Patio & exterior
Bilt Hamber Auto-Foam Traffic Film Remover dupe
Why pay around £19.99 for Bilt Hamber? The bulk active is 2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+) — 81% less per working litre than a typical shelf pack.
From the retail pack to the active and the mix
1 · Retail
Bilt Hamber Auto-Foam Traffic Film Remover
5 litres · £19.99 typical snapshot
Water, alkyl polyglucoside surfactant and sodium hydroxide
2 · Active
2-Butoxyethanol (glycol ether TFR solvent)
15% on the label
111-76-2C6H14O2
Bulk 2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+)
3 · Mix
1:19 (250 ml concentrate per 5 L water → ~5%)
£0.19 per working litre · 81% less than the shelf pack
- Active
- 2-Butoxyethanol (glycol ether TFR solvent)
- CAS
- 111-76-2
- Dupe
- 2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+)
- Saving
- 81% / L
Saving is per litre of working-strength mix versus a typical pack price, not versus the DIY kit total. Shop prices move — always check the listing.
Label teardown
What the pack promises versus what the label chemistry actually is.
The marketing claim
“Pre-wash foam that shifts traffic film, grime and road salt without a brush”
The chemical reality
Traffic film removers are a glycol-ether solvent (2-butoxyethanol, CAS 111-76-2) plus alkali and surfactant. The 5 litre Bilt Hamber bottle lists butyl glycol as the active solvent — a common TFR formulation across the industry. A 25 litre drum of 2-butoxyethanol from a lab supplier diluted with sodium hydroxide and surfactant is the same working chemistry at a fraction of the branded price per litre.
Active vs filler
15% 2-Butoxyethanol (glycol ether TFR solvent) · 85% carrier / filler — Water, alkyl polyglucoside surfactant and sodium hydroxide
- Typical retail
- £19.99
- 5 litres
- Estimated active cost
- £2.88
- Scaled from bulk £18.99 / 5 litres
- Indicative markup
- 6.9×
- Snapshot maths, not a live shop price
The Marketing Claim & The Catch
A 5 litres pack of Bilt Hamber Auto-Foam Traffic Film Remover typically retails around £19.99 in patio & exterior. That is a UK shelf-price snapshot for the maths on this page — not a live shop quote or a manufacturer RRP. Listings, sizes and deals move. The marketing line is that you are buying a finished lifestyle product, not a weighed chemical.
On the pack: Pre-wash foam that shifts traffic film, grime and road salt without a brush; Dilute 1:20 or stronger for tar, sap and heavy dirt; and Safe on wax and sealant.
The catch: Traffic film removers are a glycol-ether solvent (2-butoxyethanol, CAS 111-76-2) plus alkali and surfactant. The 5 litre Bilt Hamber bottle lists butyl glycol as the active solvent — a common TFR formulation across the industry. A 25 litre drum of 2-butoxyethanol from a lab supplier diluted with sodium hydroxide and surfactant is the same working chemistry at a fraction of the branded price per litre.
- “Pre-wash foam that shifts traffic film, grime and road salt without a brush”
- “Dilute 1:20 or stronger for tar, sap and heavy dirt”
- “Safe on wax and sealant”
Proprietary Blend & Dosage Breakdown
The labelled active is 2-Butoxyethanol (glycol ether TFR solvent) at 15%. Everything else in the pack is water, alkyl polyglucoside surfactant and sodium hydroxide.
At 15% active, most of what you pay for is carrier and packaging. The brand is selling convenience, fragrance and a label — not a uniquely potent molecule.
Branded working strength is whatever comes out of the bottle. The bulk alternative is 99% 2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+), mixed to 1:19 (250 ml concentrate per 5 L water → ~5%).
- Labelled active
- 2-Butoxyethanol (glycol ether TFR solvent)
- 15%
- Carrier
- Water, alkyl polyglucoside surfactant and sodium hydroxide
- Retail pack
- 5 litres · £19.99
The Active Chemical Alternative (Dupe Stack)
The dupe stack is 2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+) at 99% bulk. Indexed as CAS 111-76-2, formula C6H14O2. Buy it as 5 litres for around £18.99 from Amazon UK.
Working strength: 1:19 (250 ml concentrate per 5 L water → ~5%). Indicative cost £0.19 per diluted litre — 81% below a typical branded pack on a per-litre basis, before you reuse leftover bulk.
Follow the mixing method and the supplier SDS. Wear the listed PPE. Do not mix incompatible oxidisers, acids or ammonia.
- Hazardous solvent. Nitrile gloves, splash goggles, outdoor or very well-ventilated area. 2-Butoxyethanol is a classified reproductive hazard at high vapour concentrations — do not spray indoors without forced ventilation. Vapour is heavier than air.
- Basic TFR dilution: add 250 ml of 99% 2-butoxyethanol to a clean 5 litre bucket. Add 4.75 litres of warm water. Optionally add 10 ml of a non-ionic surfactant (alkyl polyglucoside) for lift and foam. Label the bottle.
- Apply with a foam lance or low-pressure trigger spray. Leave 3–5 minutes on cold panels, not in direct sunlight. Rinse off with a jet washer before the solution dries.
- For driveway oil stains: apply the same 5% solution to concrete, scrub with a stiff brush, then rinse. Follow with a sodium hydroxide degreaser (see TFR + alkali driveway guide) for heavy deposit.
- Do not mix 2-butoxyethanol with strong oxidisers (bleach, hydrogen peroxide). Do not apply neat to bare aluminium or trim paint.
Dilution recipe
5 L sprayer
Working strength 1:19 (250 ml concentrate per 5 L water → ~5%). Educational estimate from the listed ratio — check the SDS before you mix.
Chemical
250 millilitres
2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+)
Water
4.75 litres
Carrier / diluent
5% concentrate · 95% water by working volume (solids are dissolved into the water share).
Required PPE
Loading calculator…
Side-by-Side Price & Potency Comparison
Head-to-head comparison
| Measure | Retail brandedBilt Hamber | Raw active dupeDupeStack |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Auto-Foam Traffic Film RemoverAmazon UK search — listing, not a confirmed seller | 2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+) |
| Pack / unit | 5 litres · £19.99 | 5 litres · £18.99 |
| Active | 2-Butoxyethanol (glycol ether TFR solvent) at 15%Carrier: Water, alkyl polyglucoside surfactant and sodium hydroxide | 99% bulkC6H14O2 |
| CAS number | Not disclosed on pack | 111-76-2 |
| Working strength | Ready-to-use pack | Dilute 1:19 (250 ml concentrate per 5 L water → ~5%) |
| Cost per litre | £4.00 / L typical pack | £0.19 / L mixed from bulk |
| Headline saving | Baseline | 81% cheaper |
| COSHH / PPE | Follow the branded SDS | Gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene)Eye protection. Indirect-vent splash goggles — not ordinary spectaclesVentilation. Use outdoors or with mechanical extraction |
Active ingredient and cheaper alternative — FAQ
Is 2-butoxyethanol safe on vehicle paintwork?
At a 1:20–1:30 working dilution on modern clear-coat it is used within the trade without damage for short contact times. The neat concentrate (CAS 111-76-2) is a classified hazardous substance — handle only with nitrile gloves in good ventilation. Never apply neat to plastic trim or vinyl. Some older lacquers and wraps are sensitive; test on a hidden panel first.
Is TFR the same as an alkaline degreaser or snow foam?
TFR and alkaline degreasers overlap — a TFR is typically a short glycol ether (2-butoxyethanol) plus alkali plus surfactant. Snow foam adds a foam booster for dwell time on panel. The difference is the solvent backbone: TFR excels at traffic film and road salt; a metasilicate or TKPP degreaser (see the patio-driveway guide) is better for oil pooling on concrete.
How do you mix the Auto-Foam Traffic Film Remover dupe stack?
Hazardous solvent. Nitrile gloves, splash goggles, outdoor or very well-ventilated area. 2-Butoxyethanol is a classified reproductive hazard at high vapour concentrations — do not spray indoors without forced ventilation. Vapour is heavier than air. Basic TFR dilution: add 250 ml of 99% 2-butoxyethanol to a clean 5 litre bucket. Add 4.75 litres of warm water. Optionally add 10 ml of a non-ionic surfactant (alkyl polyglucoside) for lift and foam. Label the bottle. Apply with a foam lance or low-pressure trigger spray. Leave 3–5 minutes on cold panels, not in direct sunlight. Rinse off with a jet washer before the solution dries. For driveway oil stains: apply the same 5% solution to concrete, scrub with a stiff brush, then rinse. Follow with a sodium hydroxide degreaser (see TFR + alkali driveway guide) for heavy deposit. Do not mix 2-butoxyethanol with strong oxidisers (bleach, hydrogen peroxide). Do not apply neat to bare aluminium or trim paint.
DupeStack provides chemical concentration data and educational mixing guides only. Wellness pages compare food supplements, not medicines or prescribed treatments. Always review the supplier Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and comply with UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and COSHH regulations when handling concentrated substances. Mixing and storage are at your own risk. Some links are affiliate advertisements (Amazon Associates, eBay Partner Network, and Awin when those programmes are live). Commissions do not change listed concentrations or calculator output.
Related guides
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Indicative DIY stack