Big mistake! I used simple green on my rims!

R

rnsmelody

New member
hey guys! I'm a newbie on this forum & I have tried the search function but I couldn't find what I was looking for.



I have been using simple green to clean the rims on my car for the past 5 years. I never had a problem at all until today! This is the 3rd time I have used this product on stock benz rims. for some reason it has damaged my clear coat (I believe) with white patches. :aww: Is there any way to get rid of this w/ using any products? I know my last resort is to bring it to the wheel shop and have them refinish it. I guess... here are some pictures. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance!



please click on images to enlarge the picture.



 
Since posting, have you had any luck with this problem?

I have almost the exact same looking mess on my aluminum alloy Nissan wheels. I used some Meg's Ultimate Compound and it seemed like it worked...they looked great. Next day, it was as nothing had been done. They looked like crap again. Maybe there is some hope considering that Ultimate Compound actually seemed to work if even for a very very brief moment.
 
We oughta keep track of this unfortunate post for when people start with the "Simple Green never hurt my wheels any..." talk.



rnsmelody- Welcome to Autopia. Sorry you're starting out here with such a problem. I wish I had something more positive to say, but I've never known of any fix for this other than a pro refinishing. AFAIK it's a matter of the clear being compromised and the Simple Green reacting with the underlying aluminum.



As noted, after you get them refinished I'd sure use a known-to-be-OK wheel cleaner like P21s or Griot's.
 
Just wondering but could you feel where the clear came off and where its still on the rim as you suspect? Like with your finger nail?



For some reason, to me, it looks like the 'lighter' patches seem to be just VERY clean areas? Specially around valve...I might be wrong since I cant 'feel' it with my hand. Thanks for the heads up if it did remove the clear....good thing I picked up P21S Gel a while back
 
Fwiw. They make Simple Green Pro HD that's safe for aluminum wheels.



According to Simple Green. Pro HD was initially developed for the aircraft industry, to clean aluminum surfaces, high tech alloys, plastic and rubber parts. It has been tested, thoroughly and has proven to be non-corrosive to aluminum. Pro HD conforms to both Boeing D6-17487P spec for general aircraft exterior cleaning and Pratt & Whitney PWA 36604revC spec for aircraft engine cleaning.



You can buy the Pro HD at Home Depot.
 
 
Maybe I'm ignorant, but did Simple Green ever try to market itself as "green?"



They have been around since much before this green movement started.
 
I had similar issues on the wife's '99 Passat (painted) aluminum wheels, AND I never used Simple Green on them. The only thing that ever touched those wheels was normal car wash soap (Meg's, Griot's, etc) and Griot's wheel cleaner (safe for all wheel finishes according to BBS). The problems looked identical to your second photo.



SO - it's probably something having to do with the soap drying on the wheels, or something in the nature of the paint.



I admit that I cleaned the wheels a few times while they were still warm (hot brakes), and this is probably what caused the issue for me. Were your wheels cool or warm when cleaned?



I never did try an abrasive polish, as we traded the car before it ever annoyed me to that degree - but I would think that you should be able to mechanically remove the spots with a normal polish. Good Luck!
 
Accumulator said:
We oughta keep track of this unfortunate post for when people start with the "Simple Green never hurt my wheels any..." talk.



rnsmelody- Welcome to Autopia. Sorry you're starting out here with such a problem. I wish I had something more positive to say, but I've never known of any fix for this other than a pro refinishing. AFAIK it's a matter of the clear being compromised and the Simple Green reacting with the underlying aluminum.



As noted, after you get them refinished I'd sure use a known-to-be-OK wheel cleaner like P21s or Griot's.
Click to expand...

Amen to that! I've been against using Simple Green for years! It oxidizes aluminum on contact and damages clear from my experiences.
 
You can add Spray Nine to the list. Not only toxic but I've seen it eat stitching on a car top.
 
AeroCleanse said:
Mr. Steinman is wrong
Click to expand...

Mr. Steinman got the information regarding the hazardous ingredients from Simple Green itself, through a request of a type that industry uses to find out what the full ingredients of products are, because of the potentially dangerous interactions with other dangerous chemicals, or just the interactions of certain chemicals in different products which can be toxic.

The level of danger of mixing chemicals and the interactions of different products in industry is at a far more potentially dangerous level than the avarage consumer uses, and so that is why the hiding of certain ingredients from consumer labels is justified, whereas the revealing of the complete ingredient list to industries is deemed as neccessary.



He basically pretended to be a company that would be using the products that the various manufacturers of products like Simple Green produced in his inquiries to Simple Green, for example. They thus gave him the info. Had they known beforehand that he was using the info to write a book, they wouldn't had given it to him.

He then researched the health effects of this more EXTENSIVE listing of ingredients, and found that the product contains neurotoxins.



As an aside, a lot of cosmetic companies have carcinogens in their ingredients, but none of them reveal this fact, nor are they required to, because the cosmetics aren't intended for internal use.
 
Sorry to see this happened. I would try some metal polish, but odds are the wheel will need to be refinished.



I do want to chime in on the "poison" thing. It's sort of a pet peeve of mine when people get on a product about being "bad for you", only because so many of the products we use every day are bad for you. As a consumer, and in this case most importantly as a detailer it is important to know what a product will do and use it in the correct application.



A few months ago there was a small lynch hunt for products containing hf acid (wheel cleaners). Is hf acid bad for you? Absolutely, it's horrible for your lungs, eyes, bones....but used properly in the right situation it, like any tool, has it's place.
 
Picus said:
... It's sort of a pet peeve of mine when people get on a product about being "bad for you..many of the products we use every day are bad for you. As a consumer..it is important to know what a product will do and use it in the correct application..
Click to expand...



Good post :xyxthumbs
 
Picus said:
Sorry to see this happened. I would try some metal polish, but odds are the wheel will need to be refinished.



I do want to chime in on the "poison" thing. It's sort of a pet peeve of mine when people get on a product about being "bad for you", only because so many of the products we use every day are bad for you. As a consumer, and in this case most importantly as a detailer it is important to know what a product will do and use it in the correct application.



A few months ago there was a small lynch hunt for products containing hf acid (wheel cleaners). Is hf acid bad for you? Absolutely, it's horrible for your lungs, eyes, bones....but used properly in the right situation it, like any tool, has it's place.
Click to expand...



Well, so long as the product is PRESENTED HONESTLY as being toxic or harmful, like urethane paint, which can kill you if you spray it without a respirator, that is fair. However, it is quite another thing when a product is touted as being green and totally safe, when in fact, it is not, and contans neurotoxins and irritants, and as a result, people don't take the necessary safety measures and thus suffer harmful exposure, or far more exposure than they would have if they were properly informed of it's toxicity. Many things we use are dangerous or deadly, BUT THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE FULL DISCLOSURE OF IT'S LEVEL OF TOXICITY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE THE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS IN ORDER TO BE SAFE.
 
Blackthornone said:
Well, so long as the product is PRESENTED HONESTLY as being toxic or harmful, like urethane paint, which can kill you if you spray it without a respirator, that is fair. However, it is quite another thing when a product is touted as being green and totally safe, when in fact, it is not, and contans neurotoxins and irritants, and as a result, people don't take the necessary safety measures and thus suffer harmful exposure, or far more exposure than they would have if they were properly informed of it's toxicity. Many things we use are dangerous or deadly, BUT THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE FULL DISCLOSURE OF IT'S LEVEL OF TOXICITY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE THE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS IN ORDER TO BE SAFE.
Click to expand...



Yes, I can definitely agree with that. Some products are very honest about harmful effects, some are sort of nebulous, and some give the impression they are safe when they are not. The first two I can deal with, the third is a bit sketchy. I don't remember how Simple Green is labeled in the US, but in Canada it has warnings (do not inhale, how to wash if you get it in eyes, nose, mouth, etc...). I never assumed Simple Green was "green", but I guess the name can be misleading. FWIW, I don't use that stuff on cars anyway, I find in general it's a pretty poor APC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top