Meg's Xtra Cleaner

NattyBumppo

NattyBumppo

Strange name, ain't it?
Just picked up a bottle at a local Auto Supply and tried it out on wife's '96 Taurus. I did hte door jambs, back seat and back carpeting and it worked great. I'm wondering if this stuff is the same as the All Purpose Cleaner Plus from their detailer's line?



I'm going to use the Xtra cleaner on the Taurus' engine compartment....that should be a great test since it has never been cleaned. :shocked.
 
It is a different animal. It does work well however. My only gripe was how fast I used it up. Man did the pump on mine put out a lot of product!
 
I've used Extra for the past year or so, and found it to be an amazing cleaner. However, in the Los Angeles area, it is very difficult to find at any stores (Meguiar's has many products and is given limited shelf space at the chain stores), and it isn't available in any large size refills.



I spoke to someone at Meguiar's yesterday, and he said that if I liked Extra, I should really like All Purpose Cleaner Plus. I bought a gallon of APC+ yesterday, but I have yet to test it and see how it measures up to Extra. APC+ is $10.90 for a gallon of concentrate, so it is way cheaper than Extra.
 
Natty,



You already know that I use Meguiars Extra cleaner! :D It's good stuff, but a little pricey, and doesn't go very far. On the plus side, I really like the fact that it's safe for all surfaces! No matter what kind of dressing I put on my tires, I always clean them with the Extra cleaner first! I've already used it on the engine compartment, and it works great! However, you do need to rise it off thoroughly, or it will leave "soapy" like streaks.



I'm definitely going to try the APC when I can get my hands on it, if it's safe for all surfaces like the Extra.



Have fun!
 
So those of you who have used the APC+, is it safe for all surfaces like the Xtra claims to be? If so, it would certainly save a few $$ buying it by the gallon rather than the Xtra in 32 ounce spray bottles.
 
NattyBumppo said:
So those of you who have used the APC+, is it safe for all surfaces like the Xtra claims to be? If so, it would certainly save a few $$ buying it by the gallon rather than the Xtra in 32 ounce spray bottles.
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I have not read in the literature or on the package any claim that it is safe on all surfaces. That said, they do give instructions for diluting to clean engines, wheels and tires, plastic and vinyl, upholstery and carpet, and stripping wax. That seems to cover the bases.
 
NattyBumppo said:
So those of you who have used the APC+, is it safe for all surfaces like the Xtra claims to be? If so, it would certainly save a few $$ buying it by the gallon rather than the Xtra in 32 ounce spray bottles.
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The APC+ does seem to be pretty safe. However, if you want an economical cleaner to replace Extra, you might try the Citri-Gel Multi Cleaner. It comes in the same 1 or 5 gallon bottle. It sounds like the safest of the Detailer cleaners.



Here's the description from the Meguiar's catalog I just got of APC+:

Super concentrated non-butyl cleaner

- Super wetting agents for engine degreasing

- Fabric softeners and brighteners

- Biodegradable



And for the Citri-Gel Multi Cleaner:

Safe, easy-to-use citrus based cleaner

- Non-caustic, non-butyl, non-solvent

- Safe on aluminum, paint, rubber, and plastic

- Cleans engines, door jambs, fender wells, and white walls

- Use as a carpet pre-spotter

- Excellent for vinyl or canvas convertible tops



So, it might depend on what you plan on using the product for. It sounds like APC+ would definitely be better on carpets and such. It also sounds like the Citri-Gel is as safe as the Extra is.



I recently bought some #39 and I've ordered some APC+, but now I'm wishing I'd spent the #39 money on the Citri-Gel cleaner instead. I think between APC+ and the Citri, I could have cleaned any vinyl just as well as with the #39. Plus, I'd have more versatility in their uses (as well as more actual product). Oh well... Live and learn. I also have Extra, but haven't used it much. I currently use the consumer-line Heavy Duty Carpet & Interior Cleaner for carpets. It works great and I have no complaints. It works well on household carpet stains too. It's just the APC+ is cheaper, and can also be used on engines. I tried the Extra on the (cooking) grill once and it was ok. I've used it on wheel-wells, but it works about the same as the #39 does for that. I also use a littel squirt to clean exhaust tips. I'm not really sure why I even bought the Extra. I didn't have any particular use in mind when I did. I also once sprayed down an auto floormat with Extra by mistake thinking it was the Heavy Duty Carpet stuff. It worked fairly well, but I followed up with the HD Carpet anyway.
 
Thanks Aurora40, I appreciate the info. Since I'm not a professional detailer obviously I use much less product than you folks so I would like to just buy one or the other (Citri-Gel or APC+) rather than have two gallons of different products. That's the reason I purchased the Extra....it says "safe for every surface" but at 5-6$ a quart is much more expesive than the APC+ and the Extra was gone after only one engine and carpet cleaning.



Since the Citri stuff specifically mentioned "non-solvent" and the APC+ didn't I guess one could assume the APC+ does contain some solvents. In that case you're advice to opt for the Citri stuff sounds good to me!



Thanks again.
 
I'm no pro either. But I figure a gallon of each would last me a long time. Plus, if you order it from somewhere, the shipping of a gallon is pretty expensive. It isn't much more for two gallons. Anyway, I'm glad the info was helpful. The Citri-Gel definitely sounds safer than APC+ and it sounds like it would work on anything that Extra would work on (APC+ might be a better carpet cleaner than Citri, but hey, Extra isn't the best carpet-cleaner either). And this way you can tell us what you think! It'll be a new product review instead of just another APC+ review... :)
 
Just for giggles I called Meg's to inquire about the Citri-Gel cleaner. The rep said that it does not need to be diluted and that it could not be used in a sprayer since it is a gel type product. The same rep also said that APC+ is non solvent and IS safe for painted surfaces but like any other cleaner/degreaser you would want to make sure it's completely wiped OR rinsed off the painted surface when you're done. Based on this I'll go with the APC+...seems much more versatile.



I also asked about the Engine Coat and their W-Dressing. He said the W-Dressing could be used the same way as the Engine coat for the underhood as well as for all interior surfaces. He said that W-Dressing is NOT a glossy product but more satin yet the catalog reads high gloss?



The guy, while polite and nice enough, was struggling with the answers and really didn't exude confidence with his replies. I could hear him thumbing through papers. I guess when a company makes so many darn different products it's tough to get reps to have a full understanding of the entire line. Maybe they should either consolidate products or train the reps to specialize in different lines, i.ie Detailer/Professional line specialists and consumer line specialists.
 
Natty,



The detailers line is so new; I don't fault them yet for not being fully aware of each product. I wanted to have a rep fax me the MSDS on APC+ and Engine Kote, but the products are so new the information was not in his computer yet.



Good info on the citri-gel though. I am not a fan of using a citrus-based cleaner on paint anyway. I have some Zep citrus cleaner and the list of products not to use it on seems longer than the list you can use it on. JMO
 
Natty,



Here's the problem with talking to a Meguiar's rep: If you call again, and talk to a different rep, you're likely to get a slightly different answer. Not trying to bad mouth Meguiar's by any means........... but sometimes I think the "tail is wagging the dog" when it comes to their customer support!



I'd be real careful, until I saw something in print about the proper use of any of their products. I'd use the old..... "test first on an inconspicuous area".... just to make sure.
 
Well, why would you want to use either cleaner on your paint? It seems odd that the Citri-Gel can't be sprayed. How the hell do you apply it to anything? Just pour some goop out of the 1 gallon bottle onto whatever is dirty?



The W-dressing sounds just like #40. I'm sure you can use it on the engine just fine, just like you could with #40 or any other vinyl dressing. But the Engine-Kote sounds like it wouldn't get gross or streaky on the metal parts of your engine. Plus, it sounds like it applies evenly when sprayed. The W-dressing would probably need to be wiped a bit to keep it even, much like #40 or other vinyl dressings. Plus, the Engine-Kote is described as a hard shell, and not sticky at all. They do sound different enough that the Engine-Kote would be better suited for engines, but probably not on any interior surface. If you just plan on using it on the engine (I plan on trying it in the wheel-wells too) then Engine-Kote sounds better. If you want to use it all over, get the W-dressing. Or get #40 or Vinylex or 303 or whatever. Personally, to me the stuff that is duplicated in the professional line, I'd rather have the non-detailer stuff (or stuff from other companies). Like car wash, wheel cleaner, dressing, wax, and leather products. Actually, the detailing clay sounds interesting, but then so does their professional Overspray Clay because you get a lot more.



Here is the description of Engine Kote:

Water-based, non-flammable engine dressing

- Dries to a hard, dust resistant, semi-gloss finish

- Safe for all engine compartment surfaces

- Non-sticky formula



And W-Dressing:

Water-based, non-flammable dressing

- Restores and protects all vinyl, leather, and rubber surfaces

- High gloss interior/exterior application

- Biodegradable



And just for the heck of it, S-Dressing:

High gloss all purpose dressing

- Produces a uniform high gloss appearance

- Protects all vinyl and rubber surfaces

- Long lasting



P.S. Laynlow, you gonna give them a few more months before you start faulting them for not knowing much?
 
Aurora40 said:
Well, why would you want to use either cleaner on your paint? It seems odd that the Citri-Gel can't be sprayed. How the hell do you apply it to anything? Just pour some goop out of the 1 gallon bottle onto whatever is dirty?

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The painted surfaces would be things like door jambs, underside of deck lids and hoods. I wouldn't be using it on the vehicle as a cleaner, generally speaking. I received an email from Meg's stating that the APC+ IS safe on painted surfaces so that sealed it for me. I'll be ordering some next week along with the Engine Coat and I'll stick with my #40 or 303 for the interior.



As for applying the Citri-gel....I guess the method you described is the way:nixweiss . If you can't spray it then you just pour it out? Not for me but then again they did say it is for heavy duty degreasing where I guess maybe you'd brush it on.
 
Hi,



I was following this discussion and thought I would chime in.



Citri Gel Multi Cleaner CAN be sprayed with a spray bottle.



In fact, Meguiar's offers spray bottles for all of their products in the Detailer line. They come pre-labeled and meat OSHA and all other government guidelines.



Mike Phillips



Former Meguiar's Trainer

Corporate Writer

Meguiars Inc.
 
Mike, that sounds more likely. Natty, I suspected maybe it was just bad scoop from the help-line. There are other citrus-based products that can be sprayed. Plus, it just seems like if you couldn't spray it, then who the heck would use it?



I'm sure you'll be satisfied with the APC+. Given the same choice, that's what I would buy too (and am). I just wanted to point out that they did make another cleaner besides Xtra that they claim to be safe on practically anything.



I've been using QD and a terrycloth towel to clean my doorjambs, though. I also use it around the trunk and for the underside of the hood. However, if they were real dirty I probably wouldn't do this. I've done it since new so they really aren't ever very dirty. Once you get them clean, you might try a QD from then on. It would be a lot more gentle to the paint. I have a feeling that while APC+ is "safe", it isn't something you'd want to use on the paint all the time. That Engine-Kote really sounds cool, and I think you made the right choice. I'm also real interested to see how it will work in wheel wells, and maybe on the black plastic air-dam and grills on my car.
 
Hi all,



My wife and I had a route in Oregon selling the complete Meguiar's line, including their Furniture Products.



(We drove a 1966 Chevy Milk Truck, hotrodded with a 396 big block chevy engine, there were pictures of it on the Good-Guys website after we worked one of their shows and in their magazine)



From my experinece calling on bodyshops and detail shops, everyone that tried the APC+ absolutely loved it.



In our family, we always have a gallon jug under the kitchen sink with the appropriate Meguiar's All Purpose Plus Spray bottle.



The Meguiar's issued spray bottle has the dilution level pre-marked on the bottle so you always get a proper dilution.



The stuff works great.



Another product that was an easy sell was the Meguiar's Glass Cleaner in the Detail line.



No streaks whatsoever, nadda, zilch.



It works great, contains no ammonia and is safe for tintned windows, i.e. plastic films.



I would leave a free sample at shops and the next time I would visit I would get an order.



One shop in Portland, Oregon after one sample switched their entire shop over the the Meguiar's Glass Cleaner. The spray bottle that comes with it is also marked for the correct dillution level. (as are all Meguiar's spray bottles).



My wife loves it for windows and mirros in the house and at car shows we would usually sell out to housewives.



Mike
 
Aurora40.....thanks for your advice and suggestions. I too am looking forward to trying this stuff...especially the Engine Coat.



Mike Phillips.....thx to you as well for clearing up the Citri-Gel application question and info on the other products :up. The sprayer with marks for dilution levels is a neat thing.
 
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