When it comes to maintaining your car, the wheels often don’t get the attention they deserve. It’s easy to focus on the more obvious tasks like car washing, vacuuming the interior, or even polishing the paint, but wheels often get overlooked despite being one of the most crucial components of your car. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from tips on how to clean car wheels to proper maintenance.
Why Wheel Cleaning is Essential
Every time you drive, your wheels are exposed to harsh conditions such as mud, tar, road salt, and other debris from the road. Additionally, the constant friction from braking causes tiny particles of brake dust to cling to your car wheels which creates a stubborn layer of grime that regular washing might not remove.
The accumulation of these contaminants not only diminishes the beauty of your vehicle but also weakens the structural integrity of your wheels. So it’s important to give special attention to the wheels while you clean your cars.
Different Methods to Clean Car Wheels
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach while cleaning the wheels. It depends on how dirty your wheels are. Usually, there are 2 types of car cleaning methods - a quick clean for light dirty wheels and a deep clean for heavy grime.
Quick Clean for Light Dirt
If you regularly wash your car or don’t travel on muddy roads, a quick clean can work wonders.
Start by rinsing your wheels with water to remove loose dirt. Then, spray a pH-balanced wheel cleaner generously over the entire surface.
Let it sit for a few minutes, rinse it off, and finish by drying your wheels.
Deep Clean for Heavy Grime
If your wheels are covered in brake dust or other stubborn grime, you might need a deep clean.
First, rinse your wheels to remove all that dirt, and apply a more aggressive cleaner such as an iron remover with pH neutral formulation to tackle the contaminants. Scrub the wheels thoroughly with a wheel brush while paying attention to the details and rinse thoroughly.
Step-by-Step Guide to Proper Wheel Cleaning
Choosing the right cleaner is essential when learning how to clean car wheels. Remember that not all cleaners are created equal, and the use of the wrong cleaners can damage your wheels.
Initial Cleaning
Start by giving your wheels a good rinse with water. This helps in removing any dirt or debris and eases the cleaning process. This also helps to prevent scratches as rinsing removes the particles that could be rubbed on the wheel surface during cleaning.
Applying the Right Wheel Cleaner
Next, choose a cleaner based on the level of grime and spray it generously over the wheel ensuring full coverage. Also, check the instructions while using any wheel spray cleaning agent.
If you feel generic wheel cleaners are not safe for your car wheel, you can use other specific wheel cleaning products designed for specific types of wheels.
Deep Cleaning
For a thorough cleaning process, follow up with a good scrub to remove any stubborn stains from the wheel.
Consider using a wheel brush to clean all the crevices of the wheels and don’t forget the wheel barrels and the lug nuts which are often missed but tend to collect a lot of grime.
Final Rinse and Drying
After scrubbing all the nooks and crannies, rinse off the cleaner thoroughly ensuring no residue is left as the leftover cleaner can damage the wheel finish.
Finally, dry the wheels immediately with a microfiber cloth to avoid water spots and ensure a clean and shiny finish.
Wheel Wax
After you are done washing the wheels, finish the process by applying an appropriate wax on your wheels to bring back the shine.
Wheel wax will help to seal the wheel surface and give a cleaner look for a longer period.
Simply, use a soft applicator pad and buff the wax solution onto the wheel surface.
Things to Avoid While Cleaning the Wheels
Not Using Microfiber Towel
Many people either let the wheels sun dry or use paper towels to dry the wheels after washing. Well, if you own a car you need to know that there's no substitute for a clean microfiber towel. The only way to get rid of water spots and scratches is to use a clean microfiber cloth for the drying process.
Not Reading the Labels
If you are a DIY person, you should make a habit of reading the label and verifying that the products you are using for the wheel cleaning process are compatible and safe to use.
Using a Soap Solution
Cleaning that grimy, dirty, and brake dust-infested wheels requires a very strong cleaning agent rather than just the soapy water that you used to clean the exterior of your car. So, make sure you buy a specified automotive wheel cleaner for your car.
Using Toothbrush
A toothbrush is supposed to clean your teeth, not your car wheels!
There are a lot of recommendations on the internet to use a toothbrush, but the bristles of the toothbrush are too short for vehicle wheels and can scratch the surface. Instead, invest in soft-bristled wheel brushes so that you can clean each corner of your wheels.
Tips for Severely Neglected Wheels
If you haven’t cleaned your wheels for a long time, the task can be more challenging as brake dust tends to become deeply embedded in the wheel’s surface,
Use Heavy Duty Cleaners
In most of the cases of neglected wheels, using a stronger and heavy-duty cleaner is essential to break down the stubborn grime and brake dust. These heavy-duty cleaners are formulated with powerful chemicals to tackle the toughest buildup and restore your wheels.
Iron and Fallout Removers
Iron removers are designed to break down metallic particles that get stuck to your wheels, especially from brake dust. Iron and Fallou removers are often recognized by their color-changing properties when they react with iron particles. If you have not cleaned your car wheels for a long time, they are a must-have as they help to deal with heavily contaminated wheels.
How Do Iron and Fallout Removers Work?
When you spray an iron remover onto your wheels, it chemically reacts with iron particles causing them to break out and become water-soluble. The color-changing property indicates that it’s working - typically the color changes to purple or red.
Let the spray sit for a few minutes and rinse away the contaminants.
When to Seek a Professional
If the buildup is particularly severe, or if you are not sure about dealing with your car wheels yourself, we recommend you seek a professional.
Professional car detailers have the right tools, products, and experience to effectively clean heavily soiled wheels without causing any damage, which is often the best way to clean car wheels and ensure they are properly cared for.
Panda Hub provides one of the top car detailing services with highly experienced detailers around Canada and the USA. If you are struggling with brake dust or want to get a new shiny look for your car, contact Panda Hub now!
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Conclusion: Maintaining Clean Wheels for the Long Run
Over time, your car can accumulate dirt, brake dust, and other contaminants that not only fade the beauty of your car but also damage the car if not addressed promptly.
You can always start cleaning by yourself but remember choosing the right products and following the correct techniques is key to effective wheel cleaning.
So, next time you think about cleaning your car, don’t forget to give those wheels the attention they deserve.
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