Why am I so bad at cleaning wheels?

oneheadlite said:
Wheel woolies are another one I need to add to cart next order. I mainly use a short handle boars hair brush for the faces of wheels (Confession - I usually don't fret much about the barrels as a non-pro). Picked up the speedmaster brush set a while back, and found them more efficient at spraying me with dirty soapy water than deep cleaning like the BH brush. Probably mainly user error. :laughing:
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No, you pretty much hit it on the head about speedmaster brushes. They fling stuff every where and don't do near the surface cleaning as a wheel woolie as the speedmaster brush fibers part when you press down to scrub. In the pictures I posted above you can see how easy it was for me to get deep in the barrels. If you go for the WW's get the three piece kit.
 
Alright screw it, bring on the wheel cleaner. Why choose a non-acid wheel cleaner vs. an acid one?
 
Once you get them clean.......apply McKees Wheel Coating to them. I did it to all three vehicles in my family.....clean up is soap and water now
 
Ernie Mccracken said:
Alright screw it, bring on the wheel cleaner. Why choose a non-acid wheel cleaner vs. an acid one?
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Here's my take based on the ones I use:

Meguiars D143 Non Acid Wheel & Tire Cleaner.
Pros -
Cleans both wheels & tires
Good cleaning strength, adequate for maintenance cleanings.
Decent dilution ratio @2:1
Cons-
Sometimes not quite strong enough of a wheel cleaner to handle baked on brake dust

Meguiars D140 Wheel Brightener [acid based]
Pros- Strong enough for most jobs including most baked on wheels. Certainly stronger than D143.
Maintenance washes can be done simply spray on, hose off.
Great dilution ratio @4:1
Cons- Doesn't clean tires.

Note: Both those acid and non acid wheel cleaners shouldn't be used on bare aluminum wheels because they'll both etch them just the same.
 
Also keep in mind that: For all those people who are recommending "cleans up with car wash soap now"
You'll still have to bend down and agitate by going that route...

On the other hand: Choosing a spray on dedicated wheel cleaner for maintaining your wheels means simply spray on, hose off. No bending over, no bad knees, bad back, or bad anything. IMO it's the easiest way to do it.
 
I'd just cut to the chase and hit em with the Megs wheel brightener.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Also keep in mind that: For all those people who are recommending "cleans up with car wash soap now"
You'll still have to bend down and agitate by going that route...

On the other hand: Choosing a spray on dedicated wheel cleaner for maintaining your wheels means simply spray on, hose off. No bending over, no bad knees, bad back, or bad anything. IMO it's the easiest way to do it.
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There are these things called rolling seats/stools to avoid all those issues you mentioned lol.

Similar to this one.

Store detailing supplies, car waxes, polishes, towels, and wash bucket on the Detailer’s Rolling Creeper.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Also keep in mind that: For all those people who are recommending "cleans up with car wash soap now"
You'll still have to bend down and agitate by going that route...

On the other hand: Choosing a spray on dedicated wheel cleaner for maintaining your wheels means simply spray on, hose off. No bending over, no bad knees, bad back, or bad anything. IMO it's the easiest way to do it.
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Some agitation will always be needed for a completely clean surface. Are you saying that using the mentioned products as a spray on hose off method won't yield any left on dirt residue on your towel when you dry them after rinsing?
 
evo77 said:
Some agitation will always be needed for a completely clean surface. Are you saying that using the mentioned products as a spray on hose off method won't yield any left on dirt residue on your towel when you dry them after rinsing?
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I normally like to maintain the wheels on the vehicles at home by cleaning them about once a week.
Sometimes if I'm feeling lazy I'll just spray D143 and hose off. That will get the wheels & tires clean, but not necessarily pass the towel test.

Wheel Brightener can do a better job, and nearly almost pass that towel test, if you have a pressure washer it's more realistic. But either ways they're pretty clean.

Another wheel cleaner I use is Brown Royal. This stuff is definitely capable of it, even with a garden hose.

[this is not my vid]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=teZVrCL6Kv8
 
D143 works some wonders for me too. Its not gonna cut 12 years of caked on brake dust but general cleaning and somewhat neglected wheels it will kick ass
 
For wheels, really easy.

For the rim: Meguiar's Wheel Brightener. At 5:1 dilution ration it will cut through years of caked on brake dust in 1 or 2 passes. Just spray the barrel, then the face and let it work for about a minute. Use a wheel wooly or a Speedmaster brush to clean the barrel, then a detailing brush for the face and rinse off. If anything is left on the barrel, repeat for the spots that still have some dirt on them and you should have perfectly clean rims.

Now for the tires, a good degreaser should do the trick in 1 pass but I always do 2 just to be sure. Example of good products: Meguiar's super degreaser at 4:1 dilution, same for Meguiar's APC at 4:1 dilution, or even Super Clean at 4:1 ration. Spray the tire, let sit for 30 seconds then take a medium or stiff brush and agitate the tire for about 30 seconds. Just make sure to make movements in many directions so that you can clean all the ridges on the face of the tire. Then rinse. I always repeat to make sure. If the foam stays white your tire is clean, if it changes color it might need more cleaning (very rare).

Then make sure to apply protection to both tire and rim. A good water based dressing is best for the tire (or even better, a tire coating) and a good sealant or coating on the rim to help keep it clean and make future cleaning easier.
 
LydiaGP said:
In my opinion:

Buy a dedicated wheel cleaner. Makes a huge difference. They're formulated to address the specific contaminants found on wheels, and they clean tires better. I would suggest Meguiar's D143.

I use wheel woolies for the barrels and between the spokes, a wheel woolies boars hair brush for lug nut area, and a wheel MF for the face. I have a Speedmaster Jr. but I mainly use it for tight areas and motorcycles. I prefer the more dense wheel woolies as they clean quicker. Don't forget gloves too, to keep brake dust and wheel cleaner off your hands.
(IMO)

Once they're clean wax or coat them. Then you can probably get by with a wheel MF and normal car wash solution.
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I definitely agree with this ::personally::

Usually I start like I start with Mckee's Hi-Intensity APC, which does well for cleaning wheels and tires in general,

I have found using Wolfgang Wheel & Tire Cleaner to be more effective since this is the specific design of the cleaner.

Of course there is a time and place for everything. I use it when my APC is not good enough for the job.

As for as tools, I love Wheel Woolies vs. a Speed Brush ::personally::

Gloves for sure + a standard MF towel for final wipe just to make sure I got everything.

Keep up the progress!


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custmsprty said:
If you go for the WW's get the three piece kit.
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I thought that was the best route also, but now I only use the 2" one. My front brakes are too big for the 3" one to get inside the bowls, and the 1" woolie has very few places I have used it so far. I am more a fan of the ferret tail style brushes. Long, soft bristles. Obviously, this is just my case.

I found the 3 piece kit suits the professionals more than the average guy, as they will defiantly come across opportunities to use all 3 throughout the work week I'm sure. That being said, the wheel woolies are awesome and work really well. If you keep them clean they should never scratch any painted wheel either.

If I owned a truck or SUV, the 3" woolie would certainly get more use.
 
Maybe i'm just too "basic", but on my 8klb F-250 with 35" M/T's on 18" wheels with some dirty pads all i ever use is my regular soap and a dedicated wash mitt that never touches the body. Usually do 3-4 quick passes on the sidewall, and a good scrub on the wheels. Blow em off with a leaf blower, hit the wheels with some D156, and hit the rubber with D170. They go from a nice brown to like-new with 0 "wheel cleaners" or anything extra.

20170624_163413_zps1g6cvurr.jpg
 
JD3020 said:
Maybe i'm just too "basic", but on my 8klb F-250 with 35" M/T's on 18" wheels with some dirty pads all i ever use is my regular soap and a dedicated wash mitt that never touches the body. Usually do 3-4 quick passes on the sidewall, and a good scrub on the wheels. Blow em off with a leaf blower, hit the wheels with some D156, and hit the rubber with D170. They go from a nice brown to like-new with 0 "wheel cleaners" or anything extra.

20170624_163413_zps1g6cvurr.jpg
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Great thread - wheels can be the bane of my existence.

JD3020 - when it comes to my SUV, I agree. However, I also have two other cars in which the brake dust is brutal. One more so than the other. Requires a bit of dedication to ensure the wheels are properly cleaned.

I've picked up a few good tips...did I mention great thread - lol.
 
evo77 said:
Are we talking about FILTHY wheels? Or just dirty wheels?

Am I the only one who can get their wheels fully cleaned with a MF glove and rinseless wash solution? I don't waste money on wheel cleaners. But then again I only wash my own vehicles.

eurow-microfiber-interior-and-exterior-cleaning-glove-green

wg-rinseless-2.jpg
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MF gloves? Never heard of them, but they sound brilliant.
 
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