You may not be familiar with CarScope, the new UK based detailing brand. But if they keep producing simple, quality products like CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo, you’ll be hearing a lot more about them! In this product review we look at the benefits of this powerful, versatile wheel soap and how to use Rotor on your own alloy wheels.
CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo Product Description
CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo is not simply a glorified exterior shampoo. Rotor is a deep cleaning, high strength, alkaline wheel soap with added rust inhibitors. When used at a low dilution, it is safe to use on ceramic coated wheels.
It can be diluted to differing strengths and used as a wheel soap, wheel cleaner and undercarriage cleaner. It has a clean, fresh scent which is boosted when the product is foamed.
About the CarScope Brand
CarScope is a relatively new brand, based in the United Kingdom. Their company slogan perfectly illustrates their company ethos: ‘Quality – Simplified’.
They began by developing and selling a range of pressure washer accessories. These include highly engineered spray nozzles and wands for pressure washer lances and stubby guns. CarScope UK then developed their own snow foam cannon before moving on to car care and car detailing chemicals.
They state that their mission is to simplify the process of buying industrial quality equipment for both home and professional garages. With the cleaning and detailing chemicals, their goal is ‘Preservation, not Restoration’.
Despite being a young brand, their rate of product development shows no signs of slowing. CarScope already has a dedicated following within the UK detailing scene and beyond.
How to Use CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo
CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo is an incredibly versatile product, when you consider it’s a ‘Wheel Shampoo’. You can apply Rotor to your rims in four different ways:
- Bucket
- Foam Cannon
- Foaming Pump Sprayer
- Spray Bottle
PRO TIP
Always read the manufacturer instructions before using any chemical product.
Bucket Method
The first method is to use CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo in the traditional way – in a bucket. Simply pour 30ml – 50ml (depending on water hardness) of the soap into a 5 gallon or 20 liter bucket. Then fill the bucket with water, warm water will increase the cleaning power.
Use your pressure washer to froth the mixture and create thick, lubricious soap suds. To maximise the soap suds, place the tip of your pressure washer lance or garden hose below the water line in your bucket. Then spray a jet of water into the bucket to create even more, wheel soap suds.
Apply the soap mixture to your alloy wheels using a range of suitable wheel brushes, wheel woollies and/or microfiber wash mitts.
For an in-depth guide on how to safely clean your alloy wheels, check out our PRO Detailer Tips article on the subject.
PRO TIP
Dilute in warm water to increase the cleaning power.
Foam Cannon Method
You can use CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo in a snow foam cannon and apply it directly to your wheels. Dilute the Rotor wheel soap 1:10 (1 part soap to 10 parts water) in your snow foam cannon. Apply the wheel soap foam directly to each wheel and clean your wheels using a range of suitable wheel brushes, wheel woollies and/or microfiber wash mitts, as normal.
CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo is a stable chemical, even when diluted. You can leave the mixture in a snow foam cannon and it will still produce thick foam two to three weeks later.
Foaming Pump Sprayer Method
To use CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo in a foaming pump sprayer, add 50ml of wheel shampoo into the sprayer bottle. Top this up with 1 liter of warm water, pump the sprayer to pressurise it, then spray each wheel. This method produces a higher strength mixture which is great for heavily contaminated wheels.
Apply the foam to each wheel, making sure to coat the face of the wheel and the inner barrel. Clean your wheels using suitable wheel brushes, wheel woollies and/or microfiber wash mitts.
Spray Bottle Method
If you don’t have a pump sprayer, or prefer a less foamy mixture, this wheel shampoo can be used in a trigger spray bottle. Diluting 50ml – 100ml with 500ml water will create a strong, more traditional wheel cleaner.
Ease of Use of CarScope Rotor Wheel Soap
CarScope Rotor is an easy to use, dedicated wheel soap. You can use it just like any other regular car shampoo – diluted to strength in a bucket of warm water. It can also be applied directly to your wheels via snow foam cannon, foaming pump sprayer or trigger spray bottle.
If your wheels are ceramic coated and you require less cleaning ability, increase the dilution ratio to weaken the mixture. If your wheels are heavily soiled, then decrease the dilution ration to make a strong wheel cleaner. It couldn’t be simpler!
Benefits of Using CarScope Rotor Wheel Shampoo
Whether your wheels are ceramic coated, uncoated, regularly maintained or somewhat neglected, Rotor does a great job of cleaning your rims. The alkaline formulation gives the product more ‘bite’ when tackling tough dirt.
CarScope Rotor, when mixed in a bucket, foam lance or foaming pump sprayer produces thick, slick suds. The powerful soap suds help to emulsify dirt and brake dust, lifting the contamination from the surface of the wheel.
The ability to dilute the wheel shampoo to your desired strength allows you to use the product on steel, alloy, polished or diamond cut rims. Diluted at a lower strength, Rotor is safe to use on ceramic coated wheels.
When mixed at higher strengths, you can use this wheel soap like a traditional wheel cleaner, in a trigger spray bottle. It’s also a decent tire cleaner, when used regularly. For a full, detailed explanation on tire cleaning, why not check out our in-depth guide on the best way to clean your car tires in 8 easy steps with photos.
With its anti corrosion rust inhibitors, Rotor Wheel Shampoo is a great choice to clean the underbody and undercarriage areas of your vehicle. This is best done via a snow foam lance, allowing the mixture to dwell for several minutes. Agitate the soap with long handled brushes and rinse with a pressure washer.
The big benefits of the CarScope wheel shampoo its versatility and its proven cleaning ability .
Value for Money of Rotor Wheel Shampoo
A 500ml bottle of Rotor Wheel Shampoo offers decent value for money, costing $14.00 per bottle. This puts the cost of application, based on 50ml of product, at around $1.40 per application. This may seem high but considering it can be used in a snow foam cannon, pump sprayer or trigger bottle, a little can go a long way.
CarScope Packaging
All of the current range of CarScope cleaning and detailing products come in fairly typical, standard 500ml black plastic bottles.
Many of the CarScope product bottles, Rotor included, feature a ‘Twist Dispensing Cap’. This is handy if you want to accurately dispense and measure out precise doses. I found it too slow when squeezing out the product and I prefer to remove it completely and pour out the car soap.
The bottle labelling is clean, crisp, and includes clear, easy to understand instructions. The bottle labels are printed on chemically resistant, polyester type labels.
Conclusion
CarScope Rotor is one of the best wheel shampoo that I’ve ever tested. It’s my current favourite and I use it regularly for weekly maintenance washes on my own car’s wheels.
It smells great, is tough on dirt and brake dust and makes weekly wheel cleaning quick and easy. Typically, I use Rotor in a wheel bucket and foaming pump sprayer, together with a range of dedicated wheel brushes, woolies and mitts.
The versatility of application and the ability to dilute to strength for different applications is what really makes this a great product.