A dirty car does not look good, but a clean car with dirty wheels does not look right either. That is why it is a good idea to clean your wheels as part of a proper car wash. First of all, it looks much better. After all, nice wheels complete the look of a car. Secondly, it is important to take proper care of your alloy, steel or aluminium wheels.
Cleaning your wheels is not difficult, but we would like to share a few tips to help you get them looking sharp and spotless. You can read everything in this blog: cleaning wheels in 5 steps.
Why is it important to clean and protect your wheels?
- Contaminants such as baked-on brake dust can cause corrosion.
- Wheels come into contact with coarse dirt and road salt more than any other part of your car.
- Protecting your investment is never a bad idea.
Many detailers agree that cleaning the wheels is one of the most important tasks when detailing a car. Whether it is the most important step is open to debate, but it certainly completes the cleaning process.
When you look at the detailing process, cleaning the wheels is usually the first stage. In many cases, you start with the wheels and then continue with the rest of the car. But which products should you use? How should you apply them? And why should you wash your wheels at all if they will only get dirty again? We will explain everything you need to know about cleaning wheels.
Why is cleaning wheels important?
If you think about it, the wheels, rims and tyres are the only parts of the car that are in direct contact with the road. No other part has to deal with the same level of extreme contamination and temperature changes.
This is also why most wheels are painted or powder-coated. This helps them withstand the most extreme weather conditions throughout the year. Many wheels have a protective paint, powder-coat or lacquer layer. This protects the wheels from dirt, road salt and other deposits, helping to prevent oxidation damage.
However, that protection only works up to a certain point. Aggressive contaminants, especially iron particles such as brake dust, can eventually eat through these protective layers over time. That is exactly what you want to prevent.
With wheels, the problem is made worse by constant exposure to hot metal particles, road salt and dirt. These contaminants can attack the structure of the wheel and often cause irreversible damage.
This can happen even faster with specialist finishes such as bare metal, chrome and anodised wheels, because these wheels do not have the same initial paint or powder-coat protection.
The good news is that all of this can be avoided by removing contaminants effectively. The reason you need a suitable cleaning product is that many of the toughest contaminants cannot be removed without powerful wheel cleaners. Velorest offers the right products for this.
Which products should you use to clean wheels?
We know that you need a relatively strong cleaner to remove baked-on dirt and brake dust. However, pure cleaning power is not the only thing to consider when choosing the right product.
Aluminium wheels are very different from steel wheels, for example. That is why it is important to choose the right products for the right finish.
Cleaning aluminium wheels
For most dirt deposits, assuming there is no corrosion or damage to the protective layers, the Velorest Tire and Wheel Cleaner is the most suitable product for regular use.
This powerful cleaner easily dissolves brake dust, dirt and other contaminants, allowing them to be rinsed away with a pressure washer. At the same time, the product is gentle on surfaces and will not remove wheel waxes or sealants.
The Velorest Tire and Wheel Cleaner is a spray product designed to cling to the surface and break down dirt. What makes this product especially useful is that it is also suitable for tyres.
Wheel type and wheel design
The final point to consider when choosing a wheel cleaner is the wheel design. Some wheels are simply more complex than others. Flat and five-spoke wheel designs, for example, are better suited to certain cleaning processes and products than intricate multi-spoke wheels.
The Tire and Wheel Cleaner is a relatively thin liquid that is designed to work its way into narrow recesses and remove dirt. By contrast, Deiron Man is a thicker liquid that stays on the surface to dissolve and rinse away metal deposits directly.
Cleaning wheels with Velorest products
Many people have their own method for cleaning wheels. Over the years, however, we have found a perfect, no-nonsense way to make the job easier and more effective.
If you are looking for a professional wheel cleaning result, try following these products and steps.
Step 1: Decontaminate with Velorest Tire & Wheel Cleaner
Do your wheels need a deep clean and decontamination? Use Velorest Tire & Wheel Cleaner, our pH-neutral wheel cleaner.
We do not recommend using this extremely powerful formula during every maintenance wash. But if you wash your car weekly, using an iron remover-type treatment once a month should be enough.
An iron remover works by reacting with iron particles that have embedded themselves into the surface of paint, powder coating or lacquer. This reaction chemically dissolves metal contamination, temporarily turns red or purple, and creates a colloid, which means solid particles suspended in a liquid. These can then be rinsed away with a pressure washer.
Step 2: Pre-wash with Velorest Tire and Wheel Cleaner
In most cases, this will naturally be the first step. The Tire and Wheel Cleaner spray wheel cleaner is safe for regular use during maintenance washes.
Just like paintwork, wheels always benefit from a pre-wash. First remove loose dirt and mud by rinsing the wheels with a pressure washer. Then spray Tire and Wheel Cleaner generously over the wheels, allow it to dwell for a few minutes, and rinse it off with the pressure washer.
This is an essential product when cleaning your wheels.
Step 4: Use a wheel brush
The inside of the wheel is very often the dirtiest part. Clean this area thoroughly first with a soft washing brush.
Once the heavy contamination has been removed, move on to the spokes, lips, bolt holes and other difficult areas using a detailing brush. Finally, use a wash mitt and rinse away all the dirt thoroughly.
Step 5: Dry and protect the wheels
It is important to dry your wheels properly. This helps prevent buildup, water spots and unsightly drying marks that would otherwise need to be polished away later.
The best method is to remove the water with a Velorest Microfibre Cloth.
