overkill???

[Jaretr1]

I was just reading Nick's show and shine write up on the Mustang (nice work BTW) and a few of the pictures got me thinking. Nick showed the use of a variety of products and tools just for the wheels. While those appeared to be polished aluminum, all of my cars wheels are painted alloys. I have never done anything other than wipe my wheels clean with a soapy rag when I am washing my car. I have never used any wheel cleaning chemicals or polishes or protectants. I also reach inside and wipe down the interior of the wheels as well. For those who have "low maintenance" painted wheels, what do you do? Is much more than keeping the wheels clean like I am doing overkill? Ps, my pads give off minimal brake dust.

Thanks.

[zliegen]

For my own wheels I just wipe them down with Soapy/ONR towel by hand when I wash my car, every now and then I'll take them off completely for a deep cleaning inside the barrels of the wheels as I cant get at all of it with the wheels on the car. My brake pads DO dust a LOT but they clean up pretty good since I wash once a week generally.

Not everyone keeps their wheels clean often or even cleans them ever, so sometimes it is definitely necessary to use a brush and dedicated wheel cleaner to get them clean as soap just won't cut through the caked-on brake dust.