Wheel cleaner for this finish?

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dawgboy

New member
I have these wheels, which are a diamond-cut/polished/brushed aluminum etc..etc..that are clear-coated. I've posted multiple pictures to get a good idea of the finish, it is hard to capture on camera, since it's not chrome.



Ive heard that Soap (Which kind of soap exactly?) and water are the best to clean the wheels with because of the acidic level of wheel cleaners on the market. Could you direct me to a wheel cleaner that is good for this finish or the soap to use? That won't damage the finish or clear coat. Thanks for the help.



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The normal suggestion for sensitive wheels or a conservative approach would be a pH-neutral wheel cleaner such as P21S or Griot's. There is also the newer Sonax Full Effect. There are a few other boutique brands which are also "detergent-based" rather than acid or caustic.



The standard Autopian advice is that once you get them clean, you polish and seal them so that you can truly use "soap and water" (car shampoo) on them.
 
PrinceHoliday said:
Ive heard that Soap (Which kind of soap exactly?) and water are the best to clean the wheels with because of the acidic level of wheel cleaners on the market. Could you direct me to a wheel cleaner that is good for this finish or the soap to use? That won't damage the finish or clear coat. Thanks for the help.
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....a good quality car wash soap. The same product you use to wash the rest of the car. For gentle agitation, I use boars hair brushes (a larger 8” for the wheel face and a smaller 1”round brushes for the lug nuts/holes, crevices, rotors, etc.). I also use a longer nylon brush (EZ Detail or Daytona Speed Master) to clean the inner drum of the wheels. As for which brand of soap to use, that is really a matter of preference IMO and there are plenty of decent choices to choose from. These days I typically use Duragloss Car Wash Concentrate #902 (the gallon version of #901 ….which is 16oz).



Personally, I like to use a good wax/sealant on my wheels for aesthetics as well as protection. ….I also find it makes them easier to clean. ....again, a matter of preference as to what you choose but I'm currently using FK1000p.
 
Um...you should polish them with whatever products are required to get the job done...and seal them with your favorite sealant. You said yourself the wheels are clearcoated...the same as the rest of your car likely is, so there's only a few thousand combinations of polishes, sealants and waxes you could use.



Are the wheels new or old? Do they have brake dust or tar etc. stuck on them? Is the finish marred (swirled, scratched, etched, corroded, etc.)? When I say boutique wheel cleaners I'm talking about brands that are not widely distributed like the ones I mentioned; I'm sure that AG and CMA have a neutral wheel cleaner in their Blackfire, Eimann Fabrik, Wolfgang, Pinnacle, DP etc. brands.
 
The wheels are new only about a week and a half old..just want to do the best steps initially when cleaning my wheels. It's been raining alot down here off and on so..just want to get the brake dust and dirt out...Rains all night then blazing sun in the daytime...
 
Well, if you have some products (polish and LSP) that you use on the rest of your car, you may be able to use them on your wheels. Is your goal to find something OTC or to order online? Are you going to take the wheels off to do something to the backs/barrels? If they are really that new you should probably be able to get them clean with some regular car shampoo if the brake dust hasn't etched and no tar is stuck. Some clay may help if there is something stuck. The P21S is sometimes found in the parts dept. of high end car dealers, high end tire shops, and speed shops.
 
Fyi…. s100 is essentially p21s but marketed for use on motorcycles. The reason I mention this is because you can sometimes find s100 variants of the p21s products at Harley Davidson stores and other bike related shops. ….if you’re not willing to order online.
 
I agree with Kean; S100 products available at a local Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop may be your best bet for do-it-now care. They make a wheel cleaner that may resolve your problem. Another "mild" wheel cleaner product available over-the-counter that may work for you is Eagle One's AtoZ wheel cleaner.



As far a sealing the wheels since they are clearcoated, again, Keam's suggestion about Finish-Kare's FP1000 synthetic wax is great. Some like Poorboy's Wheel Sealant. Other's use Klasse's All-In-One followed by mutiple coats of their High-Gloss Sealant Glaze. If you do not have any of these, I would still use some type of wax/sealant on the wheels for some short-term protection. The cars these wheels are on are notorious for break dust and cleaning that wheel design can be difficult.



One more thing: invest in some boar-hair brushes for the face and lugnuts and Daytona brush for the wheel inner barrels dedicated for wheel care. You (or the customers you take care of) made a sizeable investment in the custom wheels and you do not want to ruin their good looks with improper wheel cleaning chemicals or equipment.
 
Lonnie said:
I agree with Kean; S100 products available at a local Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop may be your best bet for do-it-now care. They make a wheel cleaner that may resolve your problem. Another "mild" wheel cleaner product available over-the-counter that may work for you is Eagle One's AtoZ wheel cleaner.
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....E1 A2Z is actually quite strong and care needs to be taken as with any other harsh cleaner like it. IIRC, it has a pH level of around 13. ....effective but definitely not a product I would consider mild or as safe as p21s/s100, Sonax, etc.
 
Kean said:
....E1 A2Z is actually quite strong and care needs to be taken as with any other acidic cleaner like it. IIRC, it has a pH level of around 13. ....effective but definitely not a product I would consider mild or as safe as p21s/s100, Sonax, etc.
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A pH level of 13 would mean that it's an extreme base chemical, like bleach, and NOT an acid. An extreme acid would have a pH level of some around 1 to 3
 
lyzing said:
A pH level of 13 would mean that it's an extreme base chemical, like bleach, and NOT an acid. An extreme acid would have a pH level of some around 1 to 3
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....ooops. Sorry, you're right.
 
lyzing said:
A pH level of 13 would mean that it's an extreme base chemical, like bleach, and NOT an acid. An extreme acid would have a pH level of some around 1 to 3
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But should still be used with extreme caution as it is still a caustic cleaner. Just because it's a base doesn't mean it is safer than an acidic cleaner. Lye (a base) can dissolve aluminum. You want something close to a neutral pH (between 5 and 9) to be considered a 'safe' cleaner.
 
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