All purpose cleaners, often abbreviated as APC, are multipurpose cleaners that can be used to remove a variety of contaminants. APCs usually come in liquid and spray on form for ease of use and are widely used in the detailing world due to their versatility. There is no strict formulation of ingredients for all purpose cleaners but they are usually a light to medium degreaser.

Most cleaning products such as shampoos and snow foams are designed to remove contaminants from the surface of your paintwork without affecting any protective layers. APCs are designed to remove the same contaminants thoroughly, even if it has an effect on the protective layer. APCs shouldn’t contain any ingredients that will damage paintwork so even though they can have an effect on the protective layer, they should be safe on all surfaces. An APC should be perfectly safe on paint, gelcoat, glass, rubber, plastic, or metals.

All purpose cleaners are not as strong as engine bay cleaners but they are stronger than shampoos. They can be safely used on a lot of surfaces including fabric and are very effective in cleaning seats, carpets, and fabric roofs. APCs can be used in a variety of different ways. You can spray them onto a brush to get into door jams and petrol flaps and hinges. You can spray them directly onto wheels and tyres and agitate with an appropriate wheel brush. You can even use an APC to clean up polishing pads after use.

Bilt Hamber Surfex HD All Purpose Cleaner effortlessly attacks all oil and grease based soiling, but unlike solvent based cleaners it will effortlessly clean organic, or water deposited grime. Providing performance levels that match and even exceed solvent systems, while meeting the latest standards of biodegradability.

Koch Chemie Green Star is a highly concentrated alkaline based universal cleaner which is phosphate- and solvent-free. Ideal for use on car interiors, exteriors and engine bays. With its excellent concentration rates, a little goes a long way, offering the user excellent value for money. Universally usable for the areas of workshop floor and industrial cleaning, interior and exterior cleaning of cars and trucks, and engine cleaning. Enormous dirt and oil carrying capacity makes all this possible.