Best Alloy Wheel Cleaners

[GregoInc]

Folks,

For some time now I've been researching the best bang for buck wheel cleaner for alloy rims. Products such as Sonax have been widely recommended, so I'm wondering what other products are out there? I dont mind paying a few bucks if I am getting a quality product.

All recommendations appreciated :D

Thanks, Mark

[towside]

Hey Mark,

This stuff is the sh1t, if you have a high pressure washer you rarely need to EVER wash it by hand ever again :)

http://shop.finalinspection.com.au/product_info.php/cPath/33/products_id/202

Can't recommened this enough!

:)

[morph]

Yep, FI PWC is the be all and end all of wheel cleaners available currently.

[Pharkus]

So from the description it's an acid. Anyone care to enlighten me as to how that does not eventually "eat" away at your wheels? (perhaps I am a bit over cautious)

I use:
- Car wash in a bucket
- Meguiars bottle brush
- Elbow grease

[Jig]

Never, never, never use wheel cleaners with acid agents. In fact, in my personal experience, even if the wheel cleaners says it does not contain acid, I simply refuse to entertain the idea of using any "specialise" wheel cleaners. I have been burned by this and do not plan to repeat it. I simply use warm water with soap to clean my wheels and a bit of elbow grease.

[ido09s]

Wheel cleaners suck

You cant go past a bucket and a sponge :)

[Lucas_R]

Armour All Wheel Cleaner (about $10) is bloody fantastic stuff. Don't bag it until you've tried it guys. Ive been detailing both professionally and casually for nearly 15 years now and have never been a fan of the acid cleaners due to how harsh they are on the paint on the wheels. Ive tried sooo many different cleaners over the years, this stuff is brilliant and also very well priced. This stuff works better than other cleaners ive used that were 2, 3,or 4 times the price.

I dont use it each time i clean my car - normally only every few washes. I still prefer a bucket of warm suds and a sponge - but when time is short this spray is a fantastic option.

http://www.armorall.com.au/content.aspx?id=47

An another note, yet still related. If your concerned about the level of brake dust, why dont you change your pads. I got some Remsa pads (made in Spain) from GSL Rallysport and they are soooo much better on brake dust. See here >> http://www.vwgolf.net.au/showthread.php?5855-DIY-changing-upgrading-the-brake-pads-on-Golf-R

[towside]

I trust Damian from Final Inspection and his product(s), i used it for 3 years on my 3 piece deep dish Racing Hart wheels which had clear coated polished lips without a single problem/discolouration etc. I will continue to use this product and if my rims "eat away" i'll rock up to his business and invoice him for a new set of wheels :)

[ido09s]

I dont understand how people can use high pressure cleaners on anything painted as I was always of the belief all they successfully did was drive the dirt into the paint. I was always told the best wash is a soft wash with a soft hose and sponge

[towside]

i guess it depends on the power of the pressure cleaner,the nozzle your using and how close you stand to the vehicle, i always keep a reasonable distance so it soaks the vechile as apposed to blasting the crap out of the paint.

[morph]

Pharkus - I can understand your reservation but naturally there is ACID everywhere in our environment, acid rain is part of any developed city. FI comprehensively tests all their products and constantly provide create improved and better revisions, it is all about the concentration / dilution and dwelling time as well as a final clean / rinse, they deal with all sorts of cars from exotics to collectors etc.... They are one of your safest bets.

I can understand peoples reservations but if you have never used FI products or even know the reputation FI behold as one of the best detailing companies globally in the world then I suggest you refrain from commenting your mis-guided assumptions.

I've used his PWC v1 and v2 on many wheels and finishes from Rays wheels to advan wheels and now the OEM wheels of the .:R it is fine and works a charm.

If you prefer the good old fashioned way of elbow grease go for it there is nothing wrong with that but with gloss black wheels you will also swirl the crap out of it.

as long as you follow these instructions your wheel will be safe:
PWC can be diluted but is best applied very thinly to all areas of the Wheel when the wheel is COLD, NEVER apply to a HOT wheels, Calipers or Discs.

Applying thinly will allow PWC to 'stick' to surfaces that aren't flat and allow the product to dwell. Recommended Dwelling time is 30seconds to 1 minute max. Agitation as stated earlier, is not necessary but will aid in the break down of brake dust on heavily soiled wheels and brake parts. We recommend adedicated Wheel Brush.

When the Wheel has had the Brake Dust removed, we Highly recommend Washing the Wheel with Body Shampoo and a dedicated Wash Mitt for Wheels only.

[morph]

I dont understand how people can use high pressure cleaners on anything painted as I was always of the belief all they successfully did was drive the dirt into the paint. I was always told the best wash is a soft wash with a soft hose and sponge

all depends on the angle you high pressure hose and distance, as long as you do it on like a 45 degree angle so the water is sheeting off the panel there is no harm and at a resonable distance. You will NOT drive dirt into paint by using a high pressure cleaner, dirt / grime cakes up and settles in the clear after prolonged sun baking more specifically bird / animal excrement and or dried water drops.

[fuzion]

morph, agree with you im just mentioning its rebottled. Its not his own product specifically. I have bottle here somewhere rather as well, never said its bad!

diablo from cguys isnt bad either, and also autobrite wheel cleaner gel (which you can go 50/50 which works out cheap for a good cleaner) as well.

For the 9000 golf r owners with black wheels i would just go a wheel sealant, those wheels need to stay glossy and clean always imo :) lol

[Pharkus]

@morph- Good to know. If I ever do opt for a wheel cleaner I will definitely give the FI product a go.

[Gogi]

Sonax is by far the best cleaner i have ever used on my wheels! Infact im looking at buying it in bulk as it is soooo good!!!

[morph]

@morph- Good to know. If I ever do opt for a wheel cleaner I will definitely give the FI product a go.

If you ever do you won't be dissapointed ^_^

[morph]

Sonax is by far the best cleaner i have ever used on my wheels! Infact im looking at buying it in bulk as it is soooo good!!!

That sonax wheel cleaner would be my second choice but the colouring on it worries me tbh, try the FI PWC before you commit to a bulk of Sonax you might be surprised :)

[ido09s]

I guess each to their own, but i wont go anywhere near my cars with a high pressure cleaner and have always found that normal car wash is fine with washing wheels. That being said, if you expect to be able to wash your wheels every 10,000klms and have them come up looking brand new then you are sadly wrong

I wash my cars regulalrly enough to have no need to worry about the brake dust sticking to/eating into the painted surface. I take the wheels off every couple of months and clean the inside and they look as good as they will ever get after many years and klms with quite dusty brake pads. My Volk GTC's are over 7 years old and they look better than some of the sets i have seen that were built 2 years ago :)

[towside]

Morph glad we are on the same page :)

[morph]

Morph glad we are on the same page :)
;)

I've been using FI products and snoop around the detail addiction community since 2007 so yea heh.

[towside]

Likewise mate, after they detailed my ute in 2007 never looked back :) used to get on that forum also heh

[DrK]

NXT on my rims.
High pressure, separate microfiber mit, rinse. Done.

[derek]

car soap + water + sponge

[fuzion]

my recommendations are on assumptions here.. as i don't know much we could say ........... lol

[fuzion]

Sonax is by far the best cleaner i have ever used on my wheels! Infact im looking at buying it in bulk as it is soooo good!!!

You might as well get Wolf's Chemicals Decon Gel, its a later updated formula and much cheaper to use overall if you purchase in bulk.

5 Litre here (http://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/wolfs_chemicals/brake_duster_wheel_cleaner/5_litre)

[BenR]

Whatever that stuff is you sold to my brother is epic to the power of 10

[J.T]

car soap + water + sponge
x2

[GregoInc]

You might as well get Wolf's Chemicals Decon Gel, its a later updated formula and much cheaper to use overall if you purchase in bulk.

I've heard really good things about this product... and I especially like that it can be left on the wheels i.e. doesn't need to come off in 30 secs.

[fuzion]

http://youtu.be/g7Fkkw-vVIQ

Its pretty damn good. But its not a true cleaner as such. Good maintenance but for cleaner there are a lot around. Choose whats right for you, but some you use less even though they cost you more they will be cheaper to use overall.

[GregoInc]

Its pretty damn good. But its not a true cleaner as such. Good maintenance but for cleaner there are a lot around. Choose whats right for you, but some you use less even though they cost you more they will be cheaper to use overall.

This video says it all I think...
http://youtu.be/glnnfdXqnJc

So when you say...
But its not a true cleaner as such. What do you consider a good cleaner?

[morph]

Anyone that uses a sponge on the paint or wheels is in danger of swirling / marring their paint / clear coat severely, it is one of the worst items you can use to clean anything painted.

Anything with such a strong colour concentration I'd be a little bit weary about it touching the paint and or staining it if not completely rinsed off or even staining your drive way if you care about that heh.

Since you are all in the mood for videos here is a video of PWC v1.0 it is now since 2 years and 2.0 has come out.


http://youtu.be/QyfikqllhtY

[towside]

+1 morph

[fuzion]

morph, nice video. but i can go and get any wheel cleaner which is semi decent with a commercial grade high pressure cleaner and it'll do the same. Not being rude! Its a really great cleaner, and far better than most but its not uncommon for that to happen when using high pressure water.

I was showing the chemical reaction of carbon/brake dust fall out on the wheels with the wolf's chemicals decon gel/brake duster product.. similar to sonax. very unique. Can also be used on paint as decontamination as well apparently. Have yet to try that..

Personally, wheel sealant is the way to go. Its much cheaper, more effective and protects your wheels. But .... what do i know lol *stir*

[morph]

Fuzion heh fair enough its the chemical reaction changing color that worries me with that product other than that I quite like it.

I would say not all wheel cleaners can clean off brake dust like that even with a industrial grade high pressure hose, to be honest my cars wheels caked up with brake dust for 3 weeks all I did was PWC and garden hose 1 pass and it cleaned most of it off didn't even bother with a second pass but with the second pass I'm sure it would look pretty flawless if this can be done with something as a garden hose.... >.<"

Wheel sealant only really lasts 2-3 months maybe 4 if you are lucky but with the amount of heat cycles that goes through the wheels it can brake down the durability of the sealant much quicker that also depends on the heat transfer properties from your brake to hub to wheel etc... I've tried wheel sealants previously and yes they do help to a point but brake dust still eventually builds up on it probably takes 1.5x - 1.75x extra to build up and generally if washed weekly it does rinse off pretty easily but lets face it that's just for normal daily driving.... go to a spirited run / track day it is just fairly pointless as it will just cake up like crazy when you are hard on brakes.

I respect everyone's opinion and everyone can do anything they want it is their car! I'm merely just trying to inform the greater public that there are great products out there and should be tried as it makes life alot easier and at the end of the day saves time, to me time is very important :D Oh as I've said previously if it werent for PWC i probably would use that SONAX / Wolf wheel cleaner but would need to be extra careful on the application so it dosent get on to the cars paint and unfortunately for windy days that is quite hard not to do!

[towside]

I would like to add you do not need to use a high pressure cleaner to do that, prior to getting one i used to use a garden hose with nozzle and it would just fall off in the same fashion.

for 18 bucks its good bang for buck.

[sli]

Is the Meguirs wheel cleaner any good? I think its in a pink bottle.

Anyone know if there is any issues with cleaning your car with bore water?

[fuzion]

Bore water can stain your paint as its quite harsh. (water spotting, also a pain to dry as you will marks left over)

I would suggest grabbing a inline filter from a pool shop or bunnings maybe.. Makes a big difference as you can get some lovely water spotting over the paint :p

[stephen8512]

sorry to be noob but what is bore water? I just use the tap from my garden, hooked up to a garden hose and hook that up to my karcher pressure hose.... will the water that comes from the tap be bad or something? it does say not for drinking and I think is recycled water or something?

[fuzion]

Stephen



Bore water is ground water which accumulates in
aquifers from seepage of rain and rivers through
layers of soil and rock.
A water bore is a way of gaining access to these
groundwater sources.
An aquifer is formed through layers of sand
or fractured rock in which the pore spaces or
fractures are filled with water. These formations
store and transmit ground water which can be
accessed by using a water pump.
Some bore water contains chemical and
microbiological hazards that are potentially
harmful to health. These hazards may occur
naturally or be due to contamination.
What types of bores are there?

[Jig]

Bore water is unfiltered water. For a recycled water area I would definitely get a filter. In fact some special car paints like the lamborghinis and ferraris have written in the care & instructions to use filtering system for water washing.

[Sammy]

Duragloss wheel cleaner ftw.

[saad]

Chemguys diablo wheel gel, and P21S.

[saad]

Oh yeah the best and strongest wheel cleaner every is Poorboys, but not safe to use on a few surfaces, but man its STRONG

[stephen8512]

Stephen


Bore water is ground water which accumulates in
aquifers from seepage of rain and rivers through
layers of soil and rock.
A water bore is a way of gaining access to these
groundwater sources.
An aquifer is formed through layers of sand
or fractured rock in which the pore spaces or
fractures are filled with water. These formations
store and transmit ground water which can be
accessed by using a water pump.
Some bore water contains chemical and
microbiological hazards that are potentially
harmful to health. These hazards may occur
naturally or be due to contamination.
What types of bores are there?


Bore water is unfiltered water. For a recycled water area I would definitely get a filter. In fact some special car paints like the lamborghinis and ferraris have written in the care & instructions to use filtering system for water washing.

Thanks gents!

[fuzion]

Stephen, grab one from any pool shop or etc. I may have one here around i will take a look for you. You can "test" it for me if you like lol.

This will also deteriorate your sealants/waxes as well sometimes :(

But forget wheel cleaners, Nanolex Rim sealant lasts more than 4 months as its true 100% nanotechnology, it doesn't wear of as quick as polymers due to the nano structure even with the heat dispersal going through the brakes to the wheels. 5 + months so far right now on mine and i don't drive politely .. lol

[sli]

sorry to be noob but what is bore water? I just use the tap from my garden, hooked up to a garden hose and hook that up to my karcher pressure hose.... will the water that comes from the tap be bad or something? it does say not for drinking and I think is recycled water or something?

Bore water comes from the ground. A machine system is used to do this. You can't drink it as its not filtered.

[stephen8512]

Bore water comes from the ground. A machine system is used to do this. You can't drink it as its not filtered.

Cheers buddy!


Stephen, grab one from any pool shop or etc. I may have one here around i will take a look for you. You can "test" it for me if you like lol.

This will also deteriorate your sealants/waxes as well sometimes :(

But forget wheel cleaners, Nanolex Rim sealant lasts more than 4 months as its true 100% nanotechnology, it doesn't wear of as quick as polymers due to the nano structure even with the heat dispersal going through the brakes to the wheels. 5 + months so far right now on mine and i don't drive politely .. lol

Thanks mate

And I have to agree, I have nanolex rim sealant on my talladegas and the brake dust seems to clean off easier. I mean, I always wash my car every week to 2 weeks or so depending on weather so the brake dust and dirt never gets a chance to cake onto the rim. THe sealant has been on the car for a good 3 months now...no problems with it whatsoever. Water beads and rolls off nicely too.

ALso, slightly off topic but I also recommend the NANOLEX paint sealant and the glass sealant too. I had opticoat done by Dave @ Reflect effect for the paintwork but I applied the nanolex glass sealant on my car after getting a bottle from pierre @ car care products. It's a great product for when it rains and Sydney has had its fair share of crap weather lately.

[Jig]

Chemguys diablo wheel gel, and P21S.

P21S killed my work wheels.

[Rob32R]

So which one do you think is the best alloy wheel cleaner?

[towside]

your kidding right, have you read the thread?

[Rob32R]

your kidding right, have you read the thread?

I have read the thread and there all different responses and favourites.

So in conclusion to all the Alloy wheels cleaners.

Which one do you all reckon is the best out of all of them and is worth buying?

[fuzion]

your kidding right, have you read the thread?

say that again!

[derek]

say that again!

your kidding right, have you read the thread?

[Paul_OH]

Which one do you all reckon is the best out of all of them and is worth buying?

Rob, there's a few different favourites out there depending on who you ask, as shown in the thread. I've used most of those listed and all products shown work very well and represent the better products on the market. There is no single 'best' so before you get flamed, choose any of the main 3-4 listed and they'll serve you well.

[Rob32R]

Thanks guys.

Cheers.

[towside]

http://hotnerdgirl.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/double-facepalm1.jpg

[saad]

P21S killed my work wheels.

Wow really? was this on the lip for the anodised/bare metal finish?

[GregoInc]

So which one is the best... (only kidding)

[towside]

:)

[HaywireTig]

Nice to see that Nanolex is part of this topic. I was beginning to feel if I got the right products although I didn't get any wheel sealant (yet. Cos I haven't got my wheels yet). Also got them from Carcareproducts online cos I live in Melbourne. ;)

[HaywireTig]

http://hotnerdgirl.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/double-facepalm1.jpg

Hahahahaha love this!

[HaywireTig]

Just out of curiosity and I may sound like an idiot saying this... I like the sound of the PWC. But I also like the thought of Nanolex wheel sealant. IF I do seal the wheels, being quite a strong cleaning agent like PWC, wld using PWC on a sealed wheel get rid of the sealant? :P

[Paul_OH]

It will, not instantly but it will definitely shorten the life of the Nanolex. The point of using a wheel sealant however is that you won't need to use wheel cleaner - just get a second wash mitt and use the remaining water from your car wash to wipe the wheels off, that's literally all they need.

[fuzion]

It will, not instantly but it will definitely shorten the life of the Nanolex. The point of using a wheel sealant however is that you won't need to use wheel cleaner - just get a second wash mitt and use the remaining water from your car wash to wipe the wheels off, that's literally all they need.

Thought i wrote that lol. Nicely put!

I have Nanolex on my BBS CK's and honestly without the sealant on it was a real (you know the word) to clean the wheels constantly as especially the porsche brakes and how i drive would cake on the brake dust and make it very hard to remove.

[Pharkus]

Thought i wrote that lol. Nicely put!

I have Nanolex on my BBS CK's and honestly without the sealant on it was a real (you know the word) to clean the wheels constantly as especially the porsche brakes and how i drive would cake on the brake dust and make it very hard to remove.

What word is that? I don't know that one.

It helps reduce the time spent cleaning if you use a wheel sealant, but you have to factor in the time and effort it takes to apply it. If you clean your wheels regularly then of course the brake dust will not be baked on and will be easier to clean off. Therefore the key is really how regularly you schedule a clean of your car.

[Dub]

This will help you all immensely for those of you who have not yet seen it


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVRz6ibbv-s

followed by


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkmZveqyU5E

[GregoInc]

This will help you all immensely for those of you who have not yet seen it

Not to digress from the theme of this thread, so recommend you look at this one...

http://www.vwgolf.net.au/showthread.php?149-Car-detailing-tips-and-tricks

[GregoInc]

So I ended up purchasing the Wolf gel product... First tried it on my wife's alloy wheels on her Astra which were super dirty, and the results were amazing! As per the instructions it's best to let the Wolf product dry completely then blast off with a karcher.

[Dub]

JIG's earlier comment about elbow grease and simple suds is good advice, and would do well to take it on board given the type of kit he has invested in ie. wheels

I have however found the Mother's products to be very effective.

Some steps I follow:
1) Start with a dry wheel and spray on the Mother's wheel and tyre cleaner on the wheel, tyre, and in side the arches. Leave for about 30 seconds.
2) Wash off with a gurney starting with the arches and working your way onto the top of the wheel and tyre, and then working your way down the wheel making sure all the residual washes away.
3) Be sure to attack it from various angles and dont get too close
4) Have the soapy bucket of water handy with a good quality car wash sudsing it to the max. Use a mircofibre sponge and start from the top of the wheel and work your way down. I find it really tricking getting into the inner rim but its well worth it. If your car is high enough even poke your head in at the rear and do the inner arches of the wheel.
5) Rinse it all off and use two microfibre cloths. One to get the residual water off, and the other to completely dry it. Pay good attention to the nooks and crannies.
6) When the wheel is completely dry, hit it with a good quality canubra wax and then buff it off.
7) Repeat this weekly to prevent excessive build up of brake dust and grime, and the waxing every 4 weeks or so.

DONT's

1) Stay away from silicone wheel protectants as I find they build up a residual and create more issues on the next wash.

It is also worth checking out this link. This guy is the grand master of detailing, and he uses a citrus based degreaser to clean the wheels and lower half of the vehicle with some good brush agitation. I figure if its good enough for an MC12, its good enough for a golf....or any car.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkmZveqyU5E

From what I have heard only (not experienced), opti coating of wheels could be a good investment to prevent this level of cleaning in the future.

[GregoInc]

Sorry folks, but having used non-acid based wheel cleaners I have to say I am no longer a fan of the spray on and wash off in 30 seconds routine.

Not to mention there is strong evidence the acid based wheel cleaners are slowly eating away your clear coat.

And yes elbow grease is good, but must be done with care to avoid scratching and swirling the clear coat.

So for me, it's non-acid cleaners and careful elbow grease ;)

[AP]

Acid.. Gets everything off!

[GregoInc]

^^^LOL

[sli]

Meguiars HOT RIMS ALL WHEEL CLEANER any good?

[GregoInc]

Meguiars HOT RIMS ALL WHEEL CLEANER any good?

I used to use this product before I started using non-acid cleaners. Did an ok job, but much prefer the process I am currently using.

[sli]

What's the best on the market at the moment? I have some really dirty wheels to clean at the moment and im nearly out of my cleaner.

[GregoInc]

What's the best on the market at the moment? I have some really dirty wheels to clean at the moment and im nearly out of my cleaner.

Have a look at Car Care Products... Wolf Decon Gel ;)

[sli]

Is that the stuff that care care training recommends? Its a light purple colour and goes much darker purple in time as it cleans the wheels?

[GregoInc]

Is that the stuff that care care training recommends? Its a light purple colour and goes much darker purple in time as it cleans the wheels?

Decon Gel does go purple, but best ask Car Care Products what they recommend ;)

[xc17ed]

Is that the stuff that care care training recommends? Its a light purple colour and goes much darker purple in time as it cleans the wheels?

Yep.
http://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/wolfs_chemicals/brake_duster_wheel_cleaner

[sli]

That stuff looks like magic. And doesn't stink like the Meguiars HOT RIMS ALL WHEEL CLEANER.

[dainese]

That stuff looks like magic. And doesn't stink like the Meguiars HOT RIMS ALL WHEEL CLEANER.

Yeah its good stuff... But still smells funky.