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Carbon Collective

APEX Wheel Cleaner

thioglycolate-basediron-reactiveready-to-useceramic-safecoated-wheel-safewarning-label

Best Value

$0.98/oz

A thioglycolate-based reactive wheel cleaner that combines iron removal with traditional wheel cleaning at 20-30% sodium mercaptoacetate concentration.

Key Chemistry

pH Level

5.0

Active Mechanism

thioglycolate chelation

Surfactants

0

Dean
Dean's TakeDean's PickFeb 13, 2026

I like everything from Carbon Collective and APEX is up there as one of my top choices. I tend to overlay APEX with P&S Brake Buster to extend the dwell time and the results are gleaming Oxford White wheels.

Expert Analysis

Uses sodium mercaptoacetate at 20-30% concentration to chelate iron particles while maintaining a mild pH of 5 for surface safety. The high active content enables no-touch cleaning by chemically breaking down ferrous contamination and brake dust. The color-changing reaction provides visual confirmation of iron removal progress.

Key Differentiators

  • High 20-30% thioglycolate concentration provides stronger iron removal than typical wheel cleaners
  • Combines wheel cleaning and fallout removal in a single ready-to-use product

Potential Concerns

  • Strong sulfur odor typical of thioglycolate formulations
  • Manufacturer recommends against use on polished or bare metal wheels

Ingredients

2 disclosed
Sodium Mercaptoacetate20-30%
CAS: 367-51-1Active ingredient
reaction mass of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one [EC no. 247-500- 7]and 2-methyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one [EC no. 220-239-6] (3:1)<0.0015%
CAS: 55965-84-9Preservative

Source: sds only

Safety Profile

Signal Word
Warning
Eye Hazard
Skin Hazard
May cause an allergic skin reaction
Corrosive to Metals
No
Flammable
No