SAFEST and "best" wheel cleaner for polished aluminum wheels...?

[pologuy]

Wondering if anyone had any suggestions for the SAFEST and "best" wheel cleaner for polished aluminum wheels...?

[tom p.]

Are the wheels coated or just bare aluminum?

[pologuy]

They are the 20" polished aluminum wheels on the Lincoln MKS twin turbo.

http://www.autopia.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=27471&stc=1

[XxBoostinxX]

They appear to be polished but clear coated. I wouldn`t expect them to be bare aluminum.

[tom p.]

Yeah, there`s no way they`d not be clear coated.

Any gentle wheel cleaner used on a weekly basis is going to be fine for standard production wheels. My best product recommendations will the the regular Griot`s product, regular P21S or Autoglym`s standard wheel cleaner. The Autoglym product is difficult to purchase. I believe you`ll find the standard Griot`s cleaner at Advance Auto Parts.

[Accumulator]

They appear to be polished but clear coated. I wouldn`t expect them to be bare aluminum.

Same opinion here, I`d @SSume (uh-oh :o ) that they`re just like the "Machined Finish" ones on my A8 and Tahoe, namely cleared (aren`t they powdercoated these days?).

I cannot *imagine* a newer Lincoln coming with bare aluminum, they`d oxidize something awful before it left the lot. So I`d treat them just like any other nice modern wheels.

I`d use something known to be safe (if awfully gentle) like Griot`s Wheel Cleaner or P21s.

[pologuy]

Meguiar`s used to make an excellent one that was part of their "professional" Mirror Glaze line - #36 Mirror Glaze Wheel Cleaner...

But for some strange reason they don`t make it anymore...

[The Guz]

Apply some metal polish on a small area of the wheel. If it comes up black it`s uncoated metal. More than likely these are coated.

[pologuy]

Anyone try Sonax...?

[tom p.]

Yes.

[Rsurfer]

Blackfire Metal Sealant, safe, effective and a breeze to apply and remove.

[mnehls86]

Anyone try Sonax...?
Yep. Good stuff. Safe, cleans well and removes iron particles.