Uses for the all purpose cleaner Down & Dirty

A VERY versatile cleaner

During development of our 4WD range, we found the need for a higher pH cleaner/degreaser than Orange Agent, for removing tyre browning, red dirt, grease and grime from all sorts of surfaces around a car, Down & Dirty was born from this with over 2 years R&D with our chemist putting as much cleaning power into the formula without compromising on safety. Quite unique in the degreaser space, this one has a non-caustic formula, so is not actively damaging surfaces as it cleans as more hardcore degreasers or APCs can. The latest in anti corrosion ingredients help prevent corrosion, and some pretty cool technology makes it actively dissolve minerals like those found in red dirt, clay and baked on grime. We've found so many uses for this product as time goes on, and this article will run through what we have found. 

Tyre Cleaner

The bread and butter of this cleaner and the whole reason we started developing it,  Down & Dirty is an exceptional tyre cleaner and easily dissolves heavy anti ozonant build up (tyre browning), older dressings and grime from the surface of the rubber, leaving a factory fresh clean surface ready for a tyre dressing. Cleaning the tyre in this way ensures a good bond and better longevity from a dressing like Sweet Rubber or Tyre Sheen.

To get best results from Down & Dirty, it's best to pair it with a stiff bristled brush like our Little Stiffy which was purpose built for cleaning tyres. Simply spray the Down & Dirty liberally over the tyre, scrub the entire tyre surface (NOT the rim) with the Stiffy and then thoroughly rinse off.

 

Wheel Cleaner

Thanks to its ability to dissolve heavy grime easily, Down & Dirty also makes a suitable wheel cleaner for 4WDs that don't have a lot of brake dust, or are dirty from a trip to the beach or out in the bush. If you do have a lot of brake dust, Wheely Clean is still the better option for you.

Down & Dirty also makes an excellent option for those performance vehicles with carbon ceramic brake disks, as Wheely Clean is not suitable for this surface due to the possibility of staining happening on the disk itself.

To use Down & Dirty as a wheel cleaner, simply spray the wheel surface with Down & Dirty, and leave it for no longer than 30 seconds before rinsing off. We've found pre cleaning wheels (especially ones that are very dirty) is important to prevent scratches from occurring. If you feel the need for extra cleaning power, you can spray the Down & Dirty again before agitating with a brush like our Little Chubby.

Chassis and wheel arch cleaning

Down & Dirty is safe for all surfaces you might find under your vehicle too - plastics, rubbers and metal surfaces included. We formulated it to dwell and hang on surfaces for a more effective clean, instead of running off onto the floor. We recommend scrubbing these surfaces if they are really dirty, with a Chubby or Little Stiffy brush.

Engine Bay Cleaning

 

For heavily soiled engine bays, Down & Dirty is the perfect cleaner as it makes short work of heavy grease and grime, embedded dirt and even red dirt from all surfaces. It's a simple spray on, scrub, and rinse off application and is best paired with a suitable detailing brush like The Chubby or Foursome brush set. We prefer to use a low pressure spray from the hose rather than a pressure washer when detailing engine bays, to avoid damaging electical connectors.

We recommend avoiding any single stage or porous painted surfaces under the hood, and only cleaning when the engine and all hose rubbers are cool to the touch. 

Red Dirt removal from rubber, plastic and silicone

Down & Dirty was built from scratch with red dirt/mineral removal in mind. It's packed full of these chelators (mineral dissolving) that make short work of red dirt or other mineral based dirts that can be tough to remove. We've found it works especially well on plastics, rubbers and silicone found around window seals on cars, caravans, camper trailers and boats, when paired with a detailing brush from our Foursome set. We recommend spraying the Down & Dirty into your brush rather than on the surface you are cleaning, to avoid overspray. 

 

Oil/grease removal

The heavy duty cleaning formula makes light work of heavy soil and grease, often being a one step spray, scrub and rinse for even the thickest layers of grime.
It's best to apply the Down & Dirty directly to the grease or grime that you are working on, and have a Wheels bucket with fresh water to rinse built up gunk from your brush.
 

Rubber mat cleaning

Easily tackle baked on mud from rubber floor mats with Down & Dirty - rinse the mat down first to remove as much of the dirt as you can, then spray directly onto the mat and scrub with a suitable brush like our Chubby brush. Don't allow it to dry - rinse off thoroughly.

It's best to follow up with Vinyl Revival to protect and rejuvenate the surface of the mat once dry. 

Any questions?

 

Should you have any questions about anything mentioned in this article, or have questions about other products and processes, feel free to get in touch on 1800 351 308, or shoot us an email to info@bowdensown.com.au.

 

Happy washing,

Brett Hobbs.