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How to Clean Wheels:
How to Clean Wheels. If you’re a car owner, you know that keeping your vehicle clean is essential not just for its appearance, but also for its overall condition. However, one area that often gets neglected is the wheels. Cleaning your wheels is crucial to maintain their longevity and prevent damage to the wheel’s finish. In this post, we’ll show you how to clean wheels effectively.
This will be a beginner level guide.
Step 1: Gather the Supplies
Before you start cleaning your wheels, make sure you have everything you need. This includes a bucket, a wheel cleaner solution, a tire brush, a wheel brush, and a microfiber towel. Don’t forget to wear gloves to protect your hands from harsh chemicals.
Step 2: Rinse the Wheels
Begin by rinsing your wheels with water to remove any loose dirt and debris. Use a hose or pressure washer to get rid of as much dirt as possible. This step is essential to prevent scratches while cleaning your wheels.
Step 3: Apply the Wheel Cleaner
Next, apply the wheel cleaner solution to your wheels. Choose a cleaner that is suitable for your type of wheels. Some cleaners are specifically formulated for finishes like chrome or aluminum, so be sure to read the label before applying. Spray the cleaner generously over the entire wheel, making sure to cover all the nooks and crannies.
Step 4: Scrub the Wheels
Use a wheel brush to scrub the entire surface of the wheel, including the spokes and the inside of the rim. For tough grime, you can use a tire brush to agitate the cleaner and loosen any remaining dirt. Pay special attention to the brake calipers and around the lug nuts. These areas tend to collect a lot of brake dust and dirt.
Step 5: Rinse and Dry the Wheels
Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed your wheels, rinse them off with water to remove all the cleaning solution. Then, use a microfiber towel to dry your wheels thoroughly. Make sure to get into all the crevices to prevent water spots from forming
Step 1: Gather the Supplies
Before you start cleaning your wheels, make sure you have everything you need. This includes a bucket, a wheel cleaner solution, a tire brush, a wheel brush, and a microfiber towel. Don’t forget to wear gloves to protect your hands from harsh chemicals.
Step 2: Rinse the Wheels
Begin by rinsing your wheels with water to remove any loose dirt and debris. Use a hose or pressure washer to get rid of as much dirt as possible. This step is essential to prevent scratches while cleaning your wheels.
Step 3: Apply the Wheel Cleaner
Next, apply the wheel cleaner solution to your wheels. Choose a cleaner that is suitable for your type of wheels. Some cleaners are specifically formulated for finishes like chrome or aluminum, so be sure to read the label before applying. Spray the cleaner generously over the entire wheel, making sure to cover all the nooks and crannies.
Step 4: Scrub the Wheels
Use a wheel brush to scrub the entire surface of the wheel, including the spokes and the inside of the rim. For tough grime, you can use a tire brush to agitate the cleaner and loosen any remaining dirt. Pay special attention to the brake calipers and around the lug nuts. These areas tend to collect a lot of brake dust and dirt.
Step 5: Rinse and Dry the Wheels
Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed your wheels, rinse them off with water to remove all the cleaning solution. Then, use a microfiber towel to dry your wheels thoroughly. Make sure to get into all the crevices to prevent water spots from forming.
If you’re a car detailer you’re learning how to car detail cleaning the wheels is super important, it provides that extra boost to the car’s appearance that you can’t really find anywhere else.
How to Clean Wheel Wells
Since we’re coming at this problem from the car detailer’s perspective we’ll give you a few extra steps that you can follow besides the “Regular Cleaning” in this section.
So obviously, the steps are going to be dramatically similar to that of the previous section.
You’re still going to:
- Rinse the Wheels with a hose or pressure washer.
- Apply the wheel cleaner, which in this case could be a wheel well cleaner. Note: most of the time “wheel well cleaner” is a stronger degreaser, so you can skip the marketing and branding and just buy some degreaser.
- Scrub the wheel wells with a new brush that we’ll go over in a minute.
- Rinse off your product and all the dirt you managed to remove.
Where cleaning the wheel wells is different from cleaning the wheels.
So, when you’re cleaning a wheel well there are some pretty obvious limitations.
- Limited Range of Motion for Cleaning
- Less visibility
- Diminished ability to pay attention to detail
That’s why you’re going to need some special equipment for the job, don’t worry it’s nothing fancy. It’s a brush with a longer handle. If you’re looking for a place to buy this item, it should be available at a local auto shop, Walmart, or Home Depot. They are also available on amazon at a few different price points.
Assuming that you now have the brush. The next step is self-explanatory.
- Use your newly acquired brush to remove all of the dirt and grime from the wheel well. Make sure to reach all the areas of the wheel well for optimum results.
After this, it is where we begin to diverge from the average person’s plan in detailing wheel wells. You’re going to want to apply a back trim restorer that you can get from Chemical Guys, Mothers, or Maguire (these are brands I trust as a professional car detailer).
This is what’ll really get you the results that you want. Here are the steps to apply it.
- Rinse off your brush and the area that you were previously cleaning.
- Apply a small amount of Trim Restorer of your choice directly onto the wheel well.
- Scrub the product in a circular motion for the best results.
- After application, wait 45 seconds – 1 minute and wash it all off.
Congratulations, your wheels should be in immaculate condition. If you’re interested in the process of cleaning brake discs and brake rotors, read on.
For more like this, read our blog on removing overspray.
How to Clean Brake Discs and Break Rotors
Cleaning brake rotors and discs without removing the wheels can be a bit challenging, but it is possible. In this article, we will guide you on how to clean brake rotors and discs effectively without removing the wheels.
For all the steps im about to mention you’re going to need a long-bristled brush that can reach deep into the wheels in order to clean the brake discs and break rotors. That will be key to getting the job done, but at some point, you will need to try and clean the discs with a microfiber towel and degreaser to get great results. It can be uncomfortable, but the important part is to be patient because it can take a while.
Tools You’ll Need for the Job: Before you start cleaning your brake rotors and discs, make sure you have all the necessary tools. Here are the tools you’ll need:
- Jack stands or ramps
- Brake cleaner spray
- Soft-bristled brush
- Microfiber towel
- Gloves
Step 1: Prepare Your Car Make sure your car is on a level surface and the parking brake is engaged. If you have access to a garage, use jack stands or ramps to lift the front or rear of the car. If you don’t have access to these tools, you can use the car’s built-in jack points to raise the car slightly.
Step 2: Spray Brake Cleaner Spray brake cleaner liberally onto the brake rotors and discs. The brake cleaner will break down and dissolve the brake dust, dirt, and debris. Be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands from the harsh chemicals.
Step 3: Scrub the Brake Rotors and Discs Using a soft-bristled brush, scrub the brake rotors and discs thoroughly. Pay special attention to the areas where the brake pads come into contact with the rotors and discs. This is where most of the brake dust and debris tend to accumulate.
Step 4: Wipe Clean After scrubbing the brake rotors and discs, use a microfiber towel to wipe them clean. Make sure to remove any excess brake cleaner and debris. Repeat the process if necessary until the brake rotors and discs are completely clean.
Step 5: Lower Your Car Once you’ve cleaned the brake rotors and discs, lower your car back to the ground. Be sure to remove the jack stands or ramps and store them in a safe place.
Cleaning your brake rotors and discs without removing the wheels can be a bit challenging, but it’s possible. By following these simple steps, you can keep your brake rotors and discs clean and functioning properly. Remember to always wear gloves and follow proper safety precautions when working on your car. If you’re not comfortable cleaning your brake rotors and discs, it’s best to leave it to a professional.
That being said, if you’re in the Miami area are you’re interested in professional car detailing services give us a call or book a quote below!
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