I have to admit I am sort of a gadget nut. I have a cabinet full of useless thing-a-ma-bobs, do-dads and whatch-a ma-call-its. If I could return them all I could pay for that ECU upgrade I so desperately want!

Anyway, finally tried this Wheel Brush and found it quite interesting. It's shapeable to fit any style wheel you have. Quite unique. Rubber coated to avoid scratching. The different bristles have different textures.

If you let your wheels get baked on brake dust then this is the brush for you. You can manage to get at most every nook and cranny. Even on my basket mesh type wheels which are normally a pain.

Now if you are an **** type (my hero) who waxes your wheels and cleans them weekly, then you don't really need this bristle brush. A simple foam bottle bottle will do. But some folks will like this.

 

My wife loves OXO stuff. I think I'll get her one for her birthday so I can try it out

 

Brad - I just got new wheels and want to keep them sparkling new like in the picture below. What do you recommend for regular cleanings, and how often should they be cleaned? One thing I noticed was how easy they were to clean when it was up on the car lift (in the picture the wheels have been on 2 minutes and the car is 3 days old - I'd like to keep it looking that way), but I know mesh wheels can be a bear when you're down on your knees cleaning.

Doug

 

I waxed my wheels inside and out. You need to use a heat resistant polymer wax such as Klasse, Zaino, Meguiars #20 or even the cheapo NuFinish. That makes a huge difference in keeping the dirt and brake dust from embedding itself on the wheels.

I wash my wheels once a week. I no longer need to use a wheel cleaner because the wax doesn't allow the dust to "stick". I wash my car with a quality auto shampoo (I use Zaino) and I use whats leftover in the bucket to dip in a sponge and lather on my wheels. It works great.

If you use a wheel cleaner be sure it is 100% acid free. P21S is one of the best and safest. 1Z is also safe and a great value.

Here's an interesting article on wheel cleaning.

Another note: The BEST thing I did was to get EBC GREEN brake pads for the front brakes. These pads put out about 90% less dust as the stock pads do. They stop better, too. Less work is a good thing! They can be purchased at many of the Mini parts vendors. Shop around. Prices vary.

 

I have this brush and it works great, but I have to admit that I dont use it nearly as much since I switch to ebc brake pads, their claim of less brake dust is an under statement.

 

Great article - thanks for the tips!