Cleaning Tires And Rims 'First'?


I usually wash wheels and tires first at least when doing a regular wash. I do this because I tend to really scrub tries and get some wheel splatter from my brushes. I also use a separate dedicated 1-2 gallon bucket for wheels.

When doing an ONR wash I tend to do wheels last because I use the leftover wash solution to wash them. Using this method I use some dedicated MF towels to wash and scrub, keeping the splatter down.

 
I always do tires & wheels first.

Why?:

  • It takes time
  • I use a separate bucket of water to clean the wheels, tires, and lower areas first. Then I dump out that bucket and start with fresh water and soap before moving on to the rest of the car.
  • It is impossible to clean the wheels and tires without getting water on the near by panels
  • Water spots on tires and wheels are generally less of a worry so leaving them wet while washing the rest of the car is no big deal
  • So if I do them first, once done with the rest of the car, I can go straight to drying
 
Wheels & tires are usually the dirtiest part of the vehicle, what with brake dust & road grime. Clean them and protect them first, then change your water before moving onto the car body. Everytime you rinse off a section of the car you can also rinse the wheels & tires again.
 
TroyScherer said:

I usually wash wheels and tires first at least when doing a regular wash. I do this because I tend to really scrub tries and get some wheel splatter from my brushes. I also use a separate dedicated 1-2 gallon bucket for wheels.

When doing an ONR wash I tend to do wheels last because I use the leftover wash solution to wash them. Using this method I use some dedicated MF towels to wash and scrub, keeping the splatter down.

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Ditto.
 
I too wash the wheels first. That's how I learned and it makes sense to me. Like others, I use separate bucket and brushes.
 
Another ditto for all reasons said.

Now, I have gone back and re-cleaned a tire if I was not satisfied with the way it cleaned up after I saw it after it dried.
 
wheels and tires first is a must. i spend a good 10 minutes on each wheel and tire when i clean mine. if i were to wait for the end of the wash, my car would be covered in water spots.
 
I do them the next day!

Mostly because I'm too tuckered to do it all in one day. I load up a garden sprayer with BF waterless and I soak them. Then Microfiber and I'm done. No splatter anywhere....as I do them weekly, they are never too dirty and the waterless cuts the little grease I get there and leaves a bit of a sealant polymer...
 
I do wheels/wells/running boards/mud flaps first because they are the most work and I'm most motivated in the beginning. I like to get it over with and the tools and brushes put away. Plus, for some reason, wheels never show water spots for me. It just seems to make sense to get rid of the most dirt first when you are cleaning something. I just hate kneeling or bending over. I have a stool but often wash on an incline, so I'm always fighting rolling away.
 
I must be the odd ball as I do my tires and wheels last. Fist of all I don't want soap and rinse water getting on my chrome wheels after cleaning. When cleaning tires, wheels and wheel wells I get very little water on the clean fenders, nothing that a quick wipe with a mf towel won't get rid of. The main reason for doing my tires last is that I don't like leaving my rotors wet as they start to rust in just a short time. I use a Makita cordless blower to dry my tires, rims, calipers and rotors. I just hate seeing red rust on my clean rims the first time I hit the brakes.
 
I guess I'm one of the oddballs. I normally wash and dry the vehicle and then wash the wheels/tires last. I do this to save on soap, every little bit counts when you're trying to stay budget friendly with your bills. I'll do touchup drying as needed around each wheel at a time.
 
I wash tires and wheels first. why? cuz..........

But now that you asked me to rationalize it, mebbe cuz this way I can dry the car without it waterspotting while I do the other stuff
 
Wheels and tires first. For me it's the least enjoyable part of the job and I just like to get them out of the way. I use a tire wheel bucket with its own cleaners and tools. Don't want any crud ending up on my good paint cleaning equipment
 
I've always done tires and wheels first. I don't want any of that grime getting back on the paint.
 
I do my tires/rims half and half. First I clean off the brake dust with Sonus Rim Bright Wheel Cleaner, then wash the car, and last I go over the rims with the sponge and a light scrub with a brush on the tires.
 
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