CarCareTruth Score
Decent, but wear gloves and ventilate.
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Prices may varyThe manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet classifies this product with one or more GHS Category 1 health hazards — the most severe tier. The hazard statements in quotes below are the verbatim GHS language from the SDS, as required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard. The line under each statement translates the GHS classification into plain language.
GHS Category 1 eye damage — classified as causing irreversible eye damage on contact.
If splashed in eyes:
Call Poison Control immediately at 1-800-222-1222 (US, 24/7, free) and have the product container with you. Poison Control's standing guidance is to not induce vomiting after chemical exposure; they will direct first-aid steps based on the specific product.
About this product's hazards. This product's Safety Data Sheet lists the Category 1 health hazard code H318, even though its signal word is WARNING.Read the manufacturer's SDS and follow all safety instructions before use. CarCareTruth ratings translate the manufacturer's safety sheet. They do not replace the SDS or substitute for a hazard assessment specific to your task.
Health score is for adult use as intended, per the manufacturer's SDS. It does not model child ingestion, accidental spill cleanup, or off-label use. See the safety panel below for full hazard classification, and /disclaimer for the full editorial scope.
GHS hazard codes are quoted from the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet. PPE tiers below translate those codes and the listed ingredient chemistry; they are not CarCareTruth recommendations.
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Translated from the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet, Section 2
H318 (serious eye damage, irreversible) appears in SDS Section 2 mixture-level classification for the concentrate, with the GHS05 pictogram. SDS Section 8 calls for tightly fitting safety goggles under Eye/Face Protection. At 1:15 working dilution the alkaline concentration is substantially reduced, but eye protection remains warranted given the concentrate-level H318 code, for both concentrate handling and working-solution spray application.
U.S. regulatory standard
29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1); 1910.151(c)
“The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from… liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids…”
ANSI Z87.1 (chemical splash protection — incorporated via §1910.6)
OSHA standards apply to workplaces. Cited here as the U.S. reference threshold for the underlying hazard class.
CarCareTruth publishes the cited sources verbatim and does not advise what action a user should take. Consult the full SDS before use.
Only when: prolonged use · handling concentrate
Translated from the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet, Section 2
H315 (skin irritation, Category 2) appears in SDS Section 2 for the concentrate. SDS Section 8 calls for protective gloves under Skin and Body Protection, without naming a specific usage trigger. At 1:15 working dilution the potassium hydroxide concentration drops well below a corrosive threshold and irritation risk is low for brief contact, so gloves are carried as a situational precaution for concentrate handling and for prolonged or repeated contact with the diluted product.
U.S. regulatory standard
29 CFR 1910.138(a)
“appropriate hand protection when employees' hands are exposed to hazards such as those from… chemicals which produce an adverse effect on the skin or eyes…”
OSHA standards apply to workplaces. Cited here as the U.S. reference threshold for the underlying hazard class.
CarCareTruth publishes the cited sources verbatim and does not advise what action a user should take. Consult the full SDS before use.
Only when: handling concentrate · in enclosed space
Translated from the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet, Section 8
SDS Section 8 states no special respiratory protection is required for standard use; NIOSH/MSHA-approved respiratory protection is called for only if exposure limits are exceeded or irritation is experienced. Section 2 carries no inhalation hazard code for the mixture, so this is a boilerplate conditional precaution for concentrate handling or use in an enclosed, poorly ventilated space, not a routine-use respiratory hazard.
CarCareTruth publishes the cited sources verbatim and does not advise what action a user should take. Consult the full SDS before use.
No PPE specified in published sources for ventilation. Absence does not imply “not needed” — consult the full Safety Data Sheet.
PPE tiers translate the manufacturer’s SDS and U.S. regulatory standards. Not professional safety advice. How we report safety.
Scope of these PPE tiers. The tiers on this page translate the product's Safety Data Sheet where one is published, plus its ingredient chemistry, into a comparable rating. They describe a formulation, not a situation: a tier is not a safety determination for any specific user, task, quantity, or environment. The manufacturer's label and use instructions govern how the product is handled. Where the product is used at work, the employer's PPE program and hazard assessment under 29 CFR 1910.132 decide what protection is selected, not this page.
No warranties. CarCareTruth makes no warranties, express or implied, and expressly disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
This product ranks #13 of 14 in All-Purpose Cleaner (APC).Three above it ↓
Last reviewed August 1, 2026
TL;DR Mothers Professional APC dilutes 1:15 for general cleaning down to 1:3 for engine bays and heavy grease. Mildly alkaline at working dilution, not corrosive. No Prop 65 warning. Eye protection is warranted: the SDS classifies serious eye damage (H318) at mixture level, plus eye and skin irritation (H319, H315) that persist at working dilution. Four confirmed dilution ratios make it a versatile pick, but the SDS-driven health profile keeps it short of the Recommended badge.
This potassium hydroxide-based concentrate covers the full automotive cleaning range: 1:15 for general exterior and interior surfaces, 1:10 for carpet and vinyl, 1:5 for heavy spot cleaning, and 1:3 for engines, tires, and greasy buildup. The alkaline builder is the primary cleaning mechanism; a small glycol-ether co-solvent at well under 1% in concentrate aids grease lifting. Community evidence is Amazon-primary: it's well-reviewed by owners there. No independent forum thread documentation was available at build time, which holds confidence at provisional.
Buy it if you need a single concentrate that spans interior panels through engine-bay degreasing. The gallon format delivers strong per-use economics. Skip it if you need a confirmed-biodegradable formula (the SDS §12 does not support that marketing claim) or a near-neutral pH product safe on wax and leather without careful dilution management.
SDS signal word is WARNING. The concentrate carries H318 (serious eye damage) and H319 (eye irritation) from the alkaline builder, plus H315 (skin irritation); H318's serious-eye-damage classification is not reduced by working-solution dilution. At 1:15 working dilution the overall alkaline load (pH) drops substantially. Eye protection is warranted for both concentrate handling and working-solution spray use. No Prop 65 chemicals per SDS §15. At working dilution, VOC is under 1 g/L and no aquatic-toxicity codes appear in the SDS mixture classification.
Mothers recommends four ratios depending on the task: 1:15 (water to product) for general purpose cleaning, 1:10 for carpet, vinyl, and upholstery, 1:5 for spot cleaning and heavy soiling, and 1:3 for engines, tires, and greasy buildup. The 1:15 dilution is the baseline for routine exterior and interior cleaning.
At 1:15 general-purpose dilution, the pH is substantially reduced from the concentrate level. The KOH alkaline builder at concentrate strength is responsible for the H318 eye-damage classification · at working dilution the alkaline concentration drops significantly. The manufacturer markets the product as safe across a wide range of automotive surfaces at recommended dilutions; owner feedback does not show documented paint-damage reports. Avoid soaking waxed or sealant-treated surfaces for extended periods with any alkaline cleaner.
No. SDS Section 15 explicitly states 'This product does not contain any Proposition 65 chemicals.' The product listing for ASIN B00PZQI0Y2 is also free of a Prop 65 flag.
The product listing describes the product as biodegradable. SDS Section 12 states 'The environmental impact of this product has not been fully investigated' and provides no quantitative biodegradation data. No confirmed biodegradability credit is applied to the environment score · the marketing claim is unverified against a quantitative standard such as OECD 301B.
The SDS on file (document WPS-MPWC-1304, Revision 2) was issued 2016-10-14, approximately ten years before this review was written. Mothers may have reformulated since · particularly with respect to 2-butoxyethanol, which came under increased regulatory pressure in the 2020s. Scoring is based on the available SDS. If you are using this product professionally or frequently, confirm with Mothers whether a current SDS is available.
Marketing copy from Mothers, via Amazon. Not editorial.
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