Best Value
$0.24/oz
24oz
Aggressive mass market wheel cleaner positioned as 'Extreme' alternative. Chemistry is surprisingly sophisticated for a big-box retail product. Competes more with P&S Brake Buster than with other mass market options.
Key Chemistry
pH Level
Active Mechanism
alkaline chelation oxidation
Surfactants
2 (amphoteric, amphoteric)
Expert Analysis
Armor All Extreme uses a sophisticated multi-mechanism approach: (1) Strong alkaline base from disodium metasilicate + potassium hydroxide for saponification and degreasing, (2) Tetrapotassium EDTA chelation for metal ion and brake dust removal, (3) Hydrogen peroxide oxidation for stain/deposit removal, (4) Dual amphoteric surfactant system for foaming and emulsification. This is notably more aggressive than typical mass market wheel cleaners and approaches professional-grade chemistry. The presence of hydrogen peroxide is unusual and suggests they're targeting oxidation-resistant deposits.
Key Differentiators
- •Contains hydrogen peroxide oxidizer (rare in wheel cleaners)
- •Dual amphoteric surfactant system
- •Strong alkaline chemistry (metasilicate + KOH)
- •STOT RE 2 classification (organ damage warning)
- •Two GHS pictograms (corrosion + health hazard)
- •No formaldehyde or IARC carcinogens (better than Quicksilver)
- •Professional-level chemistry in mass market packaging
Potential Concerns
- ⚠STOT RE 2 - May cause organ damage from repeated exposure (from Tetrapotassium EDTA)
- ⚠DANGER signal word - serious eye damage potential
- ⚠Corrosive to metals (H290) - caution on some wheel finishes
- ⚠Strong alkaline chemistry may damage sensitive finishes
- ⚠Not recommended for frequent/professional use
- ⚠Prop 65 methanol warning
- ⚠Health rating 3 on NFPA/HMIS
- ⚠Requires PPE for safe use
Ingredients
Eye Irrit. 2 / H319
Acute Tox. 4 / H302; Skin Irrit. 2 / H315; Eye Dam. 1 / H318
Acute Tox. 4 / H302; Acute Tox. 4 / H332; Eye Dam. 1 / H318; STOT RE 2 / H373
Acute Tox. 4 / H302; Acute Tox. 3 / H331; Skin Corr. 1B / H314; Eye Dam. 1 / H318; STOT SE 3 / H335; Met. Corr. 1 / H290
Prop 65 - developmental toxicity
Source: sds section 3 and california rtk section 15
Safety Profile
DANGER signal word with TWO hazard pictograms (corrosion + health hazard). The STOT RE 2 classification (organ damage from repeated exposure) is unusual for consumer wheel cleaners and comes from Tetrapotassium EDTA. This is a more aggressive formulation than typical mass market products. Health rating of 3 on both NFPA and HMIS indicates serious injury potential.