Tips For Detailing Your Car Rims

Quick Tips For Cleaning Rims

Here are some quick tips for any of you weekend warriors looking to clean up those rims this Saturday. It’s a pretty simple process, but there are a few things to be aware of when cleaning expensive rims. To see our work you can visit our website at http://chasedetailing.com/.

Your car’s wheels are often composed of aluminum or magnesium alloy, your wheels, or “rims” are what connect the tire to the vehicle. Clean rims on a nice car stand out like a sore thumb on a hitch-hiker. Some cars have basic rims that have plastic covers that improve the cosmetic look of the car but tend to be cheap and either break or fall off at some point. Regardless of the style of rim/wheel, you have they all need to be cleaned and detailed to keep them looking good. The rims and tires get as much abuse as the grill and windshield and should be cleaned and checked regularly for damage. Most rims will dirty up pretty quick from road debris and brake dust, and depending on the weather conditions in the state you live in and the quality of brake pads you have, the level of soil and grime will differ for everyone. Here are some tips for keeping your rims clean this summer. For more information about car detailing, in general, you can visit our website Chase Detailing to learn more about our products and services and find helpful information about keeping your ride clean!

Start With The Brakes

If you are experiencing a ridiculous amount of brake dust on your rims, consider buying some better quality brake pads. You will notice this build up real quick and should at the very least price out new pads. The dust can be abrasive an etch the rims and even cause mild corrosion and discoloration if left on the rim for long periods of time. Make sure at the first sign of brake dust, you remove it and clean the rim. For the best results consult with a professional detailing service in your area to learn about the best methods to use on expensive rims and extreme circumstances.

Be Cautious With Chemicals

Anyone who owns an expensive car probably has pretty expensive rims on it. These rims usually come factory with sports cars and luxury sedans but are even upgraded at that point with low profile rims of their preference. When cleaning your rims for the first time you can take a very simple approach and use a soft dish soap, dish rag, and a bucket of warm water. This is a great way to safely get results without risking chemical damage by using a cleaning solution you are not familiar with. Rims can get tarnished, stained, and erode from various chemicals. Know what your rims are made of and find a solution that works.

Hire A Professional

There are many DIY people out there that are ready to tackle the task ahead of them, and cleaning rims aren’t rocket science. There are just things to be aware of, and depending on the price of your rims, you may want to be really cautious before spraying any wheel cleaner on your rims before really seeing how they react. If you do decide to do this by yourself, here are some tips to help you get it done right without scuffing up your chrome rims.

Tips For Cleaning Car Rims

• Call your local auto detailer and ask them if they have a recommendation for a wheel cleaner. If you are savvy and have search skills, you can always Google “best wheel cleaners” to get an idea of what’s out there. Once you have your wheel cleaner, you need something to clean them with.

• Wheels can scratch pretty easy, especially if there is abrasive sediment from the brake pads stuck to the wheel, you don’t want to use an abrasive cleaning pad. Get a big foam sponge, or one of those hand mitts and gently clean off any debris before scrubbing hard. An old toothbrush is great for getting in between lug nuts and rim patterns. You can also soak your sponge and mitt in hot water prior to washing the wheel.

• Don’t be shy on the water, wash, rinse, wash, and rinse. Have a clean soap bucket and an area to squeeze the old dirty water out. I typically just do it on the side of the house. The enables you to work with a clean sponge or mitt every time you wipe the wheel, and it keeps old dirt from making its way back onto the wheel.



• Make sure you wash and rinse one wheel at a time, especially during the summer. Soap suds can dry quickly and create a problem if baked on some wheels.

• Take your time man, relax, and give the rim cleaner time to work its magic. Applying a degreaser then rinsing it before it’s had a chance to work is counterproductive. 



• Like any other part of the car, star at the top of the wheel and work your way around to the bottom. You don’t want dirt from above dripping down on to the part of the vehicle you just cleaned up.

• After you have washed and rinsed each wheel, make another round and this time rinse and dry the wheel. The water when air dried can leave spots. Get a dry microfiber cloth and hand dry those wheels for the best results. 



• Look for a wheel finish that will not only give your rims that sheen that sparkles in the sun but will also reject dirt and grease for a few months. There are chemical coatings out there that will help protect your rims and keep them looking good for weeks. Of course, this depends on where you live and the weather and road conditions you travel.