Wheel cleaning
- Thread starter raaizin
- Start date
I clean all my alloy wheels with purple degreaser spray and plenty of water from the hose. Avoid harsh or acidic / alkalane cleaners if you can. For stubborn stains I use cheap window cleaner and again rinse clean with water. For bolt holes you can use a hamster brush....yes weird name I know.
I recently bought this stuff from Turtle Wax and was impressed. Of course I bought it on sale so the price was much better. I got two & wish I'd gotten several more. ( 2 for $12 versus $12 ea. )
I like these brushes:
www.chemicalguys.com
I use Superior Dark Fury. Cheap, powerful, and versatile.
Rimpaca Ultimate Wheel Brush Set (3 Pcs) | Chemical Guys
The Rimpaca Ultimate Wheel Brush 3-piece set combines ultra-soft, supremely fluffy heads with ergonomic handles for a versatile brush set. Use these to clean hard-to-reach spots around your wheels.
www.chemicalguys.com
I use Superior Dark Fury. Cheap, powerful, and versatile.
Thanks, this is what I am looking for.I like these brushes:
Rimpaca Ultimate Wheel Brush Set (3 Pcs) | Chemical Guys
The Rimpaca Ultimate Wheel Brush 3-piece set combines ultra-soft, supremely fluffy heads with ergonomic handles for a versatile brush set. Use these to clean hard-to-reach spots around your wheels.
I use Superior Dark Fury. Cheap, powerful, and versatile.
No problem. I fell down the "YouTube detailer" rabbit hole a while ago but have since come back to reality and focused on products that are effective and inexpensive.
Personally, I've found that the best tool for the job varies based on how the wheels are styled. For wheels with large openings between spokes (e.g. any derivative of the classic 5 spoke design) I've used a sponge on a stick - an old school $1 dishwashing tool - to clean the barrels. Cheap and effective (but not the kind with a scotchbrite scrubber pad!). For denser spoke designs (more like, say, Alpina style) I've used something more like a stick-sponge-on-a-stick which would include something like the wheel woolies and clones linked earlier.
For chemicals, lately I have been coating the wheels annually with GTechniq C5 wheel armor, and I clean with Meguiars D143 diluted 2:1 for daily/weekly washes and the German brake dust comes right off.
For chemicals, lately I have been coating the wheels annually with GTechniq C5 wheel armor, and I clean with Meguiars D143 diluted 2:1 for daily/weekly washes and the German brake dust comes right off.
That should be the mantra for every detailing, or cleaning job.
But I do have purple degreaser in my cabinet…which I use to spot treat oil drips on the garage floor, since it's stronger than Simple Green.
Only time I've used a dedicated wheel cleaner in a very long time was to remove some iron contamination from overdue brakes. Usually, it's the last of the wash soap in the bucket, which works the same on the clearcoated paint on the wheels as it does the rest of the car.
Elbow grease is the most effective tool to clean wheels, but it requires some effort, especially on something like BBS cross-spokes, or other designs with lots of nooks and crannies.
I tried the Adams and it did a good job but I pretty much used the whole 16oz bottle in 1 use.. Seems like a lot to spend 12-14 bux every time I wanna' cleans my wheels..
I'm guessing the chemical means less than the "elbow grease"
I use name brand car wash soaps on my wheels, always keep a good coat of wax on them and I never have a problem with brake dust buildup. I have been using Meguires marine wax lately (started as that is what I had on the shelf) and find that it seems to make wheel dust easier to wash off but YMMV. As mentioned, effort as opposed to chemicals is key.
This is actually really good. You'll go through it pretty fast though. That Dark Fury is pretty potent stuff.
Last edited:
I use P & S PROFESSIONAL DETAIL PRODUCTS - Brake Buster Wheel Cleaner - Non Acid, Removes Brake Dust, Oil, Dirt, Light Corrosion, a Rag Company wheel mitt https://www.amazon.com/Rag-Company-...fix=rag+company+wheel+mit,aps,200&sr=8-1&th=1 and a Woolywormit wheel brush https://www.amazon.com/Detailing-In...iber-Scratching/dp/B07S2FQ9D7?ref_=ast_sto_dp
Also use a high temperature sealant on the wheels instead of wax. This will keep the brake dust off. I did this on my boss' range Rover sport. Can you swap to semi-metallic or ceramic brake compound to reduce brake dust?
