Page 1 of 2

Cleaning wheels?

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:54 pm
by CymruPolo
My wheels are in a right sorry state to be honest. I've had them for over 2 years and all they've ever been washed with is hot water and whatever car shampoo I've had at the time (currently Meguiars). The problem is now I've have some brown like patches and some tar spots that won't shift with just water.

What's the best thing to use to get them off? I'm hoping there's a quick method 'cos I'm not a fan of cleaning my wheels due to how many spokes I have the damn things :lol:

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:57 pm
by Tim_GTi
I've got a few similiar blemishes I'd like to see gon also Alun.

I'm gunna do some research on it, I'll let you know if I find anything 8)

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:59 pm
by CymruPolo
Cool, thanks matey 8)

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:01 pm
by Tim_GTi
There's a few products mentioned here:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... hp?t=80516

I may try claying it first 8)

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:03 pm
by CymruPolo
Clay does get it off, BUT it takes ages just to do one patch! I'd rather pay someone to sort them tbh :lol:

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:06 pm
by Tim_GTi
How bad are they?

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:09 pm
by Polo96CL
I wash down with "The suds" first, leave for 1 minute to soak. Wash off with water and wipe down with the mitt, then use intensive tar remover on the brake dust (taking extreme care not to get any on the polished lip of my RXii's). Wash that off with water and dry with microfibre cotton towel. Finally use some Luster Pad to polish the lip of the alloy back to prime condition and then finally buff it up.

Not sure what you mean by "brown patches"?

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:21 pm
by CymruPolo
Tim_GTi wrote:How bad are they?
Not that bad. I mean, you can't notice anything unless you go right up to them. What I have is random small patches on the lip at the bottom of the spokes, and generally the wheels feels abit rough when you run your finger over them.

@Polo96CL: With brown patches, I think it's just brake dust that seems to have stuck and turned brown with time.

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:29 pm
by Tim_GTi
Yeh, I've had a search around, seems like a good clay will get it out. I'll try it out soon.

If you know it works Alun get on it! It's all about commitment 8)

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:40 pm
by CymruPolo
I may have to commit one afternoon to my wheels then, and then another for the rest of the car lol.

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:10 am
by Tim_GTi
That's all it will require 8). You'll be glad you didn't splash out for someone else to do it after

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:29 pm
by CymruPolo
I will let you know if that is the case after I've finished them :lol:

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:18 pm
by CTR
Just my 2p...

As a last resort, (note: "last") use a slightly diluted solution of Wonder Wheels. This stuff shifts pretty much everything off your alloys, but it is VERY acidic and may damage the lacquer on your alloys. So use with care. I've used it several times on my civic, it works very well but I've heard of cases where it eats into the lacquer.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:46 pm
by Tim_GTi
I tried clay on mine on Tuesday, didn't work :( don't fancy the Wonder Wheels method, anyone else got any other ideas?

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:49 pm
by CTR
Ok, in that case try a scratch remover polish like Meg's Scratch-X. :)