While cleaning your wheels helps them stay sharp, it also helps protect them. Cleaning your wheels regularly can prevent corrosion and brake dust build-up. This is a big deal because brake dust can stain/damage your wheels permanently if left unattended.
But it’s ok, because with a few easy steps, you can keep your wheels looking shiny and clean.
Looking for a fresh set of rims to reset your ride’s look? We’ve got the biggest inventory of aftermarket wheels in the industry, not to mention the lowest prices out there!
Before you get started with your wheel washing endeavors, it’s important to avoid washing your wheels after a long drive. Longer drives can heat the wheels, which makes cleaning risky because drastic changes to the wheel's temperature can possibly damage the finish. Always allow your wheels to cool before beginning the cleaning process.
(Pro tip: Clean your tires before you clean your wheels. Cleaning your tires after your wheels can result in water spots and grime on your wheels as well as undesirable results.
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
For a simple, yet effective way to clean your wheels, you can follow the steps listed below.
First: Prep the wash buckets and cleaning agents you’ll apply to the wheels.
We suggest avoiding using chemical wheel cleaners, which can contain corrosive ingredients that can damage your rim’s finish. Wheel finishes can typically be cleaned by a mild detergent or cleaner specifically designed for automotive use.
Before you get started, note that we recommend prepping, cleaning and drying each wheel individually. This will help you avoid water or cleaner spots on your rims!
Second: Apply the cleaner to your wheel and let it sit for a few moments. This allows the cleaner to soften the accumulated dirt and brake dust so you can gently scrub away grime.
Third: Gently scrub the wheel, preferably with a soft brush, sponge, washing mitt, or soft cloth so as not to damage the wheel finish, ideally keeping the wheel damp. This will help lubricate the wheel to help prevent scratches. Plus, you never want to let the wheel cleaner dry on the wheel because it will spot the finish.
Note: Brake dust hides wherever it can. Be sure to reach inside the wheel's curves to clear any hidden grime; and don't forget the lug nuts. We recommend using a lug nut brush to clean around the lug nuts and inside the lug holes.
Fourth: Rinse the wheel after scrubbing, and then dry it with a terry or microfiber cloth. This will help prevent water spots from forming on your nice, clean rims!
After drying, you can wax the wheel for added shine and protection. Most wheel waxes come as creams or sprays that are gently applied with a mitt, towel or foam pad. This application helps prevent overapplication.
You should wax the wheel 3-4 times per year, especially if you live in a harsh climate. This will extend the wheel's lifespan, and help keep road grime and the elements from damaging the finish.
HOW TO CLEAN CHROME RIMS
When it comes to maintaining the iconic shine of your chrome rims, there can be some challenges. But that makes understanding how to clean your chrome rims even more important!
We recommend taking serious care when cleaning chrome rims. These babies get their unique shine from multiple layers of metal that create a soft, reflective surface that is more delicate than a painted finish. Plus, they’re susceptible to corrosion caused by brake dust.
If you live in and/or often travel through wintry conditions that use road salt as a de-icing agent for roadways, we recommend you swap out your chrome wheels seasonally. Chrome plated wheels will rapidly pit when in contact with chemicals that can deteriorate their finish.
Despite their delicate quality, chrome wheels respond to cleaning, waxing and polishing much better than painted wheels. A polished chrome wheel distinctly outshines a polished painted wheel. To achieve and maintain this optimized finish, you may want to wash and wax your chrome wheels more often.
When it comes to cleaning your chrome rims, you can follow the steps listed above. Just be sure to use a soft brush that will not scratch the wheel surface. For waxing, choose a wax specifically designed for chrome, because it will have special ingredients to protect chrome from the elements.
CLEANING POLISHED WHEELS
While polished wheels look great, they require more care and maintenance than other wheel finishes because bare aluminum has a tendency to oxidize.
The easiest way to properly clean polished wheels is to fully unmount them from the vehicle so you can thoroughly inspect them for scrapes, scratches and erosion, then clean, polishe and wax them. Once cleaned and polished, aluminum wheels can have a mirror-like shine.
Original equipment (OE) polished aluminum wheels often have a protective coating to prevent aluminum oxidation. In this case, you’ll want to use gentle wheel cleaners and polishes that are safe on protective coatings.
If your aluminum wheels do not have a coating, you can use a stronger aluminum cleaner that is developed to remove oxidation.
You can properly wash your polished wheels using the steps provided above, but be sure to use cleaners, polishes and waxes specifically for polished aluminum wheels. This will help maintain that brilliant mirror-like shine, while protecting your wheels from oxidation.
No matter what kind of wheels you have, or their finish, routine cleaning will keep your rims looking great so you can enjoy them for years to come.
If you need new wheels, be sure to buy and book online to get a shorter wait time in-store!
If you have any other questions about maintaining (or replacing) your wheels, stop by your nearest store or schedule an appointment, and we'll get you taken care of!
