Is there a car part that better expresses the driver’s attention to detail, or not, as the case may be, than its wheels? Now, we all know you’re out there washing your car twice a week (or maybe not?), but there are some great ways to ensure that you’re getting the best mileage out of your (hopefully) at least once a month.
But even then, how much time are you spending on your car’s heels?
Yeah, they might get a quick rinse at the same time as you over off the rest of the car, but until you actually get down there with a decent wheel brush and some cleaner, you’re likely to see dirt build up on your wheels.
So, how do the pros keep their car wheels clean?
Step 1. Get the right cleaning tools and products.
First, make sure you have all the essential products to make this a worthwhile endeavour. Not every tool you’ll be using needs to come from a dedicated auto supplier, for example, microfibre towels can be found almost anywhere this days, but making sure you have adequate tools is essential to getting the job done right.
What will you need to clean your tyres:
- Cleaner for the wheels (obviously)
- An all-purpose cleanser or a biodegradable degreaser
- Optional: a specialised tyre and rubber cleaner (if you don’t have access to one, an all-purpose cleaner or degreaser will suffice).
- To agitate the cleaners, use a variety of wheel brushes or a microfibre towel.
- Gloves and safety glasses are recommended
- A garden hose or a pressure washer
- A bucket of water
- a smidgeon of vehicle wash solution (whatever you use on the paint is fine)
- Tyre applicator for shine and foam (optional)
- A decent amount of elbow grease!
Step 2. Start cleaning your wheels arches.
Now it’s time to get to work.
It’s really important to make sure the wheels you’re going to clean are cool to the touch. The reason for this is that the if the wheels are warm, there’s a good chance the wheel cleaner and degreaser could damage the rubber surface of the tires with microfibre towels and brushes.
If you’re going all-out, which we recommend you, make sure that you have some safety gloves and glasses available where any chemicals are involved.
- Rinse down your wheels and tires with the garden hose or pressure washer, getting rid of any loose debris or dirt
- Bust out the degreaser or all-purpose cleaner and spray as much as you feel is appropriate (on the liberal side) into the wheel arch. Cover as much surface area of the wheel arch as you can.
- Let that degreaser sit and rest for a while, so it can break down the dirt build up.
- Hit the tyre with your rubber cleaner or degreaser and start scrubbing. We’re looking for the foam to brown as it picks up the dirt and grease.
- Scrub, scrub, scrub!
Step 3. Now clean up the wheels.
Spray your wheel cleaner liberally on the face and barrels (the back) of the wheels, and wait 30 seconds or so for it to change colour.
Depending on how much dirt is on the wheels, most wheel cleaners will become purple.
After that, use your brush or microfibre towel and gently clean the wheel faces before moving on to the barrels.
If you have large brake callipers, getting all of the barrel may be difficult; however, shifting the vehicle slightly will give access. Rinse well, then reapply if necessary.
Move on to the next wheel and continue the process once you’re satisfied with the state of the wheels and arches.
Step 4. Get those tyres dressed to impress!
Try to avoid cheap products when it comes to your tyres, they can sometimes contain silicone which can dry out and crack rubber over time, which can mean an absolute disaster for your paintwork with black spots being left across it. Gross.
We recommend a decent water-based dressing and foam applicator to get this job done right. Start small, add a touch of dressing to the applicator, then apply to the tyre itself.
It will blacken straight away, so just stay focused and make your way over the wheel’s rubber surface. If you find that you’ve mistakenly applied too much, just grab your microfibre towel and wipe it away. Easy.
1-2-3-4 (tyres) and you’re done. Now time to hit the roads and enjoy that priceless feeling of driving around in an immaculately clean car. Nice work!
Need help from a mechanic? Head over to the My Auto Shop service area and we can sort you out with a few quotes to compare from qualified mechanics in your area. Too easy.