Review: Meguiar`s Wheel Brightener

**Mikeyc** · 10-31-2005, 03:54 PM

Well, I bought a bottle of Megs Wheel Brightener the other day from my local body shop supply store. This is the wheel cleaner from their "Detailer" line for those of you not familiar with it. It comes in a 1 gallon container of concentrated cleaner. Also, I`m pretty sure it has a good amount of acid in it as the label reads:

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.

This seemed pretty scary. So, I wore chemical resistant gloves when handling the concentrate and rubber gloves when handling the diluted form. As the label gives no real dilution instruction, I read some other posts on here and decided to dilute it 3:1 with distilled water.

HOLY MOLY!! :shocked This stuff melted brake dust off my wheels without even scrubbing that I`ve never been able to get off before. It`s so powerful that I`ve decided to only use the Megs WB once or twice a year for clean up or when I do other people`s cars whose wheels are caked with dust. Using this regularly on my normally pretty clean wheels would be like trying to swat a fly with a sledge hammer . . . just a bad idea. It would probably do more damage than good. All in all I liked it though. It was just too powerful for my purposes.

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-31-2005, 04:24 PM

The main active ingredient is Ammonium Bifluoride. I guess there is some difference of opinion if this is safer than Hydrofluoric Acid: http://www.finishing.com/94/62.shtml

**Mikeyc** · 10-31-2005, 04:52 PM

Sounds like some pretty nasty stuff. I hope it doesn`t eat through my spray bottle.

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-31-2005, 05:10 PM

Nope plastic is the preferred storage medium for HF...it etches glass.

**Mikeyc** · 10-31-2005, 05:27 PM

I`m just glad it didn`t etch me! I made sure to wear chemical resistant gloves when handling the concentrate.

**Mikeyc** · 11-01-2005, 10:53 AM

OK. I snapped a couple of pics of my newly cleaned wheels today. There are still some remnants of brake dust on the inside of the wheel where my brush didn`t reach. Also, a large tar glob which I am still working on getting off. All in all I think they`re very clean. Also, a big improvement over the results I got with my old wheel cleaner.

**C. Charles Hahn** · 11-01-2005, 11:48 AM

Wow. Those wheels now look almost factory fresh; I`m impressed. Can`t say I have tried WB, but I may give it a shot once I use up the "cheap" wheel acid I bought from a local supplier.

**stilez** · 11-01-2005, 01:18 PM

Wheel Brightener is an excellent wheel cleaner/brightener that is a nice mix between true wheel acid and OTC/boutique stuff. I have the best results when coupled with a power washer.

**DM101** · 11-01-2005, 01:35 PM

I wouldn`t dare use it on my chrome wheels. It would probably eat the chrome off.

**tom p.** · 01-25-2006, 01:40 PM

Guys, any further thoughts on this product? It sounds very harsh...more than I require.

My Griot`s is all used up and I was trying to find something within the Meg`s product line `cause I can have the local body shop supply store order the stuff for me and avoid shipping on a gallon of liquid.

Any OTC wheel cleaners (mild preferred) available in gallon sizes??

Thanks.

**stilez** · 01-25-2006, 01:44 PM

tom: Cut it 4:1 and I think you will be fine for a "light cleaning".

**tom p.** · 01-25-2006, 01:56 PM

OK, thanks. I do like to keep a bottle of potent cleaner when someone brings me a problem car. However, the majority of the time i`d rather have something very mild. Thanks, Sean!

T

**imported_Neothin** · 01-25-2006, 01:57 PM

IIRC, you can get Poorboy`s S&R in gallon sizes...

a before/after example of the power of WB-

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=66584&page=1

**Spilchy** · 01-25-2006, 02:06 PM

I use it exclusively now for all my details mixed 4:1. It hauls butt. I wouldn`t have it any other way. I don`t gloves or anything. Like Sean said, with a power washer, it works great. When I wash the car, I hit the wheels with my foam gun as an extra shampoo rinse.

**tom p.** · 01-31-2006, 05:08 PM

The Wheel Brightener touched down this afternoon in a fancy Meguiar`s box...all for $25!

So, when the product is mixed, I`ll end up with gallons of wheel cleaner with a $25 cost.

The stuff is grape colored and has a semi-sweet odor- - kinda like raspberries! It has none of that harsh acid odor. The bottle says it`s needs to be mixed 4:1.

Haven`t had a chance to try it - - it`s snowing :nixweiss