Todd@RUPES
Just a regular guy
I had a chance to play with Griot's Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner on a variety of details recently. Here is a quick review and some tips on use.
Manufacturer Copy (from Griot's):
If you go a little too long between washings or you drive a vehicle with brakes that blacken your wheels, here's some much-needed help. You're going to love how well this cleaner works and how easy it will be to remove stubborn grime. Our Heavy-Duty Wheel Cleaner is a pH balanced, nonacidic and non-caustic formula. Its thick solution clings to the surface, breaking down and loosening stubborn brake dust and road grime. It actually changes color as it works! Spray on, allow it to remain on the wheel for 3 to 5 minutes, gently wipe with any one of our cleaning tools and rinse clean. I suggest our Wheel Scrubbing Brushes and Foam Swabs. Safe for use on any wheel finish; painted, chromed, uncoated aluminum, powder coated, anodized... you name it! There are wheel cleaning products on the market that claim to be spray-on, hose-off, no-touch wheel cleaners. If you've tested them like we have you've discovered they don't really get your wheels thoroughly clean. You still have to wipe the surface for a proper cleaning. Any cleaner that could work without wiping would be extremely harmful to the environment and to your eyes, skin and nose. Enjoy this fabulous cleaner knowing it's safe and it really works.
The test subject was a front wheel on a Mercedes Benz AMG that was in pretty rough shape. The front wheel had a heavy layer of brake dust and the barrel of the wheel had caked on residue.
Before pictures.
Pre-rinsing the wheel, even with pressure water, did little to remove the brake dust. After rinsing I allowed the wheel to dry prior to applying the Griot's Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner for minimal dilution and maximum cleaning power.
Sixty seconds (60) after application the Griot's Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner started to bleed a deep purple as it reacted with the brake dust.
Two minutes (120 seconds) after application the brake dust has begun to stream down the wheel.
Three minutes (180 seconds) after application the majority of the solution has streamed down the face and left the wheel mostly clean. At this point I rinsed the wheel with out any agitation. Note: Griot's recommends wiping prior to rinsing. The product left a fine film of brake dust in some areas, although 90% of the wheel was clean.
For best results: Spray the cleaner lightly on the wheel and agitate into the hard to reach areas (behind the spokes, the back of the barrel, etc) immediately. Once the entire wheel is covered, spray a little more cleaner (to ensure a moderate amount) on the wheel. Allow to dwell for 3-5 minutes, then lightly agitate prior to rinsing. Rinse clean.
The results.
Notes:
The barrels of this wheel had severely caked on brake dust (a combination of soft pads and infrequent cleaning). Griot's was able to fully remove this caked on contamination with multiple applications and enough dwell time. This is a mild wheel cleaner that is safe for all surfaces and works over time.
Manufacturer Copy (from Griot's):
If you go a little too long between washings or you drive a vehicle with brakes that blacken your wheels, here's some much-needed help. You're going to love how well this cleaner works and how easy it will be to remove stubborn grime. Our Heavy-Duty Wheel Cleaner is a pH balanced, nonacidic and non-caustic formula. Its thick solution clings to the surface, breaking down and loosening stubborn brake dust and road grime. It actually changes color as it works! Spray on, allow it to remain on the wheel for 3 to 5 minutes, gently wipe with any one of our cleaning tools and rinse clean. I suggest our Wheel Scrubbing Brushes and Foam Swabs. Safe for use on any wheel finish; painted, chromed, uncoated aluminum, powder coated, anodized... you name it! There are wheel cleaning products on the market that claim to be spray-on, hose-off, no-touch wheel cleaners. If you've tested them like we have you've discovered they don't really get your wheels thoroughly clean. You still have to wipe the surface for a proper cleaning. Any cleaner that could work without wiping would be extremely harmful to the environment and to your eyes, skin and nose. Enjoy this fabulous cleaner knowing it's safe and it really works.
The test subject was a front wheel on a Mercedes Benz AMG that was in pretty rough shape. The front wheel had a heavy layer of brake dust and the barrel of the wheel had caked on residue.
Before pictures.
Pre-rinsing the wheel, even with pressure water, did little to remove the brake dust. After rinsing I allowed the wheel to dry prior to applying the Griot's Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner for minimal dilution and maximum cleaning power.
Sixty seconds (60) after application the Griot's Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner started to bleed a deep purple as it reacted with the brake dust.
Two minutes (120 seconds) after application the brake dust has begun to stream down the wheel.
Three minutes (180 seconds) after application the majority of the solution has streamed down the face and left the wheel mostly clean. At this point I rinsed the wheel with out any agitation. Note: Griot's recommends wiping prior to rinsing. The product left a fine film of brake dust in some areas, although 90% of the wheel was clean.
For best results: Spray the cleaner lightly on the wheel and agitate into the hard to reach areas (behind the spokes, the back of the barrel, etc) immediately. Once the entire wheel is covered, spray a little more cleaner (to ensure a moderate amount) on the wheel. Allow to dwell for 3-5 minutes, then lightly agitate prior to rinsing. Rinse clean.
The results.
Notes:
The barrels of this wheel had severely caked on brake dust (a combination of soft pads and infrequent cleaning). Griot's was able to fully remove this caked on contamination with multiple applications and enough dwell time. This is a mild wheel cleaner that is safe for all surfaces and works over time.
