Need help cleaning rims

R

riverafjr

New member
going to get a new honda accord soon ,What is the best thing to clean & condition leather not looking for it to shine or be slippery
 
Since its new, the leather is coated, and weve beaten this to death so i dont want to start anopther debate. My sugestion is Griots Garage (griotsgarage.com) interior cleaner, and 303 protectant. This will give you clean, protected, non-slipery/shiny leather.
 
These are the rims of a 2003 Toyota Highlander which are very dirty and it looks like there is some etching as well.
I first washed the rims with soapy water then I used Black Fire Wheel and Tire Cleaner and no difference. Being that I just bought P21S Regular Wheel Cleaner I thought this would be a real test of how it works so I sprayed it on liberally and let it sit then washed it off and nothing came off. So I dried the rims resprayed a liberal amount of P21S and agitated it with my trusted tooth brush and let it sit for about 3 minutes, the max time stated on the bottle, then hosed it off...and no difference at all. Please let know what you guys recommend!!

These are photos of the rims after I cleaned them!!
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Hey Guy

I had similar issues with a BMW. I worked one rim for 45 minutes with some products, got no where. It was suggested that I use Stoner's Tarminator or Sonax Wheel Care (something like that); phenomenal- both of them.
 
I've had good success with Meguiar's Wheel Brightener. Very strong, very powerful cleaning solution.

But high acid formula, so be careful not to get any on your paint and don't leave it on the wheels too long. Spray, scrub, rinse, repeat.
 
+1 for Meguiars Wheel Brightener (mixed at 2:1.) I used it on several sets of wheels that looked like they would never be clean again, and it positively killed all the bad stuff on the outside and the insides of the wheels.

I spray it on first, then do the rest of the tire, white letters if it has them, use a BMW wheel nut brush to do them, then last, use a variety of brushes to get all the brake dust crud off. This has been the best wheel cleaner I have found to date..

Dan F
 
I would try Wheel Brightener, not only will it melt on the baked on dust like seen there, it also removes staining. Just be sure to know what kind of wheels you are working with, and make sure you wear gloves (at the very least) when using.
 
Just follow the helpful hints offered above. Never fails to amaze me the expectations on how wheels that are neglected for years will clean up. Shame on you! A little maintenance along the way, some sealant applied on a regular basis and those wheels would clean up with car wash soap and some agitation. O.K. now get to work!
 
Can you use Wheel Brightener on clear coated wheels? I have a set of chrome rims this weekend on a GM Truck and I know they cleared. Also, I'd like to use it on my Volvo rims and both the R's and the XC's are painted.

Sorry to hijack.
 
I would personally recommend against Wheel Brightner in this situation, because you wheels are 'rashed' and it appears some of the bare metal is showing (assuming aluminum). Wheel Brightner could work well on the staining, but could damage the aluminum (highly corrosive) if exposed.

Because of the severity of that staining (and the fact that other wheel cleaners didn't even touch it) you are will likely need oxalic acid, which used to be found some of the old Chrome Wheel Cleaners.

I believe Mother's still sells a wheel cleaner (in bulk size) that contains oxalic acid, I don't believe anything we sell uses it. Dilute 1:1 with water and brush on with a stiff toothbrush. The oxalic acid will eat the rust and destroy the bond that is holding the brake dust on, you maybe have to apply it a couple times with the toothbrush and let it dwell as it works.

The problem is that once you remove the staining you may find that the clear coat underneath is damaged from the brake dust and neglect.
 
My Girlfriend's rims (Her car's, not her's...) were stained something like that and nothing worked until a friend of mine who used to work with me in the car wash and auto detailing told me to use Thiner (I know that's for paint, but it does work) and sand paper (1500 to be exact) and it really worked.
 
TLMitchell said:
Might want to consider a mask or respirator as well. That stuff is pretty stout, it'll clean yer sinuses in ways you don't want! :huh:

TL
Click to expand...

Best advice given so far /:)


OP...

Seeing that these wheels are already toast I would recommend cleaning them as good as you can getum with APC (full-strenght) and then hit the rough areas with 0000 steal wool and calling it a day :-B
 
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