what product for cleaning alloy wheels-lots of caked on brake dust

[rossyl]

so i've cleaned the car (pics later) but the wheels were heavily caked with brake dust.

i tried turtle wax tyre cleaner, and Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner. Both shifted some dirt but required A LOT of scrubbing.

I've heard Wonder Wheels is good for this sort of stuff. But is it something i can apply, leave and then wash off?

Cheers

 

[ringway]

so i've cleaned the car (pics later) but the wheels were heavily caked with brake dust.

i tried turtle wax tyre cleaner, and Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner. Both shifted some dirt but required A LOT of scrubbing.

I've heard Wonder Wheels is good for this sort of stuff. But is it something i can apply, leave and then wash off?

Cheers

I've used Wonder Wheels twice on my Omega (11 years old) and it does work well. I'm not sure if it is suitable for all wheel finishes though.

 

[BTB 500]

I use Wonder Wheels on the Vito and the Audi, which is excellent. You just put it on with the supplied brush then hose off (use lots of water).

Alloy wheel cleaners | Products | Auto Express

 

[Supacool1]

Don't use in an inclosed environment as the fumes it gives off will get you all sorts of messed up! Once all cleaned up you can something like rim wax ( ooh Err! ) to stop the dirt build up.

 

[mbenz76]

Oven Cleaner! My God man that is the last thing I would put near my car. It's very corrosive.

 

[BTB 500]

Once all cleaned up you can something like rim wax ( ooh Err! ) to stop the dirt build up.

Yup, very true. I still use Turtle Wax Extreme Nano-Tech Wax for Wheels, which was a past product test winner.

Wheel polish test | Products | Auto Express

Latest test here:

Wheel Polishes tested | Products | Auto Express

 

[Horrgakx]

I just ordered some of the Mer Wheel Wax (AutoExpress winner) from eBay for under £9 delivered. Thanks for the link mate.

 

[Lugy]

At the moment I'm using Autobrite Very Cherry non corrosive wheel cleaner, it works really well for me.

I'm also using Migliore wheel sealant too.

 

[kurtdaley]

I use the auto glym stuff myself, absolutely brilliant stuff.

 

[C43AMG]

Bilberry's.

 

[The Pan Man]

Always found Wonder Wheels too corrosive. Removes break dust very well but always seemed to dull the finish for me. NEVER use on polished alloys. Ihave had good reports about Bilberry's

 

[C240Sport97]

try baby wipes .. and use your nails to scrape .. works for me

 

[Will]

Use some detailing clay - save your old clay that has been used already on the body panels of the car for use on the wheels/lower bumper panels/sills etc.

Much easier and safer than harsh chemicals!

Will

 

[jonnyboy]

my mate, who's a valeter, reckons he uses brick acid !

 

[JohnDeere8530]

my mate, who's a valeter, reckons he uses brick acid !

I believe him after all it is the same stuff - Hydrochloric acid.

However with wonder wheels you apply it neat, with brick acid you would need to water it down 3 parts water to one part acid to get an identical concentration.

Brick acid is fine on wheels as long as you do not get it into your eyes (this is the only reason wonder wheels is weaker), it will not damage the alloy if left on for less than 20mins.

Buying brick acid is the most cost effective wheel cleaner by 10x. Wonder wheels being unique and the best is all advertising hype, we are all suckers to it, dont believe it for a second

Wonder wheels, however does contains Phosphoric acid as well (as found in coke + food agent E338 from memory) This is added in case of any iron oxide gets on the wheel (from metal rusting) as this is espcially good at removing it. However as most alloys arer well all alloy this is not an issue

Reason wonder wheels keeps winning Autoexpress best buy (when it is in fact no real different to most other wheel cleaners) is because they are the biggest advertisers with that magazine !!!!

 

[martin_a]

The issue i've found with Wondr Wheels is that if the alloy has any marks or a lifting of paint, it will accelerate the process and ruin the rest of the alloy in no time at all.

However, a one shot acid application should bring them up of. Then put wax on like you would theres tof the car, makes it easier to clean the rubbish off and essentially, give them a good scrub each week. As usual, prevention is better than cure.

m.

 

[Alps]

wonder wheels should do the job, if its really caked on u will still have to do alot of scrubbing and multiple applications of it.

 

[PJayUK]

Mr Muscle Oven cleaner was recommended to me by a valeter. I tried it on my Shogun and it did a good job...

 

[BTB 500]

Last year I used foam oven cleaner on Mrs BTB's Audi (the wheels, that is!). Wouldn't personally risk it on anything valuable, but it didn't do any harm. This was to remove some really ingrained brake dust that Wonder Wheels wouldn't shift.

 

[RSS]

I've used a number of these cleaners and currently using the one that Tesco makes and sells (red liquid in kitchen cleaner style plastic spray bottle). Saw it on the shelf last year and as it was cheap thought I'd try it. Works really well, I spray on before washing the car and finish off the last of the soapy water on all four wheels, works a treat.

Only car I had issues with was my C250 Elegance with the standard alloys, nothing would lift the dirt off those wheels, tried all sorts. In the end a mixture of wonder wheels, T-Cut and much rubbing with the handle of a soft plastic toothbrush shifted it. Each wheel took an hour, looked great in the advert when I sold it........