Iron cleaning products vs wheel cleaners?

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-22-2020, 12:58 AM

I am trying to gauge which one sits higher or if there is one better than the other.

For example I have both Brake Buster and CarPro IronX. Is IronX on it's own good enough as a cleaner for wheels? I know Sonax makes a wheel cleaner that changes color, is it exactly the same as CarPro or a wheel oriented forumla?

And sometimes when I do brake buster then IronX am I wasting my time and could just use IronX on it's own?

**Coatingsarecrack** · 12-22-2020, 01:12 AM

I have seen where people have used iron x as a wheel cleaner and seen some people even agitate paint with a MF mitt on paint.

I personally would not use it on a dirty surface (including wheels) due to not knowing its lubricity. I usually spray on dirty wheels let soak and then follow up with a cleaning.

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**gofast182** · 12-22-2020, 10:00 AM

I've been using iron remover on my wheels more lately. My cars are cleaned often enough I don't really get tar buildup or other things wheel cleaners might also help with. It's just straight brake dust and sometimes rust from the rotor so the iron remover cuts to the chase. It's also less expensive.

I'm not sure what the post above is saying but I spray it on a dirty wheel, dwell, rinse with pressure washer (the wheel is 85% clean at this point), clean with wash water using dedicated brushes and a dedicated mitt, apply Hyde's to the rotor, air dry.

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-22-2020, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by gofast182

I've been using iron remover on my wheels more lately. My cars are cleaned often enough I don't really get tar buildup or other things wheel cleaners might also help with. It's just straight brake dust and sometimes rust from the rotor so the iron remover cuts to the chase. It's also less expensive.

I'm not sure what the post above is saying but I spray it on a dirty wheel, dwell, rinse with pressure washer (the wheel is 85% clean at this point), clean with wash water using dedicated brushes and a dedicated mitt, apply Hyde's to the rotor, air dry.

Usually in the sumemr my wheels are also cleaned often, full car cleaned every week but yeah iinter since it's other wheels and winter, usually try to clean the car once per month. I didn't think normal cleaners would help with tar and things like that. I do have TarX as well if I would need I guess.

Your reply brings me my other question. Between Brake Buster or IronX which one is the most effective to clean wheel without touching? I gotta say it is a PITA to bring a bucket and all that to the coin wash in the winter for wheels. If I add the touchless option, I could go more often to the coin wash only to wash the wheels since it's easier.

I think what the other person is saying which I somewhat agree with, IronX on it's own doesn't seem to provide lubricity compared to like my IK foamer with brake buster. But I guess if you put soap in your wheel bucket (I do) it negates the point.

More and more tempting to get rid of brake buster just because it's one less thing on the shelf if IronX does both. Need to calculate how much more expensive it is though first.

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-22-2020, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Coatingsarecrack

I have seen where people have used iron x as a wheel cleaner and seen some people even agitate paint with a MF mitt on paint.

I personally would not use it on a dirty surface (including wheels) due to not knowing its lubricity. I usually spray on dirty wheels let soak and then follow up with a cleaning.

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From a power perspective though which one works best? For example I'm starting to want to do touchless wheel washes.

**Rsurfer** · 12-22-2020, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

From a power perspective though which one works best? For example I'm starting to want to do touchless wheel washes.

Then coat your wheels.

**Coatingsarecrack** · 12-22-2020, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

From a power perspective though which one works best? For example I'm starting to want to do touchless wheel washes.

Good luck my friend. Touch-less wheel washes are a unicorn. I would definitely go the wheel cleaner route and use one that has the iron remover added. I am guessing that it has other cleaners as well as an iron removers.

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**gofast182** · 12-22-2020, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Usually in the sumemr my wheels are also cleaned often, full car cleaned every week but yeah iinter since it's other wheels and winter, usually try to clean the car once per month. I didn't think normal cleaners would help with tar and things like that. I do have TarX as well if I would need I guess.

Your reply brings me my other question. Between Brake Buster or IronX which one is the most effective to clean wheel without touching? I gotta say it is a PITA to bring a bucket and all that to the coin wash in the winter for wheels. If I add the touchless option, I could go more often to the coin wash only to wash the wheels since it's easier.

I think what the other person is saying which I somewhat agree with, IronX on it's own doesn't seem to provide lubricity compared to like my IK foamer with brake buster. But I guess if you put soap in your wheel bucket (I do) it negates the point.

More and more tempting to get rid of brake buster just because it's one less thing on the shelf if IronX does both. Need to calculate how much more expensive it is though first.

I'm not sure why you're concerned with lubricity. You shouldn't need to directly agitate the wheel cleaner on your wheel, or, if you do, it would be on a second application. You really want to blast off the majority of dirt and grit before agitating no matter what. I happen to hit it with the chemical before doing that initial blast. Applying the chemical after a first rinse results in some dilution of said chemical due to the wheel being wet which is why I don't do it that way.

My preference of those two chemicals is Iron X and is the iron remover I tend to use; however, Brake Buster does have a rust inhibiting property for the rotors if that's of interest to you (I use a separate product for that).

Honestly, the pressure washer alone will get my wheels 70+% clean in most cases, 85+% clean with a hit from Iron X first. Full disclosure, my wheels are coated with CQ UK 3.0. Occasionally I do manage a touchless wheel clean if my wash interval is a week and it didn't rain.

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-22-2020, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Rsurfer

Then coat your wheels.

They're already protected with sealant but next year I am going the coating route for the whole car.

**TheMidnightNarwhal** · 12-22-2020, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by gofast182

I'm not sure why you're concerned with lubricity. You shouldn't need to directly agitate the wheel cleaner on your wheel, or, if you do, it would be on a second application. You really want to blast off the majority of dirt and grit before agitating no matter what. I happen to hit it with the chemical before doing that initial blast. Applying the chemical after a first rinse results in some dilution of said chemical due to the wheel being wet which is why I don't do it that way.

My preference of those two chemicals is Iron X and is the iron remover I tend to use; however, Brake Buster does have a rust inhibiting property for the rotors if that's of interest to you (I use a separate product for that).

Honestly, the pressure washer alone will get my wheels 70+% clean in most cases, 85+% clean with a hit from Iron X first. Full disclosure, my wheels are coated with CQ UK 3.0. Occasionally I do manage a touchless wheel clean.

Interesting others are saying agitation is definitely gonna be needed.

Yeah the rust inhibitor is quite a gimmick, rust goes away when using the brakes so.