With wheels having a huge impact on the overall appearance of your vehicle, it never looks good when they are loaded with brake dust and road grime. And with all the different factory and aftermarket wheel designs as well as coatings and materials available, it can be a bit tricky to select the most effective yet appropriate wheel cleaner for your application.
So, how do you choose the right wheel cleaner and use it properly to get the best results when cleaning your wheels?
Before you do anything, you really want to make sure you know what type of wheel you are working with, so you can match your wheels to an appropriate wheel cleaner. Do a little research by looking through any paperwork you may have, reaching out directly to the wheel manufacturer, asking friends or family, or contact our Solutions Hub Team.
The good news is, no matter what type of wheel you have, we have a great selection of products that will safely remove that brake dust and road grime. If you’re looking for a dedicated wheel cleaner designed for a specific wheel type, we offer Meguiar’s Hot Rims Wheel Cleaners. There are 3 different formulations that are engineered for a very specific material or coating.
If you have uncoated or even polished aluminum, anodized or a specialized material, Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner is a favorite among many. It is completely safe on and will not damage those delicate surfaces, or brake caliper and components, while still being effective with light agitation.
If you have factory OEM painted and clear coated wheels, and you want an effective tire and wheel cleaner in one application, you’ll want Hot Rims Wheel & Tire Cleaner. This cleaner is designed to foam away brake dust, dirt and grime, while also doing a great job of cleaning tires and preparing them for your favorite tire shine product.
If you have chrome plated wheels, Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaner is the ideal choice. It’s a powerful formula specifically tailored towards removing grime, grit and stubborn brake dust from chrome wheels
If you aren’t sure what type of wheel you have but want an effective wheel cleaner with cutting-edge chemistry that is safe on any wheel, we recommend Meguiar’s Ultimate All Wheel Cleaner. Ultimate All Wheel Cleaner is our most premium wheel cleaner, delivering powerful cleaning that’s still gentle enough to be safe on all wheels and specialized brake components. Additionally, it dissolves embedded iron brake particles, turning them to a reddish-purple.
No matter which cleaner you select, here are a few tips to keep in mind to get the best possible results when cleaning your wheels.
• Always make sure that you are working in the shade and that your wheel and brake components are cool to the touch.
• Work on one wheel at a time as this will help keep the product from dwelling too long and possibly drying on the surface
• Whether you are using a pressure washer or a water hose, spray the wheel with a strong stream of water before using a wheel cleaner to knock off as much dirt and brake dust as possible.
• Invest in quality wheel brushes and accessories. Sometimes agitating is needed so you’ll probably want a firm bristle tire brush, a soft bristle wheel face brush, and a specialty wheel brush to get in between the spokes. It is also ideal to have a premium microfiber wash mitt and a premium microfiber drying towel dedicated for your wheels.
• Make sure and rinse thoroughly to prevent the wheel cleaner from drying on the wheel.
• Follow the directions carefully. Every wheel cleaner will have slightly different directions and following the directions carefully will yield the best results and possibly prevent you from causing any damage.
• Consider surrounding components like calipers and aftermarket suspension. These can be sensitive surfaces where you want to be cautious what you spray on them.
So, while choosing the right wheel cleaner may appear complicated, we shared a few simple steps you can take to ensure you select the right wheel cleaner for your application along with a few tips to help make sure you wheels look their best !
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