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Autoglym

All Purpose Cleaner

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 has a pH of 13.1, placing it among the most alkaline APCs; higher pH provides stronger degreasing action but may require more care on delicate surfaces. Its 5 surfactants give it a wider range of cleaning mechanisms for tackling different soil types. It also contains chelating agents that help it clean effectively in hard water conditions.

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 SULFATE1 - 10%
CAS: 68891-38-3Surfactant
disodium metasilicate0.1 - 1%
CAS: 6834-92-0Builder
2-(2-dodecoxyethoxy)acetic acid0.1 - 1%
CAS: 27306-90-7Surfactant
TRISODIUM DICARBOXYMETHYL ALANINATE0.1 - 1%
CAS: 164462-16-2Chelating agent
Parfum0.1 - 1%
CAS: N/AFragrance
Polyethylene glycol mono-C10-16-alkyl ether sulphate sodium saltN/D
CAS: 68585-34-2Surfactant
GlycerineN/D
CAS: 56-81-5Humectant
Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha.-sulfo-omega-hydroxyC10-16-alkyl ethers, ammonium saltsN/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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