simple green

[frogwood]

How is simple green as an apc?
How much should it be diluted
to work best?

[shoeless89]

I personally don't use Simple Green as an APC. I would stick with something a little safer like Meguiar's APC+ or Optimum Power Clean. You can still use Simple Green to help clean engines and wheel wells though :) Just my opinion.

[Bodezafa]

I would avoid Simple green.. Didnt work well for me.
I have used Meguires APC and APC+ with good results.

[timaishu]

I used simple green for years my my taurus wheels. No adverse effects.

[RhetoricMixes]

I personally don't use Simple Green as an APC. I would stick with something a little safer like Meguiar's APC+ or Optimum Power Clean. You can still use Simple Green to help clean engines and wheel wells though :) Just my opinion.

Using it for engines is perfectly fine, just DO NOT get it on bare aluminum as it will stain badly.

[BobbyG]

For me Simple Green just didn't work very well. This combined with the smell led me to try alternative products which clean much more efficiently and cost effective..

Simple Green will attack and corrode any aluminum that's not painted or coated...

[mwoolfso]

I use simple green but more for household chores than cars. I find apc plus does a better job. As for simple green on uncoated aluminum it is only a problem if you are letting the product dry on the metal, and even then only for certain simple green products.

[CaneCharger]

for me simple green just didn't work very well. This combined with the smell led me to try alternative products which clean much more efficiently and cost effective..

Simple green will attack and corrode any aluminum that's not painted or coated...

+100000

[BlueZero]

I use Extreme Simple Green aircraft & precision cleaner with no problems. Like others have posted watch out for the regular Simple Green.

[Autobahnd]

Replying to an old thread! Curious why some of us think Simple Green is so corrosive? If you look at the SDS sheets of the more traditional APC's for detailing, almost all of them mention how caustic or corrosive they are. Heck, Meguiar's D101 has the same NFPA health hazard rating at Wheel Brightener (insane to me)...but we all refer to these traditional APC's as "safer". I find it interesting. Check out Simple Green's SDS sheet next time you get the chance. No mention of corrosiveness to metals or being caustic, and has a health hazard rating of 0! It's even listed on the EPA's Safer Choice product list

[dwaleke]

It comes from people's experience using the product.

From what I've read it's not as safe as you'd think. And not as material compatible as you'd expect.

[Autobahnd]

It's tough to determine how real these stories are because, like Bob mentioned, when we're talking about metals, water itself is one corrosive son of a b. I just have a hard time believing products that specifically say on the label that they're corrosive, are safer than a product like Simple Green. One strong whiff of these automotive APC's and my lungs are immediately unhappy. Simple Green might have a smell that's hit or miss with people, but it's never made me cough like Megs, Super Clean, etc.

[dwaleke]

Try some 3D APCs/Degreasers. They don't make you cough or bleed from your respiratory system.

[Prange]

I had Simple Green discolor aluminum valve covers, an intake manifold, and a few brackets. My personal experience.

[SENC7]

I use simple green regularly in my ultrasonic cleaner to clean steel bits aluminum carbs - fairly long soaks in hot 50/50 dilutions - with no ill effect on the aluminum. You do need to be careful, though simple green is great at degreasing, once the solution gets dirty enough if parts are left it it for any length of time and/or not washed off, they can get darkened. When cleaning very dirty parts I'll change out the solution after the 15-20 minutes and do a second run with clean solution.