Review: DUB Wheel Cleaner

[Marc08EX]

Product Review: DUB Wheel Cleaner

Product Description:

Effectively cleans wheels and targets brake dust and completely safe to use on all wheels and other components within the fender well. When applied, the formula transitions from a yellow-green hue to a red-purple color highlighting the cleansing action.

• Effectively cleans wheels and targets brake dust
  
• Safe on all wheels, brake, and suspension components
  
• Industrial chemistry
  
• Product is yellowish-green and turns red-purple to show its working

Price:

MSRP of $8.99 for a 22oz bottle

Introduction:

Sonax revolutionized the wheel cleaning industry when they first came out with their color changing formula that shows the wheel cleaner's reaction to brake dust and iron particles. For the longest time, I've been waiting for Meguiar's to come out with something like that and finally they created a product that does this in collaboration with DUB.

In this review, I will show you how the DUB cleaner works and compare its performance with the Sonax wheel cleaner.

I broke this review down into 3 sections:

1. Comparing DUB and Sonax wheel cleaners and checking their performance after rinsing only and after cleaning the wheel with soap and water.
2. Comparing DUB and Sonax wheel cleaners in a different wheel and checking their performance after rinsing only.
3. Comparing cleaning a wheel with and without using DUB wheel cleaner.

Testing:

The test subjects I used for this wheel cleaner is extremely neglected. I don't know how long it has been since the car was washed and consequently, how much brake dust has accumulated in each wheel. I wouldn't be surprised if it hasn't been cleaned for at least 6 months.

The following sets of pictures were taken while using the DUB wheel cleaner.

Before Picture of the wheel to be cleaned with the DUB wheel cleaner:

Product applied to the dirty wheel:

Now I let the product dwell and took pictures with time markers as shown in the following pictures.

1 minute mark:

2 minute mark:

2 minute mark close up:

2 minute mark close up:

3 minute mark:

3 minute mark close up:

3 minute mark close up:

Whole wheel showing the color change after about 3 and a half minutes:

Wheel after it has been rinsed down:

Wheel after it has been agitated and washed with car wash soap:

The following sets of pictures were taken while using the Sonax wheel cleaner. I tried to mimic the same procedure I used with the DUB wheel cleaner side.

Before Picture of the wheel to be cleaned with the Sonax wheel cleaner:

Product applied to the dirty wheel:

Now I let the product dwell and took pictures with time markers as shown in the following pictures.

1 minute mark:

2 minute mark:

2 minute mark close up:

2 minute mark close up:

3 minute mark:

3 minute mark close up:

3 minute mark close up:

Whole wheel showing the color change after about 3 and a half minutes:

Wheel after it has been rinsed down:

Wheel after it has been agitated and washed with car wash soap:

The following pictures show the before condition of a set of wheels from a different vehicle and the after rinsing the wheel with just water.

Before wheel with DUB Wheel Cleaner:

After letting it dwell for 3 minutes:

After rinsing it with water only. No agitation:

Before wheel with Sonax Wheel Cleaner:

After letting it dwell for 3 minutes:

After rinsing it with water only. No agitation:

 

[Marc08EX]

The following pictures were from the rear wheels of the first test subject vehicle (Honda CR-V). As you can see, the initial condition wasn't as bad as the first set of pictures of this test. Here I'm testing whether the DUB wheel cleaner provides any assistance to cleaning the wheels.

Before Picture of the wheel to be cleaned with the DUB wheel cleaner:

Product applied:

After letting it dwell for 3 minutes:

Chemical reaction - you know the product's working!!!

Another shot:

Wheel washed and agitated:

Clean Wheel:

This is the before condition of the wheel on the other side:

After using car soap to wash and agitate the wheel:

As you can see, it left a lot of brake dust in between the spokes:

Opinions and Observations:

As you can see from the testing, this product works quite well and as advertised. The product reacts with brake dust and metal particles and it shows you when the chemical changes color from green to red.

It also helps you in cleaning the wheel more effectively compared to cleaning your wheel with just car wash soap. It makes removing caked on brake dust a whole lot easier.

The smell is very pleasant. It's not like the putrid and vomit inducing smell like other products LOL!

This product is very reasonably priced at $8.99 for a 22oz bottle. I think it can be obtained for less in Walmart. It was on sale at advanced auto parts before for $5 a bottle (2 for $10). You can't go wrong with that. The MSRP is almost half compared to Sonax.

In my opinion, this product is very safe on the wheels. You can leave it sitting for 4-5 minutes without any problem. I feel that's a huge advantage compared to other wheel cleaners such as the Hot Rims Wheel/Tire cleaner.

The only con I have of this product is that it's more runny than Sonax. After about 3 and a half minutes, the wheel is almost dry. I wish that they would make the cleaner more thick or viscous in order to make it cling to the wheel surface longer.

Conclusion:

Overall, I'm very satisfied with this product. It works as advertised and helps you clean your dirty wheels more effectively. You can't beat the price especially when it's on sale. I will not hesitate to buy this product again. Finally, a color changing wheel cleaner from Meguiar's!!! If you haven't tried this product, you need to give it a shot and I think you'll be amazed with it!

 

[ShawnF350]

Great review Marc
Running to Advance to see if they have any left.

 

[Tpr1634]

Excellent price point for sure, I gotta think most of these cleaners are pretty close.

 

[tom p.]

I bought 3 bottles of this earlier this year when it was selling for $5. It works well but I don't think its strength is needed weekly for the well-maintained auto.

 

[kevincwelch]

I've been using DUB for a couple of months now, and I think the results are just as good as they were with Sonax and PS21.

 

[RTexasF]

In all honesty I see this as a waste of time and money. Neither one completely cleans the wheel, they still require muscle and brush to complete the job. Why not just use muscle, brush, and soap in the first place and be done with it? I'm sincere, not knocking your efforts or any product. The only wheel cleaner I ever used was Poorboy's and it worked effortlessly. Yes, it's acidic but there was no scrubbing afterwards, just rinse and admire the clean wheel.

 

[upon3]

Works very well, but smells like death on a stick. It's seriously vile. Stinky feet that have been rubbed down with cayenne pepper. Gross. It fogged/hazed my front caliper paint, too.

2 for $10 is a good deal, though. I don't think it works any better than Eagle One All-Wheel cleaner that I have been using for decades.

 

[dcjredline]

I like your method of wheel cleaning and think I will try it.

1. Spray wheel cleaner
2. Let dwell
3. Rinse wheel
4. Agitate and wash with car wash soap
5. Rinse

I usually spray, dwell, agitate, rinse.

Your way seems to give the wheels a double shot if you will.

 

[01GreyStangGT]

I like your method of wheel cleaning and think I will try it.

1. Spray wheel cleaner
2. Let dwell
3. Rinse wheel
4. Agitate and wash with car wash soap
5. Rinse

I usually spray, dwell, agitate, rinse.

Your way seems to give the wheels a double shot if you will.

That is how I have done wheels for a while.

 

[Marc08EX]

Great review Marc
Running to Advance to see if they have any left.

Thank you so much Shawn!

I don't think its strength is needed weekly for the well-maintained auto.

I agree. Any wheel cleaner is overkill for a well maintained vehicle. If you wash your car weekly or even bi-weekly, car wash soap is perfectly fine. These wheel cleaners are only for neglected cars with caked on brake dust.

In all honesty I see this as a waste of time and money. Neither one completely cleans the wheel, they still require muscle and brush to complete the job. Why not just use muscle, brush, and soap in the first place and be done with it? I'm sincere, not knocking your efforts or any product. The only wheel cleaner I ever used was Poorboy's and it worked effortlessly. Yes, it's acidic but there was no scrubbing afterwards, just rinse and admire the clean wheel.

As I mentioned above, any wheel cleaner is overkill for a well maintained vehicle so I agree with you on that aspect. But on a completely neglected vehicle with caked on brake dust, I think wheel cleaners make a difference. This is noted on the 3rd section of my test where I compared cleaning the rear wheels with and without the use of the wheel cleaner. There were some grime/dust that I couldn't remove with just soap. I think this difference will be amplified if I did this test on the front wheels, which have more caked on brake dust.

Also, I wasn't using a pressure washer on my test. I think that having a pressure washer will make the wheels cleaner when rinsing it (without agitation) after the cleaner has dwelled on the wheels.

I like your method of wheel cleaning and think I will try it.

1. Spray wheel cleaner
2. Let dwell
3. Rinse wheel
4. Agitate and wash with car wash soap
5. Rinse

I usually spray, dwell, agitate, rinse.

Your way seems to give the wheels a double shot if you will.

I've tried it both ways and both work fine. If there's any difference, I think it will be negligible. But let us know what your results are.

 

[Pats300zx]

Great review Marc. Pretty good for a wheel cleaner you can get OTC just about anywhere. I still find the cleaning power of Eagle One Tire and Wheel Cleaner to be on par with some of the higher end wheel cleaners on the market.

 

[Migue]

Thanks for the review, will definitely pick up a couple of bottles to try out on those first time filthy jobs.

 

[jrock645]

I'll have to try this stuff after I run out of Sonax. I only do a intensive wheel cleaning like 3x's a year. This would certainly save a few bucks

 

[RaysWay]

Great review Marc!

I like your method of wheel cleaning and think I will try it.

1. Spray wheel cleaner
2. Let dwell
3. Rinse wheel
4. Agitate and wash with car wash soap
5. Rinse

I usually spray, dwell, agitate, rinse.

Your way seems to give the wheels a double shot if you will.

That is how I have done wheels for a while.

And it saves you from using up wheel cleaner! Which is usually more expensive than car soap.