What do you use to clean the rubber?
What do you use to clean the rims?

I've been using Menzerna Wheel & Tire Gel Cleaner but I don't really like it. Looking for something new to try.

 

Cleaning Clear Coated Wheels:
Dosing your wheels before using a wheel cleaner will allow cleaning agents to be carried to remote areas that might not be reached by spraying the cleaner on a dry wheel surface. This also allows it to penetrate brake dust and road grime easier.

Acidic wheel cleaners- should be avoided as these cleaners usually contain a solution of oxalic, phosphoric and hydrochloric acids and they may permanently stain or damage wheel surfaces. The use instructions usually state to spray on and rinse off immediately (also be aware that a very alkaline product can also cause problems)

100% acid free wheel cleaners-these usually contain a mild solution of an alkaline (Ethylene Glycol) and a surfactant, the best known is P21S Wheel Cleaner, a 100% acid free cleaner with a 7.0 pH

Methodology
•Ensure wheels and rotors are cool before applying cold water as this may cause them to warp. Hose off as much initial grime as you can. Rinse up into the wheel well to wash away road kill, mud and other debris.
•Use detailing clay to remove any imbedded contaminants
•Use a solvent based cleaner to remove any road tar
•Apply a solution of P21S Total Auto Wash to wheel-wells and tyres, and let soak in, agitate with a long-handled boars haired brush before rinsing
•Spray P21S Wheel Cleaner, this cleaner is 100% acid-free and will not damage any type of wheel finish. (Gel for badly soiled and regular for normal soil) onto wheel rims and lat soak in.
•Before finally removing cleaner, agitate with a soft brush and then rinse off
•Rinse wheel surface thoroughly with clean water (to avoid splashing paint surface rise by pouring a bucket of water over each wheel from the top down
•Remove any surface imperfections with a suitable clear coat polish (dependant upon extent of damage)
•Dry wheels with a towel, apply a polymer sealant (ZoopSeal) to the surface of the wheels, it will protect the finish from brake dust and the elements and also make them easier to keep clean.
•Wax has a low melting point and will not withstand the sustained temperature

Tyre (Rubber) Cleaner:
For any type of protect ant to work well on rubber first remove any brake dust, road tar, grease and grime, wax and dead rubber from the surface to properly clean it. 3M Tire and Wheel cleaner quickly and safely clean the rubber tyres and helps tyre dressing and / or UVR protection (303™ Aerospace Protectant) durability. .
Leaving tyres rubber surfaces with a brilliant shine, cleaning the toughest scuffs and soil from sidewalls

Cleaning Tyres:
•Rinse thoroughly with a fairly strong stream of clean water to remove any loose road dirt etc., from tyre’s and wheel wells.
•Clean tyres with a rubber cleaner (3M Tire & Wheel Cleaner -39036) or a citrus-based APC (P21S Total Auto Wash) Spray cleaner on to a clean surface, agitate with a stiff tyre brush
•Rinse and apply a tyre dressing, use a water-based polymer tyre dressing (Zaino Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss™)
•Apply a (UVR) protection to the tyres (303™ Aerospace Protectant).

JonM

 

Wow! Want a shorter answer?

Clean your wheels and tires with Purple Power diluted with water (30% pp and 70% water roughly). Use a brush for the tires and a sponge for the wheels.

Then wax your wheels after they are dry. Clear coated wheels can be cleaned just like paint, so after they have been waxed you can wash them with your car wash soap.

Shine tires with Meguiar's Endurance gell. It won't sling off and it lasts a long time.

Enjoy!

Slats

 

303 protectant is great. use it on your tires for a great tire shine and also on your rims. gives the rims a great look and also makes brake dust easier to remove

 

i just use Stoner more shine less time for rubber and Meguairs hot rims for the wheels

 

 

Wash wheels w/rag+car soap..Use Mothers FX Wheel Cleaner..Follow up w/2 Coats of Prestone Wheel+Brakedust Repelent keeps it sparkly..and longer.

As for your tires, try Meguiars NXT Tire Cleaner. Make sure to wipe-off excess after 15 mins.

 

I don't use aything more than whatever was left on the wash bucket. I use an old mitt on the rims then a wash brush on the tires if they are dirtier than usual. If they are really dirty, I just add more soap.

After I used Meg's Endurance tire gel, I find that the tires are much easier to keep clean and stays black longer.

I also use "dirty" MF towels that are saturated with liquid wax after I use them on the finish (before I throw them in the washer) and do up the rims! They become more resistant to brake dust and water spots!

 

For my rims, I use diluted laundry detergent (I use Dynamo, not sure if you have it in the states) in a spray bottle. I spray and use a medium brush to get the stuff off and rinse well with water. For the tires, I spray 303 protectant and apply Meg's Gold Class trim detailer on a sponge, and then go around the side wall of the tires. None on the threads, of course!

 

I use eagle one for my rims... It says spray on hose off, but I get a rag and clean em down each time, leaves my rims looking amazingly clean... but it dosent repel brake dust...


I use Meguairs NZXT (or whatever) nsane shine, works a million times better than the hot shine (i have both).


When I use the rubber wheel cleaners, I wipe down the wheel beforehand to get dirt/chemicals off the rubber...

 

i use simple green on both when cold and it cleans both fabulously no water needed. do it all the time try it.

 

holy thread bump!

OT-soap/water, aerospace 303

 

Ya and a bump of a lot of bad info ..


Like you I don't use wheel cleaners ... don't care if they are pH neutral or not.

I only use a dedicated mitt and the tail end of the car wash soap.

For the tires I spray them down with LA Awesome APC and use a stiff brush then dressing of choice. No dressings actually have a true UV protectant in them, too expensive. The protection is the gloss reflecting the UV. Once the gloss is gone so is the protection.

 

^^yup, i use a dedicated sponge and whatever is left over from the wash. interestingly, since i've been using the ONRWW, the wheels seem to stay shiny and glow despite a small accumulation of brake dust.

i like 303. it gives a nice matte black finish with a touch of gloss. so far the new tires on the MDX stay looking nice even after rain. the water beads. could be the ONRWW.

 

Tires:
1) rinse them with a strong stream of water to remove any loose road grime.
2) spray them down with an APC of your choice.
3) scrub them down with a tire brush.
4) rinse them off.

Repeat steps 2-4 until you get a white foamy lather after scrubbing.

Wheels:
1) spray them down to loosen any brake dust and dirt.
2) if wheels have not been cleaned in a few weeks or months, a wheel cleaner will help you to easily remove the brake dust. If wheels are not so bad, use a separate wash bucket and mix some car soap solution and use that for your wheels. In that wheel bucket you should have a wheel brush, lug nut brush and a daytona long brush to clean the barrels of the wheels.
3) rinse them off.