How To: Clean Your Wheels and Tires

[sullysdetailing]

How To: Clean Wheels and Tires



When you are cleaning your wheels and tires you want to make sure you use a product that is safe for all wheels. You do not want to use a wheel cleaner that has harsh cleaners or acid in them. You also want to read the instructions on the bottle and make sure you use the product the right way.

Products used:

· DP Gel Wheel Cleaner

· DP Wheel Glaze

· Foam Applicator

· Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush

· Clean Wheel Lug Nut Brush

· Long Handle Tire/Wheel Brush

· 5 gallon bucket

· Microfiber Towels



Process:

· Always Start cleaning your wheels before the rest of your vehicle

· Fill a 5 gallon bucket with 3-4 gallons of water and 1-2 oz of auto soap.

· Make sure the wheel is cool to touch, and then spray the wheel, tire, and wheel well with DP Gel Wheel Cleaner. Let the product dull for 30 seconds to 1 minute (If the wheel is really dirty you can let it dwell a little longer)

· Now dip the Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush into the 5 gallon bucket and start cleaning the inside of the wheel.

· Then dip the Long Handle Tire/Wheel Brush and clean the face of the wheel and get as much as you can with the brush

· Now take theClean Wheel Lug Nut Brush and finish cleaning the wheels making sure you get all the spots that you could not clean with the Long Handle Tire/Wheel Brush.

· You can use the Clean Wheel Lug Nut Brush and Daytona Speed Brush the clean your brake calipers

· Once you have finished cleaning the wheels grab the Long Handle Tire/Wheel Brush and dip it into the 5 gallon bucket and the clean the wheel well and tires. For hard to reach areas in the wheel well you can use the Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush

· Once you have finished cleaning the wheels, tires, and wheel wells rinse off the tires and continue the process on the other wheels.

· Once you have finished cleaning your vehicle go back and dry your wheels and tires with an old Micro Fiber Towel.

· Now take the DP Wheel Glaze and Foam Applicator and apply a thin layer on your wheels.

· Once you have applied DP Wheel Glaze on all the wheels go back and buff of the residue with a microfiber towel (one you don’t use on your paint)

· Now apply your favorite tire dressing to your tires.

All products mentioned in the how to section is available at Tires & Wheels cleaning products

[Slava]

Thanks for the write up.

[elk42]

sully what product(s) would you recommend for shinier wheels such as that on a Jeep? i would maybe categorize them as uncoated? ive used Poorboys S&R but even diluted, that stuff can be quite harsh to shinier wheels. thanks. Elk

[sullysdetailing]

sully what product(s) would you recommend for shinier wheels such as that on a Jeep? i would maybe categorize them as uncoated? ive used Poorboys S&R but even diluted, that stuff can be quite harsh to shinier wheels. thanks. Elk

If they are Chrome you are fine with DP, If they are aluminum (uncoated) I would just use Soap and Water. But if you need to Dp would be fine, You might have to polish a little after. But if you have uncaoted aluminum wheels I would seal them pretty good so washing them is easier.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

Why do you always have to clean your wheels first, where is this written in stone?

[sullysdetailing]

Dana, I said start with the wheels because if you wash you car then move to the wheels. By the time you dry the car it will already have started to dry because of the sun and heat causing water spots. So to avoid this you start with the wheels.

[08krewkab]

Why do you always have to clean your wheels first, where is this written in stone?

Not in stone....but more of common sense

[ScottB]

sully what product(s) would you recommend for shinier wheels such as that on a Jeep? i would maybe categorize them as uncoated? ive used Poorboys S&R but even diluted, that stuff can be quite harsh to shinier wheels. thanks. Elk

most factory OEM wheels are clearcoat to avoid the damages (and likely warranty repairs) associated with them. Some do look milky and not much you can do. For best results clean weel (with a safe wheel cleaner), polish with a paint polish (unless metal is uncoated), and then seal as desired. Often times a spray wax or booster can make painted wheels look more desirable, like FK425 for instance.

[JonMiles]

That process is a very reliable one for getting the wheels looking good, but what do you do to get rid of water etching on clear coated wheels? Would it be best to use a small pad and some polish like I would with the paint? Or would rubbing them out by hand with some compound be better?

[sullysdetailing]

That process is a very reliable one for getting the wheels looking good, but what do you do to get rid of water etching on clear coated wheels? Would it be best to use a small pad and some polish like I would with the paint? Or would rubbing them out by hand with some compound be better?

Small pad like a 5.5'' or 4'' pad and a DA, Polish them like paint if they are cleared. Start with the less aggressive method first. Then seal them