Be careful with wheel cleaners

Zet · 12-18-06, 06:19

Some wheel cleaners contain Ammonium Bifluoride. I've been doing some reading on this, and it really is some scary stuff! So I thought I would share my findings...

A product like Meguiar's Wheel Brightener for instance, contains Ammonium Bifluoride (ABF). I should say that I generally like Meguiar's products, and they offer many alternative wheel cleaners without ABF. So this is not to bash a product or brand, but only meant as an example. I would also like to acknowledge Meguiar's for providing downloadable MSDS's from their website, so people are able to know what they are actually dealing with.

The first hint of the health risk is that Wheel Brigtener has a NFPA health rating of 3, which reads: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury even though prompt medical attention was given.

I've found valuable information regarding ABF in an article from Professional Carwashing & Detailing Magazine, available here: Article Archives

Here's a few quotes from that article:

Ammonium bifluoride (ABF) is one of the most common, and dangerous, wheel cleaners used in automatic carwashes today. Its effectiveness removing brake dust and difficult contaminants from chrome wheels is undisputed, but some chemists say ABF presents an unjustifiable and potentially lethal risk to carwash operators and their employees.

...

ABF, sometimes known as ammonium fluoride or ammonium hydrogen fluoride, is a crystalline salt formed when ammonium hydroxide reacts with HF. Through a complicated chemical reaction, ABF essentially becomes HF when mixed with water or liquid cleaning solutions.

Similar to HF, ABF was originally developed for industrial uses, like etching glass, removing oxides from metals and eliminating mineral stains from stone, glass and porcelain.

"Hydrogen fluoride and ammonium bifluoride. are created for industrial use only," says Dr. Andras Nagy, chief chemist for S&S Car Care, a North Canton, OH-based manufacturer of car-care products. "In Europe, people are stunned that carwashes are using these types of chemicals."

...

Chemists say it's the flouride ions in HF and ABF that make many wheel cleaners and pre-soaks so potentially dangerous. Whether fluoride ions enter body tissues as the result of inhalation or skin contact, they cause deep, progressive burning that may quickly lead to multi-organ failure and death. Long-term exposure to even minimal amounts of ABF can lead to brittle bones, weight loss, anemia, and calcified ligaments.

"ABF is extremely hazardous and can be harmful to several target organs in the human body, including the lungs, skin, eyes and kidneys," warns Roger McFadden, technical director and senior chemist with Coastwide Laboritories, Portland, OR.

McFadden says one of the most frightening aspects of fluoride poisoning is that its effects are not immediately apparent. Unlike hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, damage caused by HF and ABF takes place slowly. By the time a victim feels the effects, it's too late to reverse the damage.

Pretty scary stuff huh? As stated in the quotes above ABF becomes Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) when mixed with water, which it will always be in any useable concentration. Here's a quote from Wikipedia on HF's healt effects:

Hydrogen fluoride is toxic and can be fatal if even small amounts are ingested or absorbed through the skin. HF burns require immediate treatment beginning with washing with water but specialized care is indicated. HF acid burns are not similar to those produced by hydrogen chloride (HCl), or other common acids. Onset time of symptoms of HF burns are proportional to concentration. Above 50% instantaneous effects are apparent. Between 20% and 50% clinical symptoms may not appear for one to eight hours. Concentrations below 20% may not result in symptoms for 24 hours.

Entry routes include inhalation, ingestion, skin and eyes. Aside from burns to the eyes, skin, lungs, or digestive tract, the lowering of serum calcium (hypocalcemia) is one of the most serious consequences of HF exposure. As the free fluorine ion penetrates the skin it binds serum calcium forming covalent, nearly insoluble calcium fluoride (CaF2). This has effects on nerve conduction and can lead to extreme throbbing pain, metabolic changes, and even death.

I think the most disturbing thing is the potential long term health effects of using products containg ABF. I really don't see why we need chemicals like this in the detailing business, and hope that it is only a matter of time before before they are replaced completely. But this will only happen if people stop buying products containing ABF. I hope this post will help to help raise the attention towards which chemicals actually are in the products we are all using.

White95Max · 12-18-06, 06:36

Unfortunately these chemicals stay on the market because people are looking for cheap products to do the job. This can come at a severe risk to the person and/or the environment. It's unfortunate that compounds with such a risk are even offered to the consumer.

paul34 · 12-18-06, 06:48

that is indeed scary stuff. I guess we should all start being a bit more careful with many of our detailing chemicals and taking precautions such as wearing gloves.

BlackElantraGT · 12-18-06, 07:06

Thanks for the article. I've thought about purchasing Wheel Brightener from Meg's Detailer line, but I'm scared to use this stuff now. My current wheel cleaner is from Mother's (the one that some Sam's club used to carry for $6 for a 2 pack) and I hated whatever effects it had whenever I inhaled it, so I don't even want to imagine how much damage a stronger concentrate such as Wheel Brightener would do.

Setec Astronomy · 12-18-06, 07:34

This is a longstanding argument as to whether these should be available. I have to disagree with White95Max, these products are not on the market because they are cheap, but because they are highly effective in removing metallic contamination (brake dust) and there really is no alternative product that does the same job.

I used to have HF in my workplace, but we stopped using it. In an industrial setting, exposure and effluent can be controlled, hard to do that in your driveway. Anyway...

RCBuddha · 12-18-06, 07:45

Anyone care to list non-abf/hf cleaners?

After searching I got:

P21s
DP Wheel Gel
Meguiars Hot Rims

Anymore I'm missing?

Setec Astronomy · 12-18-06, 07:53

Unfortunately, it's a little more complicated than that. There are the detergent types which are largely neutral (P21S, Griot's, etc.), caustic (EO A2Z/AW&T), and then there are some that use other acids, which are not so, what's the word, subversive? The Meg's Gold Class uses citric acid, it seems to me there was another that used HCl.

EDIT As I alluded to before, none of these will dissolve embedded brake dust like HF.

ShineMGood · 12-18-06, 07:59

custom wheel cleaner from autoint.com works well and is safer that the more aggressive cleaners. If you allow proper dwell time, its very effective although it will require some aggitation for neglected finishes.

RCBuddha · 12-18-06, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Unfortunately, it's a little more complicated than that. There are the detergent types which are largely neutral (P21S, Griot's, etc.), caustic (EO A2Z/AW&T), and then there are some that use other acids, which are not so, what's the word, subversive? The Meg's Gold Class uses citric acid, it seems to me there was another that used HCl.

Ok, how aboout less harmful products?

Setec Astronomy · 12-18-06, 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCBuddha

Ok, how aboout less harmful products?

Well, as we have said, the P21S and Griot's, as well one in the Meg's Mirror Glaze line which seems to no longer be available--these are all neutral, detergent-based cleaners. The Meg's Gold Class All-Wheel cleaner can still be found at Target--that is citric acid. The old Hot Rims was oxalic acid; Meg's doesn't seem to have any MSDS's up for their latest wheel cleaners.

EDIT: Oops, and as mentioned, the Eagle One A2Z or, as it's now called, All Wheel and Tire Cleaner, is a caustic (alkaline, about pH 12). These other acid and alkaline cleaners can burn/irritate, but don't have the calcium-hunting characteristic of HF.

Black240SX · 12-18-06, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by White95Max

Unfortunately these chemicals stay on the market because people are looking for cheap products to do the job. This can come at a severe risk to the person and/or the environment. It's unfortunate that compounds with such a risk are even offered to the consumer.

It may be worth noting that Wheel Brightener isn't marketed to consumers. The MSDS says:
"This product is for use by professional car washes and detailers only and is NOT intended for home use." I don't know if the packaging is explicit about the hazards of the product or not.

I have seen other brands of wheel cleaners containing ABF marketed to consumers that didn't say much on the label about the hazards.

Setec Astronomy · 12-18-06, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black240SX

It may be worth noting that Wheel Brightener isn't marketed to consumers. The MSDS says:
"This product is for use by professional car washes and detailers only and is NOT intended for home use." I don't know if the packaging is explicit about the hazards of the product or not.

I have seen other brands of wheel cleaners containing ABF marketed to consumers that didn't say much on the label about the hazards.

That is absolutley correct, about the Meg's marketing and also that ABF-containing cleaners can be found at Target (I believe it was Black Magic brand), etc.