What the Hek was that?..

[HEK]

So today I detailed this trashed Montero, 60K miles and not one vacuum inside, chips/ paint missing etc...anyway when the owner dropped it off he gave me a bottle of this soapy fluid that could remove the "rust/ tarnished/ stained" spots on the rims, which BTW I tried wetsanding and only made a dent but when I decided to try this stuff it made the alloys clean...I mean clean and in one swipe, so I asked him when he picked up the car but he didn't know, all he said was a guy from a auto car wash gave it to him when he went thru it one time....

Anyone know what can make old tarnished rims so clean...no chemical I've tried comes close....

Thanks

[mxman]

No Idea but just yesterday I thought I would try ArmorAll Cleaning Wipes on the Jeep rims and it worked great. It removed brake dust and cleaned them up really good. I don't know if it's ok to use on them or not, the bottle didn't say about painted surfaces or wheels, but wow.

[gb387]

Not sure what the Hek it was but..... I use RainX Glass Cleaner on my wheels it to says nothing about wheel cleaning and painted surfaces but it works GREAT!

[DETLMAN]

I dont know what it was but it sounds pretty intence and even dangerous in the wrong hands. Its more than likely an acid. I have cleaned some chrome wheels that you couldnt even tell they were chrome, we started with metal polish but after 10 miniutes on one wheel and it wasnt even 1/4 done I got out the acid and sprayed, agitated and rinsed...clean as new ! Watch yourself with products like that, they are not only dangerour for your car but they are dangerous to your health as well.

[Beercan31]

The chemicals that I have tried that would act some what like you described are:
5th wheel degreaseer (sp) by ARMOR.
This stuff is the nastiest stuff I ever used, it melts brake dust and some rust like butter the problems are if you get it on your hands your callous will wash off, It is extremely caustic they both will cause unprotected aluminum (like alternators) to foam up and turn black.
This chemical I have seen in two different colors, 1 being bright pink the other being grape juice purple.

the other product is Spray Nine not as active as 5th wheel and you needed to work the wheels with a scrubber. This fluid is clear.

[HEK]

Originally posted by SqkyKln
I dont know what it was but it sounds pretty intence and even dangerous in the wrong hands. Its more than likely an acid. I have cleaned some chrome wheels that you couldnt even tell they were chrome, we started with metal polish but after 10 miniutes on one wheel and it wasnt even 1/4 done I got out the acid and sprayed, agitated and rinsed...clean as new ! Watch yourself with products like that, they are not only dangerour for your car but they are dangerous to your health as well.

....I failed to say that when I got the soapy pink stuff it was inside a Poland Spring water bottle....now how about this: I had been drinking water all morning doing my wife's Element and ...when he handed me the bottle I started walking away towards the car I was working before and stupid me took a "swig" of the bottle...luckily I noticed the taste and spat it out but not without having a drop or 2 go down my throat... ... I tried to make myself vomit and rinse my mouth plenty of times.....oh well I can say I was scared at first and felt stupid afterwards...anyway thanks guys for the all responses and beware of the BOTTLE............

[Superior Shine]

Originally posted by HEK
....I failed to say that when I got the soapy pink stuff it was inside a Poland Spring water bottle....now how about this: I had been drinking water all morning doing my wife's Element and ...when he handed me the bottle I started walking away towards the car I was working before and stupid me took a "swig" of the bottle...luckily I noticed the taste and spat it out but not without having a drop or 2 go down my throat... ... I tried to make myself vomit and rinse my mouth plenty of times.....oh well I can say I was scared at first and felt stupid afterwards...anyway thanks guys for the all responses and beware of the BOTTLE............

I bet your teeth are really clean now!

[Tim Lingor]

YIKES!!!!


I would be VERY careful using acid based cleaners! Sometimes a chrome wheel will have a plastic center cap---Oops!!! Personally, I avoid using it.



Tim

[CHzo6]

My guess is that it was " Pink Stuff " or a product very similar to it. Pink Stuff is an acid based cleaner that will clean and brighten pretty much any surface. Im pretty sure you can find this at Walmart.

[HEK]

Originally posted by Beercan31
The chemicals that I have tried that would act some what like you described are:
5th wheel degreaseer (sp) by ARMOR.
This stuff is the nastiest stuff I ever used, it melts brake dust and some rust like butter the problems are if you get it on your hands your callous will wash off, It is extremely caustic they both will cause unprotected aluminum (like alternators) to foam up and turn black.
This chemical I have seen in two different colors, 1 being bright pink the other being grape juice purple.

the other product is Spray Nine not as active as 5th wheel and you needed to work the wheels with a scrubber. This fluid is clear.

..

as dangerous as it sounds I want to get my hands on some, here in MA/ CT most of the people with alloys have these stains on their rims and like myself I would be impressed to get back the look of the rims when new but none of my local shops carry it and I'm doing an online search wish me luck....

[2000]

best that any one has been able to guess, this was caused by acid wash that ate away some of the clear.




maybe not, but something to think about.

[JaguarXJ6]

I have a question thats along these lines. What is an acid that is safe to remove chrome but not damage the alumnium underneath that I can use? I suppose I could bite the bullet and have the wheels refinished, but if there was a way I could just strip it off and then brush out the aluminum that would be an interesting project I would be up for.

Sunny

[Beercan31]

I have not checked the MSDS sheet yet on the stuff. but I pretty sure it is a high acid base chemical.I know this stuff in the wrong hands you can destroy a finish in a blink-of-an-eye,It is not something you want to experiment with It has to date, destroyed a alternator on a 2000 ford crown Victoria (sp) thankfully it was covered by a warrantee, bleached down and stained a paint job on a case 580 construction king backhoe. I use the stuff to power wash the under carriages on the truck fleet ,,,ie Black top, salt,road debris. I also use it to remove the brake dust from my wheel/tires and rims.


2000

I have also seen damage like that from calcium chloride depending where you live and how the local government mix there winter salt. Most use a mixture are salt/calcium where others use calcium/grit and last but not least Ice ban/calcium/salt.

calcium is some Nasty stuff. it has no mercy.

What is an acid that is safe to remove chrome but not damage the aluminum underneath

I have never heard of it. Not that it doesn't exist.


Rich

[2000]

Originally posted by Beercan31



2000

I have also seen damage like that from calcium chloride depending where you live and how the local government mix there winter salt. Most use a mixture are salt/calcium where others use calcium/grit and last but not least Ice ban/calcium/salt.

calcium is some Nasty stuff. it has no mercy.






Rich

theres something I didn't think of. thanks for the input, you sound like you use to be the one putting down the salt?

[Beercan31]

you sound like you use to be the one putting down the salt?

still do.


Rich