It is very possible to clean your rims and tires using nothing more than microfiber towels and an APC (all-purpose cleaner) like Super Clean, Purple Power, Simple Green, etc.. Brushes will allow for easier and more efficient agitation and wheel cleaners will be better formulated to breakdown iron and brake fall out.
The Process
1. Pre Rinse
Start off by pressure washing or hosing off as much grime and dirt as possible. You can use your product and let it pre-soak before spraying it off again.
2. Wheel Barrels
This is the most common part of the wheel that gets highly neglected. Break dust will literally bake into the wheel barrels and make them a dark brown color. Regular cleaning will avoid this. Either use a brush or a microfiber towels to clean as best as possible. Spray the product and agitate.
3. Wheel Faces
Spray your cleaning product and begin to agitate softly with either a brush or a clean microfiber cloth. Make special note of all the areas of the rim you can’t see.
4. Tires
Spray your degreaser or other product onto the tire. Agitate the surfac, but be aware to not brush with rim with a hard bristled brush.
5. Dry and Protect
After you have cleaned and rinsed your wheels you can opt to apply some type of protection to your rims. Applying protection allows for easier cleaning the next time you wash your car.
Although ceramic coating is the best protection to have your wheels coated with – giving up to 2 years of protection – there are several other options on the market.
The product we suggest for its ease of use is 303 Touchless Sealant (link). You simply spray a small amount of product on the rim and then rinse the wheel off again. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well it works.
You can now move onto washing your vehicles paint. Make sure to check our video on how to wash your ride!
