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Below you can see a close up of my rim. You can also see it has this grime on it that is hard to the touch and hardly comes off. What can I do to remove it? I have tried Black Magic No Scrub All Wheel Cleaner and although it did clean my wheel it failed to remove the grime pictured below.
I have used Griots wheel cleaners with some success, but the wheels weren't as bad as yours. It may be possible that the surface has been etched in some way, but I might try a polish product with a foam buffer if all of the typical cleaners fails. I'd start with a good heavy duty spray cleaner (like Griots) and if that has no impact move on to something more aggressive in easy stages. Going too far too fast will only cause grief. Good luck...
I have used Griots wheel cleaners with some success, but the wheels weren't as bad as yours. It may be possible that the surface has been etched in some way, but I might try a polish product with a foam buffer if all of the typical cleaners fails. I'd start with a good heavy duty spray cleaner (like Griots) and if that has no impact move on to something more aggressive in easy stages. Going too far too fast will only cause grief. Good luck...
I second that. After you rinse them clean you can try a clay bar. I've used them on my wheels before to remove stubborn grime before with great success. Just make sure you use either a bit of soapy water or some quick detailer to act as a lubricant.
Wheel grime is brake dust...goes on hot...and sticks...
Using this info you can carefully remove it...the quality of the paint/coatings on the rim kinda steers you a bit towards the best removal choice....
Thanks guys. I was checking out the Sonax stuff but wanted to try stuff I could find locally first as I'm impatient lol. I didn't think about using clay on the rims. The previous owner must have not cleaned the rims very well as it was much worse when I bought the car. I plan on getting new wheels in the future but for now I want these to look good. I'll give the Sonax a try as well as the clay.
A hot steam cleaner, if done carefully will remove it...
With poor quality paint, like a diy job, it will remove it too....
So caution must be used....but get it hot, and rub...comes off pretty easy.
THIS! Steam is a very helpful tool here .... and some others would recommend a pressure washer .....
A point to highlight ... that black is PAINT with clear coat ... nothing different from the paint on the body 'cept to color. So abrasives are a danger .... not to mention the nooks and crannies that makes getting in there a b**t*h. But, if you would not do it to the painted body .... think twice before you do it to the wheels. BUT body wash won't remove cooked in brake dust .... folks in Florida will understand: you are dealing with something like sun baked luv bug guts!
Next point to ponder .... one reason people buy black wheels is to hide the tons of dust that come off of the OE pads and rotors, esp'ly the pads. Different pads might cut down the need for cleaning SIGNIFICANTLY, in the future . . . I used EBC reds but there are many others and if there are 3 pad choices there are 9 opinions of which is best!
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the BEST way to deal with wheel grime is ROUTINELY ... b4 it bakes in . . .
I've been looking into getting a steamer for various other reasons so I might have to try that. I have tried the power washer and no luck. The black wheels compliment the car very nicely but like I said the previous owner must not have cleaned these spots on the wheels. I've had the car for about a month or so now and clean it every weekend. The pads were all just put on before we purchased the vehicle so as they wear down I'll have to look for the best ones to replace them with.
I'm debating on getting brushed aluminum/chrome or another set of black wheels when it comes time to buy some aftermarket ones. The future brake dust build up does not concern me as I mentioned above I clean the vehicle every weekend.
If you go ahead with the Sonax, which is probably the best solution, be sure to use a quality wheel wax (not polish) to help prevent the brake dust from sticking to the clear coat.
I have found that Iron-X works better than Sonax Full Effect wheel cleaner. It lasts a lot longer too as the sprayer puts on a finer mist as opposed to globbing it on like the Sonax sprayer.
I agree, clay bar is your friend. It's usually my go to when trying to get tough things off paint/wheels, etc. I also use Adam's wheel cleaner with great success.
I just tried Mini Wheel Cleaner Gel from a friend and it surprisingly cut through most of the burnt on brake dust. It turns purple when it makes contact with grime like most heavy duty cleaners. The stuff has a nasty smell so don't hang around while letting it soak for 3-5 minutes. I'm going to give it another shot once I get my bottle of it to see if I can get what is left off.
If you go ahead with the Sonax, which is probably the best solution, be sure to use a quality wheel wax (not polish) to help prevent the brake dust from sticking to the clear coat.
If you go ahead with the Sonax, which is probably the best solution, be sure to use a quality wheel wax (not polish) to help prevent the brake dust from sticking to the clear coat.
