usace

When I wash my car the wheels always get cleaned with just regular car wash soap. I've seen more and more wheel cleaners on the market though, and I'm wondering if I'm missing out on something. Do these cleaners really work any better than car wash soap? With my regular routine the wheels end up clean and look nice, but maybe a wheel-specific cleaner will really make them sparkle. If they are worth it then what brands are everyone using? I'd want something that would be safe to use.

I've never used any type of polish or wax on my wheels though, so maybe that in itself would really give them that POP I'm looking for.

I'd love to see some discussion on how everyone cares for their rims... products used, i.e. cleaners, polishes, waxes.

wanabe

good question that has not been discussed here in a very long time, and
you are already on the right track...

car shampoo is pretty mild and if it works that the best choice. you only need wheel cleaners when the car shampoo isnt getting it imo. i like several, but p21s wheel cleaner tops my list (dont need it on my s either, but do use it on the bmw and most other cars).
as far as a wax, you absolutely should be protecting the wheels. they have a clear coat just like your paint and it needs to be protected. i like zaino or finish first, but use several others- like wheel wax and carnubas. carnubas prob dont last very long at all on wheels, but mine also get detail sprayed periodically when they are carnubaed and the carnuba is over synthetic anyway!

usace

Cool. Thanks wanabe. I've heard a lot of good things about the p21s wheel cleaner. I may have to pick some up to give it a try. I'll also have to make time to get some wax on the rims... and I have plenty of zaino to do that with.

I'll have to set aside a few hours one day to take each rim off and go over it really well. I think I may clean, clay, polish, and wax each one. Any thoughts on this? What's a good polish to remove maybe some stubborn stains/oxidation/swirl marks for wheels? I have some mild stuff like 3M's SMR and Menzerna's FPII... or is this step really unneccesary?

Anyone else have a go-to method for cleaning and protecting your wheels?

MikeyC

IMO whether you use wheel cleaner or not depends on how dirty your wheels are.

During the summer, I wash my car pretty much weekly and if I didn't make any road trips then there is little brake dust on the wheels. So, I just use car wash soap.

If it's been a few weeks and there is some brake dust I use a gentle wheel cleaner like Zymol Wheel Cleaner, Menzerna Wheel Cleaner, or Detailer's Pride Wheel Cleaner. These three wheel cleaners (to the best of my knowledge) are all pretty much pH neutral so they're very gentle on your wheels.

When I'm cleaning a car that has REALLY dirty wheels I use Meguiar's Wheel Brightener which is highly acidic (and not safe to use on certain types of wheels). This is some nasty stuff though. I wear rubber gloves and chemical mask when I use it. Otherwise, the fumes rip up my throat. Heavy brake dust just melts off though when I spray Megs WB on the wheel. I also use it every couple of months on my car for a deep cleaning. Sometimes light amounts of dirt build up on the wheel which is not immediately apparent, but it dulls the finish. A nice deep cleaning with Megs WB will remove all this.

I also regularly protect my wheels with Wheel Wax. Wheel wax has cleaners in it so it polishes the wheels up a bit as well. Although, I can't really say how long it lasts as I only recently started using it.

demade

Great info. In the past all I have done is wash the wheels. Never thought of using any wax on them.

ruexp67

Does anyone have any information on keeping polished wheels protected from track brake dust? My "other" is my track car on the weekends and the track pads generate a LOT of dust. Some pad materials are even a little caustic in their own right.

Would wheel wax help protect the wheels from this abuse?

Emil St-Hilaire

I use Klasse AIO,topped with a few coats of Carnauba.(P21S)

mrmophandle

I'm fairly new to the whole 'baby my baby' scene, but after some research, I went with Menzerna Gel 7.5 Tire & Wheel Cleaner. It's claim to fame is it's pH of 7.5, or (hopefully) the same as your water. It's designed to be safe on all types of rims/wheels. As noted in the article, it's not a 'spray on hose off' type cleaner, and it does require a minimal amount of elbow grease to complete the job. It does cut through everything i've seen on my rims though, with little trouble.

While we're on the subject, I think the MOST important wheel care product on the market today is this little gem.. I find my wheels are much cleaner when I use this. They just get the attention they need when I'm using it.

BTW, I'm not advocating that online merchant in anyway. I happen to use them as they have the few odds and ends I need, and end up saving on S/H. Any merchant would do though.

Ubetit

I have p21s wheel cleaner but i don't think I'll ever buy any wheel cleaner again. Nothing beats regular car wash soap and a soft bristle wheel brush.

For those of you with painted and cleared rims or have a lot of brake dust use a product like Wolfgang or Zaino. Those two products definately make cleaning your wheels easier.

MikeyC

[QUOTE=mrmophandle,Dec 19 2005, 07:19 AM] I'm fairly new to the whole 'baby my baby' scene, but after some research, I went with Menzerna Gel 7.5 Tire & Wheel Cleaner.