Cleaning inside of wheels.

1LEHAWK

1LEHAWK

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I was lucky enough to buy my car a little while ago with only 22,060 miles on it. Everything was fairly easy to clean...however, there were some spots that were difficult.

I cleaned the inside of the wheels to the best of my abilities....but despite a lot of various techniques and cleaners...nothing worked on some stubborn spots of tar/dirt and grime.

Now I am yet to try the Pinnacle wheel cleaner but do ya'll have any tips?

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See ya on the road,
Matt:righton:
 
Poorboys Spray and Rinse is about the strongest wheel cleaner I have ever used. It is literally a spray and wash, but must follow directions as citric acid based. I have also used Klasse AIO with great results on my barrels.
 
clay
magic eraser
meg's wheel brightener
AIO
undiluted APC

i haven't found something yet that could stand up to all of those.
 
Neothin said:
clay
magic eraser
meg's wheel brightener
AIO
undiluted APC

i haven't found something yet that could stand up to all of those.
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:iagree: except I would only use a Magic Eraser if the wheels are not painted (says right on the box "do not use on painted surfaces"). If these are OEM wheels most likely they are painted. I can't tell from the pic what they are, but they look like they might be chrome. If they're chrome then the Eraser will be a-OK.

The Megs Wheel Brightener is EXTREMELY powerful and in my experience stronger than the Poorboy's Spray and Rinse.
 
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I just got some DP Gel Wheel cleaner today and I must say I was impressed with the results. Never using a gel wheel cleaner it was strange at first watching this gel just sit there with no suds, no run off, nothing! I thought it wasn't working, but after letting it sit for a minute I took a wheel brush and agitated the gel and there were suds galore. I wasn't sure how much to use, but I assure you don't need much(it doesn't need to run off the wheel and tire). It cleaned extremely well and brought the tire and wheel to a "new" condition. The sprayer that the gel came with however, needs improvement. It looks like a quality sprayer but the back of the sprayer is very narrow and cuts into your hand while using. Also, the sprayer kind of sprays all over with no mist, which probably has something to do with the gel. I might dilute it a little with water to make it more liquid to aid in misting the wheel and tire(kinda hard to get the whole wheel and tire with a line of the stuff squirting out!) Oh well, just my review and thoughts on a wheel cleaner. Good stuff:-) They need to improve on the sprayer:-(

dengood1
 
Lots of good gels out there for cleaning, but I would be hesitant to water them down in the bottle. If some of the surfacants are water reactive, then you might lose their cleaning power when you next use it.

I still highly suggest Poorboys, for truly Spray and Rinse needs. No agitation.
 
true, true...I was just typing before thinking....thanks Killr. What's the deal with the alcohol n' water? I see that a lot of people use it when polishing, etc. When do you use it and why? Also, do you apply pressure when using the PC and SSR's/polishes?

Dennis
 
alcohol/water mixture when sprayed on the surface will remove any remaining oils leftover from polish after it has been wiped offf with a towel. it gives you a clean slate after polishing.

yes, apply pressure and move slowly.
 
thanks Neo, I did a search and found it on the forum. Preciate/
 
Obviously the best way to clean the inside of the wheels is to remove the wheel from the car. I've never done that.

I've found if you buy a nice wheel brush, you can get *most* of the gunk from the insides without any heavy scrubbing. I use the one that Meguiar's makes, but there are similar ones available elsewhere. I like the Meg's one because its bristles are soft, and the handle is nice and rubbery.
 
having a large area between the spokes helps alot too. Just another perk of having 18" 5 spokes on the tC :D
 
MikeyC said:
:iagree: except I would only use a Magic Eraser if the wheels are not painted (says right on the box "do not use on painted surfaces"). If these are OEM wheels most likely they are painted. I can't tell from the pic what they are, but they look like they might be chrome. If they're chrome then the Eraser will be a-OK.

The Megs Wheel Brightener is EXTREMELY powerful and in my experience stronger than the Poorboy's Spray and Rinse.
Click to expand...

I second the Meguairs Wheel Brightner as some strong stuff. Never damaged
my wheels. Never use on bare aluminum or anodized wheels though. Painted
and clear coated are good to go.
 
The Wheel Brightener from Meg's I believe is from their Detailers Line, which is intended for high-volume detail shops, hence the strong nature of the product. I prefer a more gentle product that requires some agitation, like P21S, Meg's "multi-part" wheel cleaner, etc.
 
miked2 said:
The Wheel Brightener from Meg's I believe is from their Detailers Line, which is intended for high-volume detail shops, hence the strong nature of the product. I prefer a more gentle product that requires some agitation, like P21S, Meg's "multi-part" wheel cleaner, etc.
Click to expand...
P21s Gel is a great wheel cleaner!
 
Poorboys Spray and Rinse Wheel Cleaner

some have suggested the PB Spray and Rinse Wheel Cleaner. I just ordered some.....any thoughts?
 
dengood1 said:
some have suggested the PB Spray and Rinse Wheel Cleaner. I just ordered some.....any thoughts?
Click to expand...

follow the directions and you will be amazed. Cool Wheels !! Wet Wheels !! Spray Liberally !! Allow to set !! Rinse with good stream !! You wont need to use it often, but amazing, even on barrels. Just remember NEVER on uncoated aluminium wheels either !!

P21S makes one of the safest and best wheel cleaners around, but you will need to agitate the areas and its expensive. (Maybe because I seem to use alot, and wash twice weekly)
 
1LEHAWK said:
..nothing worked on some stubborn spots of tar/dirt and grime.
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Try "knocking" off the larger clumps of tar spots with a plastic edge. I use a ScrapeRite (plastic razor blade) Then apply some WD-40 or 3M cleaner to dissolve it.
Works for me!
JU
 
Any new opinions on this or new products that have came out? I am wondering the same b/c it is a pain in the @$$ for me to remove my wheels and clean them. If there is something that works well with a little agitation then I am game as I can crawl under my truck to clean them. I am not worried about the outside surface as I keep them clean with glaze and use the schmitt with soap.
 
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