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Safe wheel cleaner?

20285 Views 43 Replies 28 Participants Last post by Cold23HC, 2 mo ago

dodgeboy

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2015

So these are the first painted wheels I've ever owned. Most wheel cleaners say safe for chrome, or aluminum. A few say "all", but I'm always skeptical of those claims. So for those of you that have had your cat for long enough to wash the wheels a few times, what have you been using? Is it effective, and did it damage the paint/coating at all?

I'm very familiar with the dust the Brembos can produce, so I expect that any of you that have had your car for more than a month are already experts at this. Since I just picked mine up on Monday, I haven't cleaned the wheels yet. I'm not necessarily looking for something to repel/reduce the brake dust. Just a safe cleaner for the wheels. I've used Eagle1 stuff in the past, and always been happy with it.

21 - 40 of 44 Posts

MVT

· #21 · Mar 14, 2015

caren said:
We use the Meguiars in the pink bottle on ours.

Sure its not a blue bottle?

caren

· #22 · Mar 15, 2015

MVT said:
Sure its not a blue bottle?

Actually I was mistaken, it's a purple bottle.

MVT

· #23 · Mar 15, 2015

caren said:
Actually I was mistaken, it's a purple bottle.

Did you get the blue bow joke?

630

· #24 · Mar 15, 2015

MVT said:
Did you get the blue bow joke?

I thought that at first and was going to give it a funny, but then I thought maybe it really was a blue bottle since I don't use it and didn't want to look like my usual dork self.

MVT

· #25 · Mar 15, 2015

Tammie said:
I thought that at first and was going to give it a funny, but then I thought maybe it really was a blue bottle since I don't use it and didn't want to look like my usual dork self.

Soo who's the

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jaque

· #26 · Dec 22, 2015

jax wax has similar product as sonax.. it will disclor rotors a bit but no biggie will go away next ride.. but i too had a hard time cleaning my brass monkeys initially, then used the jax wax, flourcent green then purple and wow. then i rinsed with water and wiped barrels calipers backsides etc.. lot of work.. im goin to geon prep the wheels special degreaser for final prep. then apply geon wheel glass coating for wheels. withstands high heat and makes them less prone to nips and scratches.. the soap and water isnt tough enough, plus you dont want to wipe the wheels hard and that method requires that.. car is low man need to get on stands.

Lord Hellcat

· #27 · Dec 22, 2015

I tried the Sonax wheel cleaner and it was good but just seemed a lot of extra faffing about. I just use a bucket of car soap, a kitchen sponge about half an inch thick and roughly 8" x 6". This allows me to get behind the wheel spokes and get around most of the caliper. I wear some thin rubber gloves though as I kept bruising and grazing my hands from being a little bit to determined to get to those awkward parts. Jet wash before and after. Then dry them off with a master blaster. I tend to do the wheels say on Saturday and wash the car Sunday.

terryturner

· #28 · Dec 22, 2015

I use AMMO. They have a wheel cleaning kit that works amazing. If u use the Plum. You can literally see the brake dust falling off the wheels

BlackbirdWS6

· #29 · Dec 23, 2015

Sonax plus has been my go to. The original was good but plus does work better. Wheel woolie brushes make short work of the rest even though I prob could just hose them off.

Reactions: 1

SC DETAILEL

· #30 · Dec 23, 2015

I would use soap and water, but after using one of the above mentioned cleaners. Those cleaners are meant to pull the iron deposits left from using your brakes and I think everyone uses their brakes. Then you can rinse that and use the soap and water. I like to use Chemical Guys Citrus wash, various soft brushes and some wheel woolies. Keeping the inner barrels clean is a must.
Then its best to apply some form of protection, wheel wax at minimum, but a dedicated Nano-Ceramic wheel coating will change your mind about protecting wheels if you have it applied to yours.

HUMP

Siffert

· #31 · Jul 8, 2016

I am surprised nobody mentioned P21S Wheel cleaner. Safe, pH controlled, non-acid, non-lye based formula. Just spray on, wait a bit and hose off.

Reactions: 1

SRT_HC_707

· #32 · Jul 20, 2016

For my regular maintenance washes I'll often spray P21 Total Auto Wash or S100 Total Cycle Cleaner on the dry wheel. I do all four and then hit them with the pressure washer. It gets them 95 to 98% clean. Good precleaner or quick maintenance clean during the week.

I recently tried Adams New Wheel Cleaner (Blue). It works like Sonnax and it's another good product.

Reactions: 1

mfendley

· #33 · Jul 20, 2016

dodgeboy said:
I didn't get a flyer on my driver side visor. What else did it say?

Send me a PM, and when I get back from this business trip I will scan it and send it to you. Just picked my HC a week ago, and I still have that sleeve in an envelope.

Reactions: 1

Monkey PoXXX

· #34 · Jul 22, 2016

mfendley said:
Send me a PM, and when I get back from this business trip I will scan it and send it to you. Just picked my HC a week ago, and I still have that sleeve in an envelope.

Any chance you can post a pic for the rest of us?

mfendley

· #35 · Jul 22, 2016

5

Sure - here you go. Two pictures form one side of a sleeve

in english, the other two form the other side in french.

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Monkey PoXXX

· #36 · Jul 22, 2016

THANK YOU!!!

Walrus

· #37 · Aug 15, 2016

Chemical guys iron x then their wheel cleaner. Excellent results

TorRed

· #38 · Aug 15, 2016

Adams wheel cleaner has worked well for me. Adam's Deep Wheel Cleaner-16oz | Brake Dust Remover | Color Change Wheel Cleaner

why2kmax

· #39 · Aug 15, 2016

Ive been using 409 on everything from motorcycles to car wheels for years. Never a problem

Steppenwolf

· #40 · Aug 15, 2016

dodgeboy said:
I didn't get a flyer on my driver side visor. What else did it say?

It also advised (in big red blocky letters): "DO NOT PARK THIS VEHICLE AT ANY WALMART OVERNIGHT."

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