Cleaning Pro Wheels

What do you use? Wheelcleaner and a brush? I think a brush may scratch the black.

 

Don't use a a brush. I like to use Sonax wheel cleaner. It takes our most grime and brake dust then just use water and soap to get rid of the rest. Expensive but works well.

 

No wiping?

 

If it's not that dirty no wiping needed. If it's prettt dirty soap water and microfiber

 

I've used the 303 spray on my wheels and tires. Pretty good results. Not the best photo of the wheels.

$20 303 (30306) Marine UV Protectant Trigger Sprayer, 32 fl. Oz

https://www.amazon.com/303-30306-Protectant-Plastic-Fiberglass/dp/B000XBCURW

 

Vinegar based glass cleaner

 

Thanks all. I really appreciate it.

 

Beautiful- thanks so much for sharing. What kind of need bars are those?

 

I have used Palmolive to clean my trucks since I was 16. Just use a soft sponge on the wheels works great.

 

I'm a huge fan of Sonax, I buy it in bulk. You can get 6 packs on Amazon for a pretty good deal! I'm also a big fan of griots heavy duty wheel cleaner. Suggest buying it by the gallon.

I also coat most my wheels, either in a wheel wax, did put cquartz on my set of CCW's.

 

also, i use these for when the wheels are real dirty and need some manual scrubbing

ABN Car Wheel Rim Cleaning 3-Piece Kit – Original Brush Stick Tool Tire Woolie Wooly Wand Set (3 Brushes)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L3KDUD0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

This. This thing. Money in the bank

 

I do not recommend the above unless your wheels are polished aluminum and you are actually polishing them. THat tool is not for cleaning.

I find it funny they show it in front of a chrome plastic grill

 

+1 on the Sonax Full Effect wheel cleaner. I worked great on my Audi S4 which always had a lot of break dust. Plan to start using it on the Tundra.

 

I use 50/50 mix of 5% acidity white vinegar and reverse osmosis water (distilled would work too) in a spray bottle. It costs almost nothing and works as well as or better than most of the chemicals you will find. You could use 100% 5% acidity vinegar and it would cut through almost anything without damaging painted or metal surfaces.

 

Full effect. It's awesome.

Sonax (230200-6-6PK) Wheel Cleaner Full Effect - 16.9 fl. oz., (Case of 6)

$101 SONAX (230200-6-6PK Wheel Cleaner Full Effect - 16.9 fl. oz., (Case of 6)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECWQD4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_onfmzbHJ6MG4T

 

Might have to get this

 

You use this mixture to clean TRD Pro BBS rims?
And you've had no problems after??

 

Is there something about these wheels that makes them different than any other forged aluminum, painted wheels?

 

Another vote for Griot’s Heavy Duty.

 

Sonax for me.

 

You spray the sonax on a cool and dry wheel.
Let it dwell for 5 minutes.
Then use a $2 soft detailing brush, they are like synthetic horse hair brushes.
The sonax has an iron remover component in its chemistry. It'll go from bright yellow to purple.
Once it goes purple you use the brush to agitate it all. Takes 5-10 minutes to brush up each wheel. Just light pressure. Get into every crevice. Make multiple brush passes so over. The sonax does 90% of the work and the brushing is what makes it the chefs kiss.
You can't be cheap with the sonax , you kind of need it to make it all wet. The brush helps distribute it. If you see areas that seem dry , spray more sonax. To clean 4 wheels that are filthy, Like years of no cleaning. To clean extra extra extra good. I might need 2 bottles.

Usually to maintain. 1 bottle gets me 4 car washes/ uses. So, I use 25% of the bottle for 4 wheels. So 1 bottle let's me do 16 wheels. That seems to be my rate of consumption of sonax. But, I do do the tires as well. If I do a regular sized car wheel, not truck wheel, I can get maybe 6 uses out of a bottle, 24 wheels. And if you don't do the tires, Maybe 8 uses on car sized wheels.


Then use the hose with it highest pressure nozzle you got and blast off the sonax.

It's ph balanced. Has never messed up a wheels finish for me.

Sonax products are made in Germany. Good stuff.

Might have to do a second round after you hose off and let it dry.

The sonax spray bottle even sprays like a German made spray bottle. Really good spray spread.

In the past I've scrubbed wheels for hours. Used Palmolive, used vinegar, used acid, used almost every wheel cleaner. Used power tools. I've tried it all.

The iron remover in sonax does molecular unbonding of the iron in the brake dust and the actual wheel. Just sonax , the brush, and light agitation gets it done perfect.

Sonax wheel cleaner is awesome for cleaning mufflers and exhaust systems. Exhausts get hot then catch brake dust all day. Sonax makes exhausts look new.

 

These brushes are what I use.
They get really nasty after. Super contaminated.

Don't forget to sonax and brush your tires too. It gets all the brake dust off tires perfectly as well

After the wheels are clean I'll use a microfiber towel to dry the rims. The microfiber does the final wipe.

I've also observed that by using sonax on the wheels and tires. It all lasts better and longer. I never get dry rot or crusty sidewalls anymore. I think by keeping it clean then putting a silicone free plastic dressing on, like 303 or chemical guys. It all stays fresh up to the end of the tires life.

 

Palmolive rips off clear coat. It's too strong for automotive finishes. Not good for wheel finish and not good for paint finish.

You've been doing it since 16, you can do it till you're 100. Still wrong for automotive applications.