Armor All Cleaning Wipes help clean the funk out
Written: Apr 08 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, good for general cleaning
Cons: Lint shows on black interiors, not for heavy duty use
The Bottom Line: If you need a little something extra to wipe down your vehicle interior, check these out.
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| phungus's Full Review: Armor All Cleaning Wipes |
I got these Armor All Cleaning Wipes as part of a five-piece Gift Pack. I’ve since used them on two different vehicles and have been pleased with the results. When these run out, I will most likely buy some more.
A few years ago, Armor All released a line of these Wipes products in various different things like for cleaning, glass, and so on. I had some when they first came out and was not at all pleased because they left lint everywhere and dried out too quickly. When I bought this gift pack, these Cleaning Wipes were the only part of the package that I did not expect to use.
Armor All color codes their Wipes so that they are easily distinguishable on the shelf. The Cleaning Wipes come in purple, and they dispense much like baby Wet Wipes. You simply pop open the top and pull out a wipe from the center of the roll. There are some little catches inside the top that’ll help you stop and tear at the perforation so you don’t get too many out at once. Each sheet is 7 x 8 inches in size. I did notice that Armor All has improved the canister design since these Wipes were first released, and I think that helps give them a longer shelf life both at home and in stores.
These Cleaning Wipes have a mild ammonia smell if you sniff the canister, but the individual sheets don’t have a very strong odor. When I got done cleaning the vehicles, I did not notice any kind of chemical smell, and I have some sinus problems that give me a very sensitive nose. The sheets are lightly soiled, but don’t drip or anything like that. When you first rub them on a surface, most of the liquid will come out, and after that it stays pretty moist for a couple of minutes.
Armor All says these sheets can be used to clean fabric, but I did not try that. I prefer to use a damp cloth or just vacuum out my seats. I used these to clean the dashboard, front console, and doors of a 2001 Jeep Cherokee and my wife’s 2004 Nissan Altima. It took three sheets for the dash and console, plus two more for the front and back doors. With 25 sheets per canister, I could do one vehicle five times with one can. I think that’s a pretty good deal considering that level of detail cleaning is something I’d only do about once a month.
The 2001 Jeep I cleaned had a dark brownish/gray interior color on the dash and doors. It did not have as much surface area to clean as the 2004 Nissan, which has a dark gray/black dash and doors. On the Jeep, I did not notice any fiber or lint residue from the wipes, but on that Nissan I noticed a few little pieces on the dash. I think a lot of the complaints about the leftovers from the sheets depends on the color of your vehicle. When I first used these wipes several years ago, it was on a 2000 Dodge Avenger with a black and gray interior, and it left lint all over the place.
When you first start scrubbing with the Wipe, the cleaning agent will foam up a bit and leave some soapy white streaks on the surface. If you just rub this in, it’ll quickly go away. I found that it did a great job of getting rid of the kind of funk that builds up inside cars that are not often cleaned. I had been borrowing the Jeep from my parents while my truck was in the shop, and I don’t think they’d done anything to clean the interior besides occasionally shaking out the mats. It wasn’t filthy inside, but I thought it could use a little touching up while I was driving it.
On the shinier parts of the dash, I did notice the potential for streaking if you use the wipes while they are still too fresh. I just waited until the damp had been about half used so that it was only mildly damp before I did the shiny plastic and metal parts, then it worked just fine. Another thing I noticed is that you get much better performance from the Wipes if you use them while the inside of the car is cool. The sheets will dry out and break down much more quickly if the interior is hot or in direct sunlight.
If you have some seriously dirty stuff to clean inside your car, especially like a very old vehicle, these Wipes won’t cut it. You know how sometimes interior door handles get those black marks on them from years of use? That kind of stuff is very hard to get out. These Wipes are made for general use to remove light grime. I think they are best suited for newer vehicles to help minimize wear and tear. If you are trying to restore an older vehicle, you’re going to need some industrial strength cleaning agents.
All in all, I’m pretty happy with these Armor All Cleaning Wipes. They are easy to use and only cost a couple dollars per can. Most importantly, they do work better than a plain old damp washcloth.
Recommended:
Yes
Ease of Application: Good; takes little time to apply
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