Trying to decide between Meg's D101 and Optimum Power Clean

[C5Longhorn]

I'm looking for a product that will clean outside (wheels, tires, engine) and also clean inside without being too harsh. I don't think the chemical odors will bother me.

I purchased some OPC but Meg's may have been fine also, who knows.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Dan K]

Power Clean. Great stuff!

[Tempest45]

D101 is nasty stuff and foams like crazy. About the only thing I use it for is to clean the BRS or presoaking micro fiber.

OPC is very effective but also spendy . Needs lower dilution ratios.

[Eldorado2k]

D101 is nasty stuff and foams like crazy. About the only thing I use it for is to clean the BRS or presoaking micro fiber.

OPC is very effective but also spendy . Needs lower dilution ratios.

That’s strange, I can’t ever get D101 to foam on fabric or carpet. I wish it would.
I see people talking about a 3:1 dilution ratio for the OPC, well duh no wonder it degreases when you have to use that much.. Not to mention it costs way more.

What can OPC do @10:1? I don’t ever hear anyone mention that dilution.

Btw, I’d like to know what D101 fails so miserably at. I’m all ears.

[mwoywod]

I'd definitely spend the extra money and go with OPC.

3:1 for exterior cleaning and degreasing

7:1 works great for leather, plastics, and vinyl.

One thing to consider is OPC isn't really recommended for use on carpets and upholstery. That said, I have used it for prespotting carpet stains with no problems.


As a professional, I only use OPC at the 3:1 dilution, primarily for all my heavy duty exterior cleaning. It's an extremely economical tire cleaner that can remove even nasty solvent based tire dressings in one application where D101 would take several applications and STILL wouldn't clean as well as OPC.

Because OPC @ 7:1 isn't very economical as an interior cleaner and because I would still need a seperate cleaner for carpets and upholstery, I use M37 Hi-Intensity APC+ @ 10:1 as my APC.

I've been using Hi-Intensity APC+ since it was first released by Detailer Pro series. At 10:1 it has a slight edge on D101 in its cleaning ability. It suds up really well with a boars hair and horsehair brush, it's not strong enough that I have to worry about staining or damaging interior plastics, it's great on carpets and fabrics, and it's supposed to be a "non-alkaline" formulation (which I'm 99% certain is completely unsubstantiated marketing baloney BUT I can say it doesn't irritate my skin or burn my lungs anywhere near as bad as D101 does AND it has a much better scent IMO).

Overall, you'll have to decide what makes sense for you. But now that M37 High Intensity APC+ is available in 16oz. bottles you might think it's worth trying.

[Eldorado2k]

Can OPC do this @10:1 like D101 easily can?

[Eldorado2k]

One thing to consider is OPC isn't really recommended for use on carpets and upholstery. That said, I have used it for prespotting carpet stains with no problems.

Thanks for clarifying. That’s all I need to hear to know I’m not interested. When I reach for APC I expect it to be able to handle basic broad stuff like vinyl, carpets, clean plastic trim, etc.

The way you guys are describing OPC reminds me a bit of what they hype Britemax Grimeout to be, a “jack of all trades”.
But in reality once you get your hands on it you find out that it actually kinda sucks at doing the most basic things like cleaning a floormatt.

If I want a degreaser, I reach for degreaser. I don’t reach for my degreaser when I’m going to clean leather & vinyl.

[mwoywod]

That’s strange, I can’t ever get D101 to foam on fabric or carpet. I wish it would.
I see people talking about a 3:1 dilution ratio for the OPC, well duh no wonder it degreases when you have to use that much.. Not to mention it costs way more.

What can OPC do @10:1? I don’t ever hear anyone mention that dilution.

Btw, I’d like to know what D101 fails so miserably at. I’m all ears.

I would say D101 works great as an all-purpose interior cleaner but for exterior cleaning using stronger dilutions don't seem to actually provide any more cleaning ability. What makes OPC so economical is that at stronger dilutions it can safely be used on paint to break down bugs and tar and can cut through slimey solvent based tire dressings in one application. Even if you use D101 at its strongest recommended dilution it will not touch Tar and when used on tires with a build up of slimey dressing, it's foaming characteristic is virtually neutered on contact.

I know you are a fan of M37 Tire & Rubber Cleaner which IMO using OPC 3:1 is not only FAR more economical tire cleaner, but it can be used for safely cleaning and degreasing on nearly every other surface on a vehicle. With OPC, I save money by not having to buy a dedicated tire cleaner, engine degreaser, bug remover, tar remover, dedicated wax stained plastic cleaner, etc.

Eldo, I do agree that OPC is not effective at higher dilution ratios like other APC's and is not an economical interior cleaner. It's a fantastic APC/degreaser for exterior applications and at 3:1 it works better than M37 Cleanse-All Exterior cleaner which can't be diluted. If you consider OPC as a dedicated exterior degreaser it makes more sense and becomes far more economical.

[Eldorado2k]

I would say D101 works great as an all-purpose interior cleaner but for exterior cleaning using stronger dilutions don't seem to actually provide any more cleaning ability. What makes OPC so economical is that at stronger dilutions it can safely be used on paint to break down bugs and tar and can cut through slimey solvent based tire dressings in one application. Even if you use D101 at its strongest recommended dilution it will not touch Tar and when used on tires with a build up of slimey dressing, it's foaming characteristic is virtually neutered on contact.

I know you are a fan of M37 Tire & Rubber Cleaner which IMO using OPC 3:1 is not only FAR more economical tire cleaner, but it can be used for safely cleaning and degreasing on nearly every other surface on a vehicle. With OPC, I save money by not having to buy a dedicated tire cleaner, engine degreaser, bug remover, tar remover, dedicated wax stained plastic cleaner, etc.

Eldo, I do agree that OPC is not effective at higher dilution ratios like other APC's and is not an economical interior cleaner. It's a fantastic APC/degreaser for exterior applications and at 3:1 it works better than M37 Cleanse-All Exterior cleaner which can't be diluted. If you consider OPC as a dedicated exterior degreaser it makes more sense and becomes far more economical.

Thanks for further explaining it. Makes clear sense now. And that’s probably the reason I’m very high on D101, because I don’t really ask it to do anything beyond cleaning wheel wells on the exterior.

I mentioned cleaning plastic trim but I personally never use it for that, I get much better results from a dedicated trim cleaner. I also never use D101 to clean tires, I’ve tried it at the internets recommendation of “straight undiluted” and it’s a horrible user experience. I don’t know how anyone could’ve ever claimed D101 undiluted to be the best tire cleaner.

Btw I’m not That big a fan of McKee’s Rubber & Tire Rejuvenator. I simply felt it was the right thing to retract my previous harsh review of it after finding out how to use it to its strength. But I won’t be replenishing it on my shelf, I just used the last of it and will be going with Mothers Back to Black Tire Renew instead. Not only does it slightly edge it in performance, but it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to add to my cart.

[Tempest45]

That’s strange, I can’t ever get D101 to foam on fabric or carpet. I wish it would.
I see people talking about a 3:1 dilution ratio for the OPC, well duh no wonder it degreases when you have to use that much.. Not to mention it costs way more.

What can OPC do @10:1? I don’t ever hear anyone mention that dilution.

Btw, I’d like to know what D101 fails so miserably at. I’m all ears.

No argument from me on price, that's why I said OPC is expensive.

D101 cleans fine but the smell and poor rinse-ability makes it a no go for me.