View Full Version : Wheel cleaner products
DSD27
07-07-2011, 11:26 PM
New to the site so this may have been discussed before.
What are you guys using to clean your wheels?
I have used Sonax and P21S
I prefer Sonax over P21S
Any opinions or other products you guys use?
imported_animes2k
07-07-2011, 11:56 PM
Having just used Sonax for the first time, I agree with you.
Lots of folks like Meguiar`s Wheel Brightener for heavy duty cleaning, but for regular upkeep, Sonax is good stuff.
Jpostal
07-08-2011, 12:13 AM
New to the site so this may have been discussed before.
What are you guys using to clean your wheels?
I have used Sonax and P21S
I prefer Sonax over P21S
Any opinions or other products you guys use?
Are you looking for a wheel cleaner for maintenance on your own vehicle or for others peoples vehicles that have heavy build up? Sonax FE works good, but for heavy build up you may need to go to an acid cleaner like Megs Wheel Brightener. Acid cleaners can easily damage wheels so use with caution (and be sure to use gloves, safety glasses, and a mask).
maximus20895
07-08-2011, 02:24 AM
I use Brown Royal. Much cheaper than P21S/Sonax/GG and works just as well. Safe on all wheel types, cleans tires, wheels, wheel wells, engines and can be used on paint as well.
Street5927
07-08-2011, 02:33 AM
I use Detail King`s Brake Up.
StuLax18
07-08-2011, 02:36 AM
I use Brown Royal. Much cheaper than P21S/Sonax/GG and works just as well. Safe on all wheel types, cleans tires, wheels, wheel wells, engines and can be used on paint as well.
I just bought some Sonax earlier today to try out, but I must admit this Brown Royal stuff sounds very interesting. Seems like a great value and has many uses.
Soap and water for a normal Car. P21S or Griots for a car that makes wheels black. Megs Wheel Brightener for neglected wheels.
Accumulator
07-08-2011, 11:08 AM
Soap and water for a normal Car. P21S or Griots for a car that makes wheels black. Megs Wheel Brightener for neglected wheels.
Similar choices here, except that I use a different acidic one for neglected wheels (the discontinued TOL stuff).
Well...sorta similar; I use shampoo mix on waxed/sealed wheels and Griot`s/P21s on ones that I don`t LSP. The wheels that I LSP come clean with just shampoo even when they`re uttely black with brakedust.
imported_animes2k
07-08-2011, 11:16 AM
Accumulator, I`m curious what wheel cleaner you speak of. I have most of a gallon of some TOL "Wheel Wash" and I find it pretty much useless. Maybe I`m doing it wrong.
Accumulator
07-08-2011, 11:36 AM
Accumulator, I`m curious what wheel cleaner you speak of. I have most of a gallon of some TOL "Wheel Wash" and I find it pretty much useless. Maybe I`m doing it wrong.
I can`t say for certain as I`m down to my last spraybottle full of it (generic bottle) and I tossed out the (labeled) gallon jug years ago :nixweiss
My old TOL catalog describes Wheel Wash as slightly alkaline and this stuff is absolutely acidic.
Now I will say that the stuff I was referring to is sure no Wheel Brightener, not even as potent as the old version of Eagle1 A2Z. But it is potent enough to cloud bare aluminum (think curb rash/etc.) if you`re not careful and I like to wear eye protection when I use it. I`ve used it on never-cleaned-before wheels and only a few times did I wish I had something more potent (and I still got by in those instances).
Huh...wonder if we`re talking about the same product or not :confused: They might`ve changed the Wheel Wash over the years too, I bought my stuff before I moved into this house, and that was in the Fall of 2000.
TedFred
07-08-2011, 11:56 AM
You can dilute wheel brightener to any dilution ratio. I use 4 to 1 for everyday. Works great. If it is to strong go to 6 to 1. I once diluted ot at 3 to 1 for painted or clearcoated wheels and it worked great. Do not use it on non clearcoated Aluminum.
It is the only wheel cleaner that I have found to remove brake dust. Most of the others are just fancy soap. If you want to use soap use the soap in you bucket it is cheaper.
The only problem I have with it is finding a bottle that will last. Any Ideas
Accumulator
07-08-2011, 12:12 PM
...[WB]... is the only wheel cleaner that I have found to remove brake dust. Most of the others are just fancy soap. If you want to use soap use the soap in you bucket it is cheaper.
I`m sure not :argue but that`s just SOOO different from my experiences :think:
I mean...I`ve been driving German cars, often with "track day" brake pads, since forever, and I ran high-dust pads on the Mallett `vette too. Even the minivan go the wheels so caked with dust that I couldn`t begin to see that they were silver; I seldom clean my wheels until they`re simply awful (I know...bad Autopian, very bad :o ). Yet I`ve never had to use aggressive wheel cleaners except when cleaning up stuff like just-purchased used cars.
And I find the relatively mild wheel cleaners I do use to be significantly more effective than the strong shampoo mixes I use on LSPed wheels. I even dilute Griot`s/P21S wheel cleaners most of the time!
Huh...just...weird that our experiences differ so much :nixweiss
TedFred
07-08-2011, 01:28 PM
I`m sure not :argue but that`s just SOOO different from my experiences :think:
I mean...I`ve been driving German cars, often with "track day" brake pads, since forever, and I ran high-dust pads on the Mallett `vette too. Even the minivan go the wheels so caked with dust that I couldn`t begin to see that they were silver; I seldom clean my wheels until they`re simply awful (I know...bad Autopian, very bad :o ). Yet I`ve never had to use aggressive wheel cleaners except when cleaning up stuff like just-purchased used cars.
And I find the relatively mild wheel cleaners I do use to be significantly more effective than the strong shampoo mixes I use on LSPed wheels. I even dilute Griot`s/P21S wheel cleaners most of the time!
Huh...just...weird that our experiences differ so much :nixweiss
Based on you experience I will have to try the Griots wheel cleaner.
TedFred
07-08-2011, 01:31 PM
I`m sure not :argue but that`s just SOOO different from my experiences :think:
Huh...just...weird that our experiences differ so much :nixweiss
I should have said NO AGITATION. All others I have used require rubbing and scrubbing
Accumulator
07-08-2011, 05:21 PM
I should have said NO AGITATION. All others I have used require rubbing and scrubbing
Oh.... I mean !OH! :eek: That`s very different! I *always* apply mechanical agitatin (mostly with my BHBs), *always*. Never done it the touchless way with any kind of positive outcome. We really were on different pages this time!
Based on you experience I will have to try the Griots wheel cleaner.
Heh heh, I bet you`d find the Griot`s sooo gentle that you`d consider it worthless ;) Seriously...I think you`d be wasting your money as it`s mighty gentle. Their new "heavy duty" version might be different, but still...you and I are just going about it differently on, perhaps, vehicles where other factors make a big diff.