How to wash wheels and tires INSIDE without a water hose by Mike Phillips

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

How to wash wheels and tires INSIDE without a water hose by Mike Phillips


Recently I needed to wash a set of wheels and tires inside Autogeek's Show Car Garage. Due to the restrictions in Autogeek's lease, we are no longer permitted to wash any cars, truck, suvs or boats outside the Autogeek building. Here's the car, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 with the Mercedes-Benz, designo Mountain Grey Magno matte paint option, which is an extra $2,500.00.

You can read my review for the GYEON Q2 Matte Ceramic Coating here.


2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 with the designo Mountain Grey Magno matte paint option

Wash dirty wheels without running water?

No problem.


I practice Kung Fu Detailing. In Kung Fu Detailing, there are no problems... only solutions waiting to be discovered. When I view car detailing everything is in a liquid motion, anything can be accomplished. All it takes is experience and the power to think-through to a solution.

Is washing dirty wheels the BEST way to get a set of wheels clean? The answer is no. Of course not. But when you have zero other options then you make a way.



Here's my product and tool choice, I'll list everything below this first pictures.

From left to right...


Wheel Woolies Boar’s Hair Wheel Brush

TUF SHINE Tire Brush

Large Multi-Purpose Brush

Cobra Blue All Purpose Microfiber Towels 3 Pack

Cotton Terrycloth Wash Cloth - Autogeek does not carry these but I keep them in our garage for doing dirty grunt work when you wouldn't use a microfiber towel.

TUF SHINE Tire Cleaner 22 oz

SONAX Glass Cleaner

303 Automotive Protectant - Repackaged version of 303 Aerospace Protectant

Metro Blaster SideKick

Meguiars Even-Coat Applicator - 2 Pack - Any microfiber applicator will work, this one was just close to my hand.



Behind the SONAX Glass Cleaner

Autogeek Chemical Resistant Pressure Sprayer



And on the floor under each tire to capture dirt, brake dust, road film

The Supreme Guzzler Waffle Weave By Cobra, 20 x 40 inches



Here's a close-ups of everything I used...

Here's a before shot of the tire and wheel

Here you can see a build-up of oily road film and brake dust.

If you don't know where ROAD FILM comes from read my article here and look at the pictures.

Here's the AFTER picture after cleaning the tire and the wheel.
Note: I had not applied the dressing yet in this picture.

Tire Coating & Tire Dressing

Here's the tire and wheel after hand applying the Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating to the rim and spokes and the 303 Protectant to the tire sidewall.

Note: After applying and working in the 303 Protectant to the tire sidewalls, the tires were then wiped dry using the Cotton Terrycloth Wash Cloth. The Metro-Vac was used to blow the rinse water out of all the nooks and crannies after rinsing with the Autogeek Chemical Resistant Pressure Sprayer as well as to blow out any excess tire dressing around the rim so it would not sling off when the car was driven.

Method of ceramic coating application

I used a simple yellow foam applicator pad to apply the PBL Diamond Surface Coating to the outside rim, center section and spokes.

Here's the final results...

A clean, ceramic coated rim with cleaned and protected tires. Not bad considering I did this without a water hose.

Process

Here's my process - sorry no action shots, I was by myself.


Step 1: Spray Tuf Shine Tire Cleaner onto tires and scrub with the Tuf Shine Low Profile Tire Brush. (The Tuff Shine company spells the word Tuf with one f)

I did this twice to each tire and after each scrubbing I used the Autogeek Pressurized Sprayer (with only water in it) to rinse the tires and then I used the cotton terrycloth wash cloth to wipe the tires clean and dry.


Step 2: Spray the outer rim, center section and spokes down with SONAX Glass Cleaner and then agitate with the Wheel Woolies Boar's Hair Wheel Brush.

SONAX Glass cleaner is great at removing oily vinyl fog and smoker's film off the inside of car windows while leaving the glass streak-free. This characteristic also makes it viable for cleaning off oily road film from wheels while leaving them "mostly" streak free.


Step 3: Rinse the wheels after agitating the SONAX Wheel Cleaner with the brush using water from the Autogeek Pressurized Sprayer.

Because you can pump up and pressurize the sprayer, it works really well to create a CONSTANT stream of spray water to rinse off the glass cleaner and everything it loosened.


Step 4: Blast the wheel using the MetroVac Sidekick to blow off and blow out all the standing rinse water.

This works great for getting every drop of water out of the tight and intricate areas PLUS it also dries the wheel at the same time. The Green Guzzler Waffle Weave Drying Towels did a great job of collecting all the run-off water all around the wheel including the backside.


Step 5: : Using the blue microfiber towel, I gave the rim, center section sides of spokes and back of spokes a final wipe to remove any residual water.

These towels are simple, universal towels and worked just fine for this final wipe.



Step 6: I applied the 303 Protectant to the tire sidewalls.

For this I applied the product twice, working the protectant INTO the rubber with a massaging action and some old fashioned elbow grease. After application I wiped the sidewall dry to remove any excess protectant to avoid sling onto the body panels and I also used the MetroVac Sidekick to blow out around the edge where the rim meets the tire again - to remove any excess protectant so it wouldn't sling out when the owner drover off in the car. I love this tool and I think everyone should have on in their tool arsenal.



Step 7: Using a simple foam applicator pad I wiped-on the Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating and the gave the wheel a final buff using a fresh, clean blue microfiber towel .

The final wipe removed any high spots as well as helped to spread out the product for uniform coverage. Note: Applying a ceramic coating to a wheel does NOT prevent road film and brake dust from accumulating onto the wheel. It simply makes future cleaning faster and easier.



The Autogeek Chemical Resistant Pressure Sprayer

A little bit about the pressure sprayer. This is the tool that enabled me to clean the wheels and the tires inside the garage without running water from a water hose. Again - I could do a much better job outside the garage using running water and the Speed Master Wheel Brush and the Wheel Woolies to get to the wheel barrel, but that's for OCD people that are actually going to CONTINUE doing this type of cleaning and the majority of car owners don't do this. So cleaning what I could access with the tools I shared above is more than sufficient for this type of situation.


Here's the Autogeek Chemical Resistant Pressure Sprayer with only clean water in it. You can use it with various cleaning chemicals and although the rubber O-rings in the spray head are chemical resistant I would still recommend emptying the sprayer when you're through using it with a chemical and then filling the container with clean water and then flushing clean water through the sprayer. An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure. Once you get into the habit it's fast, easy and a no-brainier.

Besides being able to pump up the sprayer to create pressure, the cool feature about the sprayer is the adjustable nozzle.

Before rinsing a tire or a wheel I adjusted the nozzle to be in the sweet spot for rinsing. The sweet spot is not to adjust the nozzle to the extreme open side for a STREAM of water and not adjusted the nozzle to the extreme closed side for a FINE MIST of water but right in the sweet spot for a all-encompassing SPRAY of water.

This spray pattern worked perfect for FLUSHING the dirt off the tire and the rim after agitating with cleaners and brushes.

And that's the way you do it. rops:



And the good news is, you can get everything but the cotton terrycloth wash cloths at Autogeek.com


Wheel Woolies Boar’s Hair Wheel Brush

TUF SHINE Tire Brush

Large Multi-Purpose Brush

Cobra Blue All Purpose Microfiber Towels 3 Pack

Cotton Terrycloth Wash Cloth - Autogeek does not carry these but I keep them in our garage for doing dirty grunt work when you wouldn't use a microfiber towel.

TUF SHINE Tire Cleaner 22 oz

SONAX Glass Cleaner

303 Automotive Protectant - Repackaged version of 303 Aerospace Protectant

Metro Blaster SideKick

Meguiars Even-Coat Applicator - 2 Pack - Any microfiber applicator will work, this one was just close to my hand.

Autogeek Chemical Resistant Pressure Sprayer

The Supreme Guzzler Waffle Weave By Cobra, 20 x 40 inches

simple yellow foam applicator pad

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating


Not pictured

Orange Heavy Duty Nitrile Gloves

I wear the XXL size but the link above will take you to the main landing page where you can order the size that fits your hand. I recommend getting one size larger than you think you wear to simply make them easier to put on and take off.



Hope that helps you if you're ever in a position where you need to clean and protect a set of wheel and tires and you don't have access to running water. It's not the best option but sometimes it's the ONLY option.


Comments, feedback and questions always appreciated.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

And here's the link to my GYEON Q2 Matte Ceramic Coating Review


Review & How-to: GYEON Q2 Matte 50ml by Mike Phillips

Here's final results...

 

[acuRAS82]

Thanks as always for finding and communicating solutions in easy steps. No special prep was needed for the PBL Surface Coating. Doesn’t surprise me since it’s very non-fussy. Can you confirm success with the surface coating of n wheels after only a thorough cleaning with glass cleaner?

 

[57Rambler]

As Bruce would have said ... "Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation"

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Thanks as always for finding and communicating solutions in easy steps.

I'm just a Blue Collar Working Class Dog - Woof woof...

No special prep was needed for the PBL Surface Coating. Doesn’t surprise me since it’s very non-fussy. Can you confirm success with the surface coating of n wheels after only a thorough cleaning with glass cleaner?

I could have and should have followed up with a panel wipe but in reality, these wheels are painted and the paint is impermeable. so there's really nowhere for anything to hide.

Microfiber by itself removes things off surface GREAT.

A glass cleaner cleans GREAT.

So if you have a impermeable surface with a great glass cleaner and a towel that uses microscopic size fibers that works great at removing "things" - I'm pretty sure the wheel surface was clean. The carrying agents in the PBS Surface Coating would take my pre-clean efforts over the top.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

As Bruce would have said ... "Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation"

That's good....


Thank you for taking the time to add.

 

[Markymapo1]

Fantastic advice as those living in the Northeast can really understand. My technique was close to this but will use the method described above to turn it up a notch. Thanks Mike !

 

[mc2hill]

Great information Mike!

I do something similar when cleaning the wheels on pre-war cars - 24" rims, 4 sided wooden spokes, and cleaning both sides of the tire! The pressure sprayer really makes this type process work well.

If you don't have a pressure sprayer, pick up one or two. They are great for pre-rinse, etc. And you really get what you pay for. The inexpensive ones work ok, for a short time, but if you get one that is a better quality unit it will work smoother and last longer.

 

[acuRAS82]

I could have and should have followed up with a panel wipe but in reality, these wheels are painted and the paint is impermeable. so there's really nowhere for anything to hide.

Microfiber by itself removes things off surface GREAT.

A glass cleaner cleans GREAT.

So if you have a impermeable surface with a great glass cleaner and a towel that uses microscopic size fibers that works great at removing "things" - I'm pretty sure the wheel surface was clean. The carrying agents in the PBS Surface Coating would take my pre-clean efforts over the top.

Dumb question: you say these painted wheels are painted and the paint is impermeable. Is this a common characteristic for most painted wheels nowadays?


If not, or even if so, how can I figure out if my painted wheels are impermeable versus my body paint, which obviously is not impermeable (or “permeable”) and has peaks and valleys all over. Is it the harder/denser metal of wheels that make it impermeable, versus the less dense, lighter weight of the vehicle’s body sheet metal?


Note: if the Benz wheels are impermeable, I would guess these are too:

View attachment 68781

View attachment 68782

View attachment 68783


And I’m guessing these Chevy ones may not be based on feel and I don’t know if they’re painted :

View attachment 68784

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Dumb question: you say these painted wheels are painted and the paint is impermeable.

Is this a common characteristic for most painted wheels nowadays?

It's common to any factory painted wheels.

Impermeable simply means not porous.

Permeable means porous. Straight aluminum wheels would be permeable, or porous. This is why you NEVER want to use an acid-based wheel cleaner on uncoated aluminum wheels, the acid will stain the surface AND penetrate INTO the aluminum and stain it deeper.


Too bad you couldn't make MTE - I taught a class on how to prep and install ceramic coatings and covered the topic of permeable and impermeable as it relates to panel wipes and towels. Good stuff. No one besides me ever breaks this info down.


I also cover it in my GYEON review here,

Review: GYEON Q2 ONE Enthusiast Ceramic Coating by Mike Phillips


It's the paragraph under this image and the heading GOAL

The Big Picture
There is NO MYSTERY behind why you move the applicator block in this pattern EXCEPT to ensure UNIFORM COVERAGE over an entire panel or section of a panel. That's it. If you think you can create uniform coverage using a circle motion or ANY other pattern for applying a coating then go for it. The crosshatch pattern is a universal easy to duplicate pattern that anyone can master.


Goal
When applying a coating, the goal is to work the product over and into the paint (as much as is possible as clearcoats are impermeable), until you basically see the product disappear. I find it's easy to make the product disappear in the middle of panels but around the outer edges where I usually lift off the foam block I always leave a high spot or smudge. Under-using the product makes it easier to apply until it visibly disappears. It also makes it more difficult to see a film being deposited. Somewhere in the middle of too little and too much product is the sweet spot you're aiming for and with practice you'll fine tune your application or installation process.




The above is a good example of what I can do on a forum that I cannot do on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter, etc.,

You cannot format text and include pictures and text in a linear format on other social media touch points.


Heck, I just scanned my how-to and review article and there's enough information to make a BOOK.


:laughing:




The BIG PICTURE is this,

When working on paint that is impermeable or not porous - there's NO PLACE for residual oils or any other substances to go but lay ON THE SURFACE. Thus a good wipe with a clean microfiber towel will remove most of anything on the surface. A second wipe wit a "panel wipe" and a clean towel should remove everything. I teach a 2 Pass Method that includes the Insurance


Again - from my review and how-to

Review: GYEON Q2 ONE Enthusiast Ceramic Coating by Mike Phillips



Mike's Method --> Wet Pass followed by Insurance Pass
This is my method, you can come up with your own if you don't like mine. I wipe a car down twice.

The first pass is a very wet pass to remove 98% of any trace oils or other substances. This is called the Wet Pass.

After wiping down the entire car I then wipe the car a second time only I dramatically reduce the amount of Prep I use, this is a moist paint I call the Insurance Pass. This second pass insures I have thoroughly removed any and all trace residues.



Make sense?

 

[acuRAS82]

Mike, you are saying that factory clearcoat on the body panels is also impermeable, correct? It is stated in the first sentence under the “Goal” heading above. I was thinking that the microscopic pits and valleys in the paint we always talk about would have made it permeable and then was thinking that factory painted wheels were that much smoother/impermeable... but I’m realizing from your post above that factory clear coats are considered impermeable, on wheels or body panels.

If what I summarize is correct, then in your wheel cleaning regimen, the glass cleaner is essentially cleaning good enough to act as the final panel wipe... thus not a must to do the final panel wipe after cleaning with glass cleaner.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike, you are saying that factory clearcoat on the body panels is also impermeable, correct? It is stated in the first sentence under the “Goal” heading above.

I was thinking that the microscopic pits and valleys in the paint we always talk about would have made it permeable and then was thinking that factory painted wheels were that much smoother/impermeable... but I’m realizing from your post above that factory clear coats are considered impermeable, on wheels or body panels.

As any paint type ages it becomes more permeable or porous. The wheels on the Mercedes-Benz were brand spanking new.


Also - if you machine polish older paint you undo the aging damage and restore an impermeable surface. Most people machine polish or do paint correction to all cars before installing a ceramic paint coating.

If what I summarize is correct, then in your wheel cleaning regimen, the glass cleaner is essentially cleaning good enough to act as the final panel wipe... thus not a must to do the final panel wipe after cleaning with glass cleaner.

Cleaning with the glass cleaner followed by using a dedicated panel wipe would be better. I was just too lazy to get off my butt and get one. That and all the things I pointed about about the paint on the wheel being new and thus impermeable.


Good questions...

Going deep down the rabbit hole...


:dblthumb2:

 

[acuRAS82]

Thanks Mike, and I do also wish I had attended your class.