Oberk Tire Cleaner: How Does It Compare To My Favorite
by Rodney Tatum
Currently Gyeon Tire Cleaner is my preferred dedicated tire cleaner. Part of my motivation for testing Oberk Tire Cleaner is the claim that it can be used in a rinseless wash capacity. I decided to compare Oberk Tire Cleaner to Gyeon Tire Cleaner.
For my evaluation of Gyeon Tire Cleaner click here.
I have been using both products for several months to generate a fair comparison. I wanted both products to be evaluated several times during different seasons and after multiple long road trips when I would go weeks between car washing. I have used Oberk Tire Cleaner in a rinse and rinse free method.
Like most products, try not to use this Oberk Tire Cleaner in direct sunlight. I did not test this product on wheels.
What you see pictured on the ground (pictured below) is grime from the tire prior to rinsing at the 30 second mark.
Although they are both adequate (good) tire cleaners, I prefer Gyeon Tire Cleaner slightly. There was not a dramatic difference, but I do believe Gyeon Tire cleaned the tires more effectively. I also think Oberk is a more versatile (better) option for those who are looking for a dedicated tire cleaner. It can come down to what is important to you.
Early on in my testing Gyeon Tire appeared to be a much more noticeably superior product with respect to cleaning. I discovered over time Oberk Tire Cleaner can perform just as well if the product is more heavily saturated on the tire. I personally found spraying the tire several times, then spreading the product with the tire brush, and then spritzing the tire brush a couple of times prior to scrubbing the tires will consistently get the tires very clean. The concern I had with using this method is I was not as comfortable just wiping off the product with a wet or dry towel. I found rinsing off the product prior to wiping may be necessary if you are using more than a moderate amount of this product. This may be a drawback if you are using Oberk Tire Cleaner with the intention of it being a rinse free product.
For those that are evaluating the cost, I do believe Oberk Tire Cleaner is a more cost-effective product. I do also believe the cost differential is a little exaggerated (misleading). I have noticed in comparison of other tire cleaners, using less product with Gyeon Tire Cleaner. I cannot totally quantify that amount due to the many variables, but a little bit of Gyeon Tire Cleaner often goes a long way.
Thanks for the comparison Rodney! I was just considering both and wound up going with Gyeon. Good to know the Oberk stuff did well.
Tuff Shine is less expensive than either of these. Ive been using Tuff Shine for over 5 years and it does a great job. Before Tuff Shine I used Meguires APC at various strengths based on the condition of the tire and what I wanted to do with it. APC is the most cost effective of them all. I really only needed Tuff Shine for when I was preparing to coat a tire. Do you use a specialty tire cleaner all the time or just for some tires?
I do for the majority of my tire cleaning use Gyeon Tire Cleaner. Although Oberk intrigued me for rinseless, my #2 most used product would likely be Gtechniq APC, as that is usually the one APC I have on me.
Some may not be as good as others but generally there really is a lot of good stuff that will get most people to point B. If you got a product you like, especially at a better price point, I often encourage people who are reluctant to just stick with what is working.
I really do like Gyeon Tire as it gives me the best results with the least fuss. Often that makes or negates the extra cost for me.