As someone who has been into cars before I could even drive one, I am always trying new cleaning supplies. The market for such products is always growing as more companies jump into the mix and new technologies emerge. With these new technologies have come wild ideas, crazy toxic mixtures of chemicals, and even products that smell like fruit to get you hooked on them. When Alan from Car Guys asked me to review two of their products I jumped at the opportunity and hoped their claims were accurate.
Both the wheel cleaner and tire dressing are made and packaged in the USA and claim to not be harmful to your skin or contain any crazy toxins. The wheel cleaner is acid free and pH balanced so it can be used on any wheel material as well as tires. The first thing I did was spray my hand with the wheel cleaner to see if it would agitate my skin, which it did not, unlike many other wheel cleaners I have used in the past.
My car has been sitting in a garage for a few months and was not washed before being stored (I know I am a terrible owner), which creates the perfect test subject with the old brake grime and months of dust on the wheels. As per the directions I sprayed just enough wheel cleaner on each wheel to cover them. I then waited roughly three minutes, scrubbed each one lightly with a wheel brush, and then hosed them off. The lips on my wheels are raw aluminum and I have always had to polish them after the first wash of the season. The Car Guys wheel cleaner was actually able to lift the dirt enough to make them shine. I will still need to polish them but they are not nearly as dull as previous seasons. I like that the wheel cleaner has a thick consistency which helps it to adhere to the wheel more, unlike many wheel cleaners that run off before you can even scrub them. I also like that the cleaner has a neutral smell, which I prefer over a chemical or a sweet smell.
The Car Guys tire dressing works even better than the wheel cleaner. Application is easy and very similar to most gel dressings. You can use the supplied brush, or a foam applicator like i did. One dime sized portion was enough to cover the face of my tire completely. After the first coat I waited for a few minutes and applied a second. I again waited a few minutes and then “polished” the sidewall with a micro fiber cloth to remove any excess. This gave me a decent amount of shine that I was happy with. More coats would result in a higher shine, but that is not my taste. To really test the dressing I went for a ride on the highway to see how much, if any, would sling onto the car. After roughly ten miles of driving, none had slung onto the car at all. I really like that the dressing, like the wheel cleaner, has a neutral smell. that it is able to be layered to adjust the shine to your liking, and that it is clear. Something else to note, is the dressing also works well on plastic and rubber trim.
Overall I am extremely pleased with both the wheel cleaner and tire dressing from Car Guys. Thanks to the products having a neutral smell, being made in the USA, having a money back guarantee, and most importantly, working very well, I have no problem recommending the wheel cleaner and tire dressing from Car Guys. Both products have certainly earned a spot in my detailing cabinet.
If you are interested in purchasing the wheel cleaner it can be found here and the tire shine here.
Interesting review. I’ll look for these products.