My current Honda has alloy wheels. Instructions/advice were always vague about how to clean them. The dealer said to use only water and never touch them.

Well, water doesn't cut the grime and grease. I've used spray cleaner products that proclaimed they were safe, but I have found out they are not. The original satin shiny metal finish is now a very hazy shiny metal finish.

Now that I'm taking delivery later this summer on a CG TSX with factory standard alloy wheels, what's the Official Word on properly and safely cleaning them thar alloys?

 

There is nothing official about the following, so take it as you may.

To keep my wheels clean, I wash them with the same solution that I use to wash the rest of my car. I use a second sponge dedicated just for the wheels (same type as the one I use for the rest of the body). I use Meguiar's car wash soap. If I put a polymer sealant on the car (Liqui-tech's Finish First), I usually put a coat on the wheels and that makes my weekly clean a lot easier.

Finally, to make the tires shine, I use the tire spray from Meguiar's.

-snap-

 

i do the same as snap (except i use finish first car wash).....but yeah, seems to be a-ok

 

The cleanest I ever got my alloy wheels was, oddly enough, the Shamzami.

It was one of those seen on TV products that you use to clean the car with. Of course it did a horrible job for that, but the wheel attachment worked really well. I didn't expect it to work so well on the wheels for that.

here's a good search for Shamzami: http://www.smdistributor.com/Auto/shamzami.htm

-vasu

 

sounds like a SHAMzami. j/p.

 

yeah it's a really aweful product for cleaning the car itself, but if you use the wheel attachment on the wheels it worked well and didn't require any effort really.

 

Okay! So I guess I'm going to stop using that rim cleaner stuff (my stuff said it was fine on clearcoats).

I usually only use car wash soap and a wash mit along with a toothbrush and my pressure washer these days anyway.

I have, however, started using a bit of car wax on the rims, though. The brake dust and road grime seem to come off easier then.

I don't use the spray any more since as it dries, it tends to drip all over your clean rims. I prefer using the Meguiar's Tire gel (there's also stuff from Turtle Wax and other companies). The stuff lasts a long time, and you apply it in the gel form with an applicator. Thus, you don't get any drippage over the rims--only swanky, glossy tires.

 

Zaino.

 

Separate sponge, wash the wheels with regular car wash, when they're dried, use a polymer.

For me, the polymer is Poorboy's EX. Steve at Poorboy's is great.

 

How is Simple Green (Professional Strength) on wheels? I'm looking for something I can spray on the rims and rinse off without touching them before washing. It cuts through brake dust fairly well, but does it damage the finish?

 

Does anybody worry about getting any of this stuff on the discs? With wheels like those on the TSX, the discs and calipers look fairly vulnerable. I know what you're thinking-- all manner of road dirt, grit, and mud get on the discs. However, we're now talking about some potentially aliphatic compound being sprayed directly on the surface on a regular basis by some well-meaning car owner.

 

I use a professional wheel cleaner that completely removes the brake dust along with a long handle scrub brush. I've used it on my alloy wheels for years and nothing ever happened to the wheels. I also wax my wheels too, with Zaino.

 

NEVERMIND everything that has been said... Meguiars HOT RIMS in the Red pinkish bottle is the BEST wheel cleaner known to man

 

P-21S is the wheel cleaner of choice for BMW, etc. I have used it for years. It does the best job you can buy.

 

I use Eagle One All Wheel & Tire Cleaner A2Z. Works great. I use it on my Civic and TSX.

 

Ok s0o my neighbor frank has been workin wit cars for over 25 years and he himself has a 2002 lexus Ls430, he said the best way to clean the rims is just take sum regular old dish soap wit a seperate soft brisle brush and work between the rims and around them.

now if u got sum really hard to remove break dust here is a really good way to get that stuff off if u have the armorall tire shine liquid, spray just a lil of that stuff on their and it wil slowy lift off all that grease.

afta ur done wit that u should use the meguiars wheel polish to leave it with a nice shine