Help me choose a wheel and tire cleaner.

Bill1234

Bill1234

New member
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
2,647
Reaction score
0
I have used alot of wheel and tire cleaners in the past. Mothers,meguiars,simple green,d143 diluted, etc. I can never fine anything that actually strips all the dirt off without having to dilute it so much or the product has huge amounts of acid in it. Can anybody here recommend something that can be used on almost all wheels and tires and is either dilutable or little needs to be used, and will no break the bank.
 
I love the Sönax Wheel Cleaner Plus for the wheels and the Sönax Multistar for the tires and wheels wells
 
Bill1234 said:
I can never fine anything that actually strips all the dirt off without having to dilute it so much or the product has huge amounts of acid in it.
Click to expand...

Bill, the only wheel cleaners that "actually strip all the dirt off" are hydrofluoric acid or caustic cleaners. With "normal" wheel cleaners you have to help them by agitating, brushing, etc.
 
OPC. too versatile to ignore, plus it's affordable because it's a concentrate. can be used for so many tasks and at full strength or 1:1, it's a pretty damn potent alkaline cleaner. even cut with three to five parts water it's very effective for cleaning real grime.

and it's safe for carbon brake rotors.

imo no need for a dedicated wheel cleaner nowadays tho i know there are some good ones out there.

i bought Sonax at a while back in bulk and barely use it.
 
I try to wax or seal every inch of the car. So my question is are theses specific cleaners really necessary.

I know people love buying different products, I'm no different. But if things are protected and you stay on top of it, I don't see these specific cleaners necessary

When I wash, I either use separate bucket of megs soap on wheels or I'll just use whatever rinseless wash im using on the car. I wipe the wheels down after im done with the car. No scratches in the wheels yet
 
I think Im going to have to go with brown royal, it can be cut to different dilution ratios and is very strong. Sonax , while it does work is much too expensive for me, If needed I will stick with an 8 dollar bottle of dub wheel cleaner which technically does the same thing as Sonax.
 
It depends on how long it has been between cleanings. I use three buckets, one of which is solely dedicated to wheels. I hit the wheels with OPC while I am getting everything else together. Once I make it around to the wheels with the Wheel Woolies, everything comes off pretty easy. Could I get by without OPC? Probably so. Does it make cleaning the wheels easier? That is an affirmative.
 
Optimum Power Clean. I have found that it will handle also anything at 1:3. While the gallon is $39.00, I believe, when you can make 4 gallons if cleaner with 1 gallon of OPC, it is pretty cheap.
 
The best wheel & tire cleaner is: You.

Most of the wheel cleaners will get the job done when used correctly with some tools from AG on well maintained wheels. I'm assuming since your on this forum, your wheels are pretty well maintained.

There is no spray and rinse miracle product that is safe for routine use. They will all require agitation and a bit of time at the wheel to get the wheel perfectly clean.

If the wheels are not well maintained, that is a different story.

If your brakes are throwing off a ton of dust - switch to ceramic pads. If you haven't already done so - OptiCoat your wheels. These two things will do far more to make wheel cleaning easier than any wheel cleaner.

Brown Royal is just another chemical that is higher on the pH scale (basic). I prolly wouldn't be using it routinely on my wheels.
 
Bill1234 said:
I have used alot of wheel and tire cleaners in the past. Mothers,meguiars,simple green,d143 diluted, etc. I can never fine anything that actually strips all the dirt off without having to dilute it so much or the product has huge amounts of acid in it. Can anybody here recommend something that can be used on almost all wheels and tires and is either dilutable or little needs to be used, and will no break the bank.
Click to expand...

Ever tried P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner? I hear great things about it and it's decently effective if you buy the Liter.
 
swanicyouth said:
The best wheel & tire cleaner is: You.

Most of the wheel cleaners will get the job done when used correctly with some tools from AG on well maintained wheels. I'm assuming since your on this forum, your wheels are pretty well maintained.

There is no spray and rinse miracle product that is safe for routine use. They will all require agitation and a bit of time at the wheel to get the wheel perfectly clean.

If the wheels are not well maintained, that is a different story.

If your brakes are throwing off a ton of dust - switch to ceramic pads. If you haven't already done so - OptiCoat your wheels. These two things will do far more to make wheel cleaning easier than any wheel cleaner.

Brown Royal is just another chemical that is higher on the pH scale (basic). I prolly wouldn't be using it routinely on my wheels.
Click to expand...

I will have to disagree with you. I have never used Wheel Brightner but after seeing this video I will very likelly order some with my next purchase.

First product I see that works by itself, not scrubbing needed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a5JpZF75RU


If others can do just as good a job, please let me know!
 
Calendyr said:
I will have to disagree with you. I have never used Wheel Brightner but after seeing this video I will very likelly order some with my next purchase.

First product I see that works by itself, not scrubbing needed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a5JpZF75RU


If others can do just as good a job, please let me know!
Click to expand...

WB generally is not considered safe for routine use. I have a gallon of it - but don't really use it. Yes, it works well. However, the acid can damage the finish to things like lug nuts, plastic center caps, calipers, and possibly even clear coated wheels themselves over several repeated uses. Plus, it can be bad for your health if breathed in or it gets on your skin.
 
I've found PoorBoy's World Wheel Cleaner to be a fantastic product and affordable. The only thing I've found is I need to rinse out the spray nozzle after use otherwise it clogs inside..


Another superb product is Meguiar's Super Degreaser . Diluted 1 part product to 4 parts water, Meguiar's Super Degreaser works great on wheels, tires, or any soiled area requiring a heavy duty clear..........:props:
 
I just acquired Duragloss wheel cleaner and also the whitwall tire cleaner. Will be using them next week. Being a Duragloss product, price is good and haven't had any underperform yet.
 
Bill1234 said:
I think Im going to have to go with brown royal, it can be cut to different dilution ratios and is very strong. Sonax , while it does work is much too expensive for me, If needed I will stick with an 8 dollar bottle of dub wheel cleaner which technically does the same thing as Sonax.
Click to expand...

If you're going to purchase Brown Royal, message me first. I only used 4oz from from a gallon and wasn't impressed with it honestly. Its been taking up shelf space and id like to get rid of the gallon.
 
builthatch said:
OPC. too versatile to ignore, plus it's affordable because it's a concentrate. can be used for so many tasks and at full strength or 1:1, it's a pretty damn potent alkaline cleaner. even cut with three to five parts water it's very effective for cleaning real grime.

and it's safe for carbon brake rotors.

imo no need for a dedicated wheel cleaner nowadays tho i know there are some good ones out there.

i bought Sonax at a while back in bulk and barely use it.
Click to expand...

out of curiosity , can you link me to some info about OPC being safe for carbon ceramic brake rotors ? My new car has got these brakes and ive been going out of my way trying to figure out what products I should use when cleaning my wheels and tires without damaging anything. Its my understanding that its not very easy to visually see if they are damaged, but its VERY easy to degrade their performance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top