How-To… Keep Your Car Wheels Looking Great

This is how your rims could end up if not looked after

Stop right there! Put down that hosepipe ‘cleaning’ brush and step away from the vehicle. You’re about to get a lesson in how to properly clean your vehicle’s wheels. No more household dish detergent will be used and don’t even think about using that nasty brush which scratches the finish on your rims. It’s easy to keep your car wheels looking their best and we’re going to show you how to do it in a nice and easy step by step guide. To keep your wheels in top condition there’s a couple of Must Do’s first of all.

Firstly, (and this is hugely important) you must choose the right wheel cleaner for your rims

Some cleaning products aren’t suitable for certain alloys such as polished or split-rims. If you get the wrong one, you can cause some serious damage to the finish on your wheels. After you’ve gone over them with a wheel cleaner, it’s good to also use a wash ‘n’ wax shampoo.

Secondly, you must regularly wash and protect your wheels

If you do a lot of motorway milage, or if it’s winter-time, we recommend cleaning your wheels every few days or so. Once brake dust and road grime gets onto your wheels, if left it can eat into the finish on them. Cleaning them this regularly will hopefully keep this from happening. If you’re buying a car new, it’s advisable straight away, if possible, to remove your car’s wheels, give them a good clean on the inner and outer sides, and then use a protectant wax on them too. You can buy wax specifically for car wheels but if you can’t get hold of this then just use a ‘normal’ bodywork wax. Waxing them means a couple of good things. One is that once waxed, car wheels are far easier to clean as the dirt will glide straight off. The second good thing is that all that nasty brake dust and road grime will have a far harder time eating into you wheels. You don’t need to wax your wheels every time you wash them

How do I remove stains and ingrained dirt that are already on my wheels?

These can be difficult to remove and it’s not always possible. There are more powerful acidic wheel cleaners that can clean deeply, but they can also potentially damage your wheels. One example is that if your paint or lacquer has bubbled even slightly, an acidic cleaner can get underneath this and cause more damage. There are also naturally strong (non-acidic) wheel cleaners that will do nearly as good a job and are far less likely to damage your rims.

What do I need to buy?

If you haven’t got a pressure sprayer, then just use a hosepipe nozzle, like the one in the photos. You’ll need the right wheel cleaner for your rims (see wheel cleaner reviews), and a decent soft wheel brush plus a rim wax, or alternatively a car wax, to protect them after your done cleaning them.

How to clean your wheels

1. Rinse off any excess or thick dirt.
2. Make sure that you have the right cleaner for your wheels. If you’re unsure about a product, contact the manufacturer and ask them in person.
3. Use a soft-haired specialised wheel brush to agitate the wheel cleaner. Never use a so-called ‘car-wash brush’. These are bad for your wheels and your car’s paintwork too as they can badly scratch surfaces.
4. After this, rinse your wheels off with clean water.
5. Go over your wheels again with some wash ‘n’ wax shampoo and once again rinse off the suds.
6. Finally, dry off your rims with a soft microfibre cloth and use a rim wax. If this is not available use some ‘normal’ bodywork wax.
7. The final result. Keep looking after your wheels and they’ll stay in this condition.

Top Tip

It’s not necessary to use a wheel cleaning product on your rims every time, and if your wheels are already pre-waxed or regularly cleaned, just use a wash ‘n’ wax shampoo along with a good sponge or wash mitt instead. Specialised rim wax will last a fair few washes also, so there’s no need to wax them every time (unless you’re anal about cleaning your car, that is).

A Final Word

All this cleaning may seem fussy and over the top, but you can save yourself a load of money on not having to get your wheels refurbished or even replaced. Take a look at the two photos above if you’re not convinced yet. A clean set of rims on a car always finish off the look. Well, you wouldn’t wear a pair of mucky wellington boots with a suit would you.

Questions

Got any questions or queries? Just leave a comment at the bottom of the page and we’ll answer you as soon

Have you got a thought on this How-To? What How-To would you like to see on this site? Got any cleaning tips to share? Let us know in the comments box below.