothing special. I now use diluted Purple Power for tires, wheels, wheel wells, and engine bays. It works great at lower concentrations than SG, and when you buy it in the 2.5-gal jug it is considerably cheaper.
 
The SG website recommends a dilution ratio of 30:1. I use this on the wheel wells, engine and also on bug guts for exterior. Do not let SG dry, I think that is where most people get the discoloration and such i've heard about on plastic pieces. Its a pretty good cleaner/degreaser so it should only need a couple minutes and possibly some agitation to clean very well.
 
I think simple green is one of the least effective APCs out there. I've tried at least 4 or 5 others which I think are much better, although I think SG is probably the most environmentally friendly.
 
I use simple green on my dirtbike! Gets rid of everything, and doesn't stain the plastics.



It would be great for the engine bay of a car for sure.
 
I have used simple green Extreme which is i think geared more towards detailing work. Just plain simple green is sort of an "average" product.
 
I would be hesitant to use SG on an engine compartment that has aluminum castings or stamped sheet metal parts. When I worked for a helicopter manufacturer in Menoninee, MI SG was banned by the Air Force for use as a maintenance or parts cleaner because it did cause corrosion on aluminum if it was not properly rinsed. Chances are you aren't going to get all the cleaning solution rinsed from the nooks and crannies of an engine block.

If you did a search on this forum, you'll find that that was the discusion

quite some time ago, though. SG may have changed its formula since then.

The same can be said of Super Clean Acquisitions,LLC (formerly Castrol's) Super Clean (The Purple Stuff). The 2-butoxyethanol and sodium hydroxide used cleaning/de-greasing agents are very corrosive in an undiluted form.

Many Autopians use the Mequire's Detailing Line of APCs.

There are other OTC engine cleaners. Gunk Engine Brite comes to mind. You may want check out an auto parts store and see what they have.

One more suggestion is not to use a garden hose with a sprayer nozzle from a city water supply. It's too hard to control the water supply and pressure. You are better off to invest in a garden-type bug sprayer, which you can control the water pressure and the wand/nozzle is easier to get into nooks and crannies of an engine compartment. Just wrap duct tape on the wand/nozzle end to keep it from scratching the paint or aluminum parts.

And watch out for the electrical connections to sensors and wiring harnesses. Getting water into those can be a REAL BIG expense if you are over-zealous with the spraying. This is why most pro-detailers won't touch an engine compartment.

There's just too much liability.
 
I use dilluted SG (15-20:1) but not not for wheels, tires, or engines.



For my wheel cleaning regimine I only use simple green for the wells. I also use it on interiors specifically areas that are really grimey (arm rests etc).



Also I use it on rubber floor mats-sprat mats with water, spray SG, brush and rinse.



For engines, I'm still using the old fashion aerosol cans that smell like gasoline...LOL
 
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