Autoglym All Purpose Cleaner

Autoglym

All Purpose Cleaner

Updated · 11 ingredients analyzed

A ready-to-use alkaline all-purpose cleaner formulated with disodium metasilicate for versatile cleaning across interior and exterior automotive surfaces. Autoglym All Purpose Cleaner ranks #1 strongest among 41 all-purpose cleaners in ChemCX's analysis, with a formulation built for heavy degreasing and multi-surface cleaning. Its pH of 13.1 places it among the most alkaline APCs, providing stronger degreasing action but requiring more care on delicate surfaces. Its 5 surfactants give it a wider range of cleaning mechanisms for tackling different soil types.

Key Chemistry

pH Level

13.1

Active Mechanism

alkaline saponification

Surfactants

5 (anionic, nonionic)

Expert Analysis

This formulation uses a moderate concentration of disodium metasilicate (0.1-1%) as an alkaline builder to provide effective cleaning power at pH 13.1, while combining anionic and nonionic surfactants for broad spectrum cleaning. The ready-to-use format eliminates dilution guesswork and maintains consistent cleaning performance across different applications.

Key Differentiators

  • Ready-to-use alkaline cleaner with extremely high pH of 13.1 for maximum cleaning power
  • Contains disodium metasilicate as primary alkaline builder for enhanced degreasing capability
  • Dual surfactant system combining anionic and nonionic agents for broad soil removal

Potential Concerns

  • Very high pH of 13.1 may be aggressive for claimed sensitive materials like leather and suede despite marketing claims
  • Ready-to-use format lacks dilution flexibility for lighter cleaning tasks where full strength may be excessive

Ingredients

11 disclosed
Butoxypropan-1-ol
≥ 3 – < 5
CAS: 29387-86-8Solvent
Alcohols, C6-12, ethoxylated
≥ 1 – < 3
CAS: 68439-45-2Surfactant
(R)-p-mentha-1,8-diene
≥ 0.1 – < 1
CAS: 5989-27-5Fragrance
SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE
1 - 10%
CAS: 68891-38-3Surfactant
disodium metasilicate
0.1 - 1%
CAS: 6834-92-0Builder
2-(2-dodecoxyethoxy)acetic acid
0.1 - 1%
CAS: 27306-90-7Surfactant
TRISODIUM DICARBOXYMETHYL ALANINATE
0.1 - 1%
CAS: 164462-16-2Chelating agent
Parfum
0.1 - 1%
CAS: N/AFragrance
Polyethylene glycol mono-C10-16-alkyl ether sulphate sodium salt
N/D
CAS: 68585-34-2Surfactant
Glycerine
N/D
CAS: 56-81-5Humectant
Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha.-sulfo-omega-hydroxyC10-16-alkyl ethers, ammonium salts
N/D
CAS: 67762-19-0Surfactant

Source: both

Safety Profile

Signal Word
Danger
Eye Hazard
Causes serious eye damage
Skin Hazard
Causes skin irritation
Corrosive to Metals
Yes
Flammable
No

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