what do you use to get all the crap off your rims?

[purbeast0]

i haven't washed my car in a while and last time i did, there was some stuff i just couldn't get off of the wheels. since it's been so long i'm sure there will be even more stuff that i just won't be able to get off.

usually i just use regular car wash soap and some of the "wheel cleaner" stuff, although i'm pretty sure the wheel cleaner stuff is just crap in general.

is there anything that you can use that will actually remove all of the grime that gets stuck to the rims in the hard to clean crevice areas? any "magic" solution or is it just normal soap and a lot of elbow grease?

 

[amish]

nylon bristle brush, or a sponge that I have that is covered in a mesh material.

 

[MrChad]

Wheel cleaner usually works for me. Spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub it off.

 

[thescreensavers]

Meguairs Hot Rim All Wheel Cleaner. I use it only to get baked on brake dust. Works pretty well though you have to scrub the areas that are tough. You can spray wait 30 sec rinse it off really well and see what is left then spray again and scrub then rinse really well.

Reason I saw to rinse really well is because wheel cleaners contain acid so make sure nothing stays on the wheel.

After that clean with just normal car soap until harder to remove stuff comes back.

 

[phucheneh]

If it's hard to get off, it's already eating into your wheel. Or, rather, the wheel has already been eaten into, and any new dust just clings really well to the rough surface.

With modern aluminum wheels, I've never had a problem just wiping them off with a slightly damp rag after a wash. When I clean wheels on a car that hasn't been washed (usually because I was working on it and left hand prints in the damn brake dust), a little bit of any generic cleaner generally works well enough. All-purpose/window cleaner or similar does fine. I avoid stuff with ammonia, though. Dunno if it would hurt wheels, but I don't really think so...I mostly buy the 'gentle' cleaners so I can wipe off interior parts and other more sensitive stuff without worry.

I doubt 'wheel cleaners' have any special chemicals, unless you get the really hardcore shit that burns if it gets on you. I always assumed the acidity could not be good for your wheels. When I was in high school and worked at a car wash/detail shop, we used the hell out of that stuff as a presoak so people wouldn't complain that their extremely neglected wheels weren't clean.