Now before you go blaming me for sub-standard mini car, you must know I'm the third owner of this car and it's previous history has nothing to do with me whatsoever!

Anyways, I was able to give it it's first hand wash the other day, done by myself as opposed to letting the car wash place handwash it, but of course you can't really expect them to do a good job. But even with a plastic bristle wheel brush, I can't get the really caked on stuff off, the stuff that's further in on the wheel close to the brake rotor. It must get caked on by the heat from the brakes. Any ideas? Or is it hopeless? They're only s-lites anyway, and first chance I get, I'm replacing them.

 

Any citrus hand cleaner ... seriously, try it out

Paul

 

I think it's hopeless I also have some specs that are baked into my wheel finish that are in the location you describe that will not budge no matter what I do.

 

I took my stock rims off and spent hours claying, citrus degreasing, etc... and NOTHING worked on those baked on specs. Nothing. I got them pretty clean, but there were spots that would just not come off. After several hours, I gave up.

I clean my car about once a week and use different rims in the winter, and I still got these little specs.

mb

 

i have not tried the citrus cleaner yet, but I have used a few off the shelf wheel cleaners, etc. The brake dust is really baked on there, I really don't see it coming off. My FIL has a pressure washer, I plan on giving that a shot...

Wild thing is, my wife's ASA JH6's (panasport clones) are very, very clean. i think the shape of the spokes keeps the dust from spilling all over the rim.

good luck!

 

mcguires wheel cleaner and a bristle brush + this amazing wheel cleaner pad i found at target. its like a normal wash mit but it comes to a point and have a mesh pattern that really cleans off the dust

 

All I know is my brake dust specs taint comin off short of sandblasting it I have some new wheels on order & I plan on doing a better job of prevention with them. I read something on a BMW forum that I am going to try. I am going to coat my new wheels in 1 coat Klasse AIO & then 2 coats Klasse SG before I install them & I am going to diligently keep them waxed this time around

 

If you have a wheel or set of wheels that (like bamatt) you've tried EVERYTHING and the crud won't come off and you've otherwise given up... I personally would get me some 2000 grit and LIGHTLY wetsand them. Then polish them out and wax. I betcha could make them look like new.

 

I plan to keep my OEM wheels. I do plan to try some risky scrubbing when they are removed but most likely I will send them off & get them refinished professionally to take care of the dust & ohhh a bit of curb rash

 

simple green works well