How NOT to clean your car's wheels

To keep your car spick and span, each corner of its body should then be spotless, even its wheels. Metaphorically known by many as the shoes of your vehicle, it serves as one of the focal points or key attractions that make a car stand out. Just like how shoes round out an outfit, wheels—quite literally round out the design of your vehicle. 

With that said, it is important for you to thoroughly clean your wheels from time to time. Plus, it’s best to consult the following guidelines we’ve listed below just for you to be properly aware with the dos and don’ts when cleaning your car’s wheels. So here are what you shouldn’t do when cleaning your wheels. 

This is probably one of the most common mistakes being encountered by several car owners. The main reason for this is because the wheels are exposed closer to the ground, which means it’s one of the filthiest parts of the car as dirt or brake dust sticks onto the finish of the wheel. More importantly, it would be annoying to have dirt to splash all over your car’s shiny and polished paintwork.

Before you proceed with the body, make sure that your car wash materials such as your cloth and bucket are clean in order to avoid messing up with the paint job. Either that or use separate materials. 

Aside from food, it’s important to check the label before you use any chemical cleaner or soap for your wheels. While acid can wipe off the brake dust on the wheels, the protective clear coat can also be damaged. With that said, it is important for you to choose the right soap for your car, preferably, it’s best to use those that are pH neutral.

As mentioned, your cleaning materials could affect the result of your entire process. First, you’re going to have to rinse it with clean water. After doing so, you’ll still see some of the remaining particles that are still stuck on your wheels. With that, you are then going to apply the right cleaning soap, just be sure to run it smoothly through each corner, remember, the more slippery the texture is, the better. That’s because the soapy water reduces the friction and carries away the dirt, avoiding any sort of damage on its clear coat. 

If you think cleaning the tight edges of wheels with a toothbrush is a clever idea, then you might be damaging your wheels. You’re better off using a proper brush rather than a toothbrush, as its more gentle and non-abrasive. Aside from a toothbrush, we also do not recommend for you to use a tire brush in cleaning your rims. However, if you do have to use a toothbrush, we recommend you use one with ultra-soft bristles. 

Now that you’ve finished scrubbing the rims with soap, rinsing it off with a bucket of clean water, the next, and cleaning the tight edges of the wheels, it is now time to dry it off. You can either use a microfiber cloth or a chamois which is sort of a rubberized material that should allow you to properly eliminate the wet section of your car’s wheels. If you happen to have the spare time, you can even apply a coating of wax and leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes in order to achieve that showroom shine. 

Do take note that cleaning your wheels can take quite some time. Doing it simultaneously won’t make your job easier, as going through each of the wheels from time to time could possibly dry up the soap. That’s why you should work at your phasing and focus on one wheel at a time.