
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
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
Source: both

