Pressure Washer not removing dirt on powder coated rims?

This thread and what is required to get wheels clean have one thing in common....Agitation!

Do you also think power washing the windows on a house gets them clean

Don't be so lazy
 
My suggestion,

Optimum Power Clean 3/1 or more diluted(or another APC that is safe on your rims), Daytona speed brush for inside the rim(has saved me so many bloody knuckles), regular wash mitt outside the rim.
 
UglyBetty said:
My suggestion,

Optimum Power Clean 3/1 or more diluted(or another APC that is safe on your rims), Daytona speed brush for inside the rim(has saved me so many bloody knuckles), regular wash mitt outside the rim.
Click to expand...


That looks like a good product. What size did you go with?
 
Use a dedicated surface coating (lots of threads here on coatings) after you thoroughly clean the wheels and prep them.

Powder coating is very durable, but I find the surface of most powder coated items seems to be not as smooth as paint, and does lend to holding onto more dust and grime than paint. A good coating should help with that particular problem and make subsequent cleaning much easier.
 
From what your saying, Just pick up some Wheel Bright. It's cheap & pretty close to a touch free wheel cleaner... Just don't let it dry on the wheels, spray it on hot wheels - and it could discolor plastic center caps.

Don't drink it or get it in your eyes. This is the type of product (acid) that a lot of quick car wash places use. Spray & rinse & done.
 
swanicyouth said:
1. Sonax FE won't remove dirt? What?

2. But, you thought touchless washing with a pressure washer would remove it?

3. Your cleaning dirt off a wheel with a Power Ball attached to a drill?

The way to clean wheels completely is to:

1. Hose them or pressure wash them down.

2. Spray them with wheel cleaner.

3. Agitate with wheel tools/brushes/etc..

4. Rinse wheels.

That's the only way the wheel is going to get factory clean. Sonax FE agitated with brushes on a wheel should remove any traffic film you can wipe off with your finger. This I am not understanding. How could it come off with said finger - but not come off with wheel cleaners and agitation ???? - as you said Sonax FE left dirt behind...

Are you just spraying the wheels, not touching them - and expecting them to be 100% clean? That can not happen.

They make special tools to clean wheels. You have to use them to agitate the dirty wheel - then rinse - to get it clean.
Click to expand...

1. Sonax works very well at removing brake dust, etc. I use it quite frequently to remove the heavier debris.

2. Yes, I thought a pressure washer would remove dirt without touching the rims. Which, it actually does, but leaves a small amount of dirt film around. I don't mind, I just expected all the dirt to come off with a tool like this.

3. The Power Ball works wonders I have to say. A friend of mine first used it on his car and I watched his rims clean up very well. I probably wouldn't clean an expensive or fancy car/rims like this, but it seems to get the job a lot faster than just using a micro fiber cloth and bucket.

I agree with these steps you recommended: "The way to clean wheels completely is to" I'm going to have to give that a try.

After a little deliberation, I've decided to keep the SPX1000. It does a fairly decent job. I can always wipe down the rest of the rim if I want a perfect job. I'm going to look into purchasing the Daytona speed brush that was recommended earlier as well. That looks fantastic at cleaning rims. I'm surprised I don't have anything quite like that in my inventory! I may have to look into some of the wheel cleaning products that were mentioned. I don't have a vast assortment of them in my garage.

Appreciate the help from everyone :).
 
I tried the wheel brush that was suggested in this forum. It works very nicely! It loosens the dirt up behind the spokes very well. Which makes it very simple to use a light spray mist from the pressure washer on it. it cleans up the rims without much effort! As far as the face goes, I've been scrubbing it with cloths and soap and I still can't get certain dirt off. I'm not sure how it's so stuck on it.
 
VISITOR said:
sometimes you have to touch the paint/wheels to get them perfectly clean as even a pressure washer can't remove a film left behind...
Click to expand...


Nothing like a little 'hands on' action to get the job done. :xyxthumbs:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top