What to use to clean your wheels?

zer0cool said:

Hi, what should I use to clean the car's wheels? I have standard 19in silver wheels.

I looked into Meguiar's yesterday and they have 3 kinds of cleaning solutions, one for chrome (so not that), one for regular coated wheels, and one for uncoated aluminum and various other aftermarket wheels.

I assume the Tesla factor wheel is coated aluminum so the 2nd kind of cleaning solution should be used?

Or do you recommend other types of cleaning solutions?

Thanks

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Dirt on the wheels is pretty much the same as dirt on the rest of the car, so all of the so-called wheel cleaners are just a marketing gimmick to sell more stuff -- make it seem "specialized" and it moves off the shelf faster. I use the same solution on the wheels as I do on the car body -- plain old car wash. Works fine and you wouldn't see any difference. Many wheels are powder coated and some of the specialized wheel cleaners can do some harm.

Yea. I use an auto detailer.

One of those brushes from Girot's Garage. The "soap" doesn't really matter (as others have said).

artsci said:

I use the same solution on the wheels as I do on the car body -- plain old car wash. Works fine and you wouldn't see any difference.

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+1

While the car and wheels are still wet after washing, I spray both car and wheels with either Turtle Wax "1-Step Wax&Dry" or Meguires "Shine As You Dry! Quick Wax", then dry. This will provide a thin wax coating to help protect and make it easier for dirt removal at the next cleaning.

artsci said:

I use the same solution on the wheels as I do on the car body

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+2 It is my understand that the wheels are clear coated so same soap as you would any other painted surface. I use this brush.

Spend a little more and get these they have lasted me over a year on three cars and I use them every week, best wheel brushes I have ever bought.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dautomotive&field-keywords=Chemical+Guys+ACCM10+Wheel+Woolies+Wheel+Brushes

Thanks for the tip. I'll get a set.

Brightonuk said:

Spend a little more and get these they have lasted me over a year on three cars and I use them every week, best wheel brushes I have ever bought.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dautomotive&field-keywords=Chemical+Guys+ACCM10+Wheel+Woolies+Wheel+Brushes

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I've used Sonex Wheel Cleaner with success.

Amazon.com: Sonax (230200-755) Wheel Cleaner Full Effect - 16.9 fl. oz.: Automotive

Not only has it done a good job on the wheels, it's made to clean the calipers and discs.

Sonax Full Effect
Megauir's DUB
P21S Wheel cleaner
CG Diablo

Clean with a wheel brush and a Daytona brush.

artsci said:

Dirt on the wheels is pretty much the same as dirt on the rest of the car, so all of the so-called wheel cleaners are just a marketing gimmick to sell more stuff -- make it seem "specialized" and it moves off the shelf faster. I use the same solution on the wheels as I do on the car body -- plain old car wash. Works fine and you wouldn't see any difference. Many wheels are powder coated and some of the specialized wheel cleaners can do some harm.

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I agree, some if not most of the wheel cleaner can leave stains on powder coated wheels. It happened to my wheels.

You will need a specialized wheel cleaner only when corrosive brake dust is baked onto the wheel.

I use Sonax wheel cleaner. I think it works much better for the wheels than the Optimum No Rinse which I use on the rest of the car.

Water and a towel for the rims.



Black Magic tire gel for the tires.

I have been getting it hand washed. So it gets taken care of then. Between washes a soft rag/towel will get the dust off. Although thanks to regen braking, not much brake dust.

For any of you with 21"s, I would really suggest getting the rim guards from Evannex. They work and have saved my rims from curb rash several times. They blend right in or you can have a highlight color.

My car has been hand wash as well, but somehow the wheels still got stained. So I assume it's the chemical from wheel cleaner. Any idea how to get rid of the stains? I tried some liquid wax to buff it out, seems not working!

In the first video we use Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner and show how to clean wheels.

The second video shows off the newer and better Sonax Wheel Cleaner PLUS used on coated wheels.

Since making the second video we've been exposed to an even better wheel cleaner called TUGA Alu-Teufel Spezial Gel: Tuga free wheel rim cleaner Alu-Teufel Spezial Gel 1L: Amazon.co.uk: Car Motorbike though you can purchase it stateside from carpro-us under the name TUGA Aluminum Devil Special (wheel cleaner).

I absolutely swear by Iron-X - looks to be similar to the post above where it turns red when washing. You use a spray-bottle to apply and simply rinse off. I've used this on wheels I thought were way beyond being able to clean properly and this stuff is magic! No brushes, no scrubbing - simple towel dry at the end and your wheels, calipers and even most of the inside portion of the rim are spotless!

Iron X Iron Remover, CQuartz IronX, Paint Cleaner, paint decontamination

So this can remove stubborn stains without damaging the clear coat as my wheels are powder coated, I was told not use any cleaning agent but soap and water

FlatSix911 said:

You will need a specialized wheel cleaner only when corrosive brake dust is baked onto the wheel.

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You really don't need any special cleaning solution except when you have something unusual such as tar on the wheel. Any cleaning solution runs the risk of staining, etching, coating, etc. the wheel. Most of the time just plain water and an appropriate brush will remove the dirt. If you have tar, use bug and tar remover. If you have something baked on, you may need a specialized cleaner.
Same thing goes for cleaning the paint. Any cleaning solution could damage the paint and plain water works great. All cleaning solutions are designed to remove grease, wax and oil and you definitely don't want to remove the wax from your paint.