How to properly clean my wheels?

R

rscott22

New member
Hey Guys,


I'm new to detailing for the most part and have only used what I call the "commercial" brands like Meguiars, eagle one etc. I do have some GRIOTS, but nothing crazy.


I'm trying to find the best way to clean my wheels without hurting the flat finish that is on the wheels. I will post a picture below of what the wheels looks like. Trying to find out what cleaners and selects would be best to use. I only drive this car occasionally and it nervier sees snow or rain.


Not sure what brushes and sponges I need to buy use also.


Stuff I just ordered:

Boards hair lug nut brush

Grit guard and 5 gallon bucket



Thanks guys for any advice.



 
The standard Griot's wheel cleaner is very mild.  I believe you can purchase it from Advance Auto Parts.  It's very good on well-maintained wheels.


 


Welcome aboard!
 
If looking for a cleaner that can be the least damaging

for all parts of your vehicle, you should check out

Optimum power clean. Many call it OPC.


I use it very dilute, like 20 or 10 to one first, and move

stronger if needed. I enjoy the fact that I can use

Power Clean along with Optimum No Rinse, and if the

OPC is weak enough, it does not stop it from being no rinse.


This way, it can be a degreaser that is added to your wash.

Neat thing is that if Opc is weaker than 8 to 1,it should not

harm LSP, but there are many factors to consider.
 
rscott22- Welcome to Autopia!


 


Nice Supra!  Love the understated look.


 


Are the shiny outer rim areas bare/polished aluminum or are they clearcoated?


 


The Griot's is safe and, as noted, very mild.


 


I'd clean them up very, very well one time (and I mean "take 'em off the car and do it right"), and then seal them with OptiCoat.  That stuff is simply amazing when it comes to wheels...for a very long time you'll be able to just clean them with a car shampoo and gentle media (Boar's Hair Brushes, sheepskin, etc.).  And the shampoo will have much better lubricity than most Wheel Cleaners/etc. which will help avoid wash-induced marring on the outer rim sections that I asked about.


 


With all the little fittings (I had those on a few sets of wheels and they can trap dirt/dust), the OptiCoat will be worth it down the road.  Yeah, that one big cleanup and coating might take a while, but I'd be all about making sure they still look good after a lot of use.


 


Oh, and as you mentioned Griot's, I simply *LOVE* their little sheepskin mitt (pn 10209) for cleaning the backsides of the spokes.  On those wheels you can probably use it to clean the inner barrels too, though you might need a swab (the big ones, sometimes called "foam on a stick") to fit between the caliper and the wheel if you don't want to bother moving the vehicle a half-wheel-rotation in the middle of the wheel cleaning process.
 
Thanks for all the advice so far guys! The wheels are brand new and I have yet to drive anywhere yet so I guess now would be best to coat them.


The lip of the wheels is clear coated and center of the wheel is a flat finish (not sure if I can coat that or not without making it shiny?)


What exact wheels cleaners do you guys recommend if you feel that griots isn't strong enough? I also have ceramic brake pads on the car so the dust is different from a standard metallic pad.


Also and recommendations on soap? I'm currently using Meguiars ultimate wash and wax.
 
rscott22- If you coat them before doing much driving the Griot's should clean them up fine.  Just let it dwell for a while so it can do its thing.


 


I'm a *BIG* fan of Griot's Car Wash, it's basically the only thing I use.  MUCH less wash-induced marring compared to when I used other/cheaper shampoos.  The only Megiar's shampoo I consider remotely OK is their M62.


 


If you want something cheaper than the Griot's I'd get Optimum (their regular shampoo) or DuraGloss.


 


The coating might impart a "sheen" of sorts to the black section, but I wouldn't worry about it making things too shiny.  This got discussed here a while back and IIRC the user was happy with the final results.
 
I don't mind spending the money on good products, I've just never known what was the correct product to buy. So I've always stuck with the store brands as I call it. I'm on AutoGeek a lot always searching to see what I should buy, but always afraid to buy and it be a waste of money.


So please feel free to let me know what you guys consider a good wash, wheel cleaner, glass clearer etc. I'm open to everything! Everyone so far has been a great help on is site.
 
Purchase Optimum No Rinse, either with our without wax.

This can be used for almost everything. It will save money,

save time, and save water usage.


You will find that the store chemicals are sub par compared to the

ones you can purchase online. Plus the online ones are usually higher concentrated.

Purchase gallons of concentrate, not small bottle of ready to use.

There are tons of brands, just find one that works for you.
 
rscott22- If you coat the wheels, you'll seldom need an actual Wheel Cleaner, and the Griot's should work when you do


 


For the wash, I too bought cheap stuff for a long time, but *oh man* am I glad I switched to better ones.  It *is* a hassle ordering the Griot's, and it sure is pricey, but AFAIK the only wash that's generally considered to be superior is the even pricier Ultima.


 


I've always liked Griot's Glass Cleaner, but plenty of people like Meguiar's D120 (think that's the number..., got a sample I need to try) and the HD 50:1 concentrate is supposed to be good (haven't tried my botle of that one yet either).


 


For cold weathe user (especially if salt film and freezing temps are a problem for you) and for use around the house, I really like Zep40, but it's an aerosol which I generally find troublesome (overspray drifts all over).  Speaking of aerosols, Sprayway is good too.


 


Oh, and I simply *LOVE* Griot's Polypropylene Window Wipes, at least for the final passes.
 
I must be about the only guy here who doesn't like ONR!  I do find uses for the similar Infinite Use Detail Juice, but I don't use such products for all the things some people do.  No, no, not a slam, just another "opinions and experiences vary"-type of comment.
 
Lucky for me I'm able to buy GRIOTS at my local Advanced Auto. This car is a weekend only car and believe it or not it has classic tags on it so I can only drive the car so much a year. Anything 15 years or older qualifies as a classic in PA so I had the tags switched a month or so ago.


I'll go down to my local store and grab some griots car wash today. I only need the basic car wash from them correct? Or is there a specific type you recommend. Also I appreciate you are only recommending the products you have truly used and not "stuff you think" will work well with the car. I appreciate the honesty.


I am currently using eagle one 20/20 glass cleaner and it has been my go to stuff for 8 years now. So maybe it's time to switch things up there also.
 
rscott22- Yep, the "regular" Griot's Car Wash.  I'd sure switch to buying gallons though if the Advanced only has the little bottles (that's all my local one sells).


 


Heh heh, yeah...I sometimes think about putting Classic/Historic/etc. tags on some of mine, but hey...if they're getting that old then so am I! 


 


If you like the Eagle One 20/20 then I'd lean towards just sticking with it.  No need to fix that which isn't broken IMO.  But I'd still look into ordering some of those Griot's WIndow Wipes sometime.


 


Oh, while I'm thinking "Griot's", the one other product they sell that I'd hate to be without is their Rubber Prep.  I don't use it vary often, but when I do, well....nothing, *NOTHING* else I've ever tried cleans up rubber and black plastic the way that stuff does.  It's a freakin' miracle product.
 
[quote name="Accumulator" post="1432453" timestamp="1391290545"]rscott22- Yep, the "regular" Griot's Car Wash.  I'd sure switch to buying gallons though if the Advanced only has the little bottles (that's all my local one sells).

 

Heh heh, yeah...I sometimes think about putting Classic/Historic/etc. tags on some of mine, but hey...if they're getting that old then so am I! 

 

If you like the Eagle One 20/20 then I'd lean towards just sticking with it.  No need to fix that which isn't broken IMO.  But I'd still look into ordering some of those Griot's WIndow Wipes sometime.

 

Oh, while I'm thinking "Griot's", the one other product they sell that I'd hate to be without is their Rubber Prep.  I don't use it vary often, but when I do, well....nothing, *NOTHING* else I've ever tried cleans up rubber and black plastic the way that stuff does.  It's a freakin' miracle product.[/quote/


That's a another thing I need fixed is all my plastic is dull/faded and nothing I ever used from the "store brands" has ever worked longer then a day.


This Opti coat you spoke about for coating the wheels I am assuming I can get from autogeek and is there any special prep I need to do before applying it? Also is there a specific model of Opti coat for wheels?
 
Opt Coat comes in two variants.

First is normal, consumer grade.

Second is professional level, which you must be cleared for.

The pro level just takes more expertise to put on.

Think of it like a quicker setting epoxy, where the consumer grade

has more leeway. These can not be bought very many places.

Since a tube is 79.99, you might not get many significant discounts for it.


Installation is not super hard, but the prepping must be completed

correctly. Without proper prep, the coating might not stick and

it could be a waste of time.


I am not an Opti Coat expert, I just suggest that you educate yourself

before attempting to install yourself. This stuff is really hard to remove.
 
Sounds like something I may want to stay away from them. I would hate to mess my car up the first time using and not be able to remove it.


What about KLASSE sealant? I've been looking at that for coating the wheels, but wasn't sure if it was worth it or not and if it's easy to apply for someone like myself.


Also when I apply wax or a sealant I've always used a microfiber cloth (always a new one and never re used) is this ok or should I be using a foam applicator?
 
rscott22- I think you misinterpreted what WIlliam was saying; I think he just wants you to go about the prep carefully to make sure you get the best possible results.


 


I've applied the OpitCoat to various wheels with no special pains taken with regard to prep and it worked out fine.  SInce your wheels are nearly new, you could just clean the black parts thoroughly with the Griot's Wheel Cleaner..just let it dwell for a while, !but not long enough that it dries!, and rinse thoroughly.  That might even suffice for the shiny rim, or you could use a mild polish (IMO you oughta have HD Polish on the shelf anyhow ;)  ) and then clean the polished areas again with the Wheel Cleaner.  WIpe the whole wheel down with Rubbing Alcohol, wipe dry, and apply the OptiCoat.


 


REALLY, it's nothing to be leery of; if it were I'd still recommend it but I'd be posting additional caveats.  For the whole car...that might be tricky to get just right.  But for the wheels...no sweat.  Get some good lighting set up so you can be sure the application is uniform, but although I had some concerns about whether I'd get that right, it was an absolute non-issue.


 


Just like most every other wax/sealant/coating/etc. etc. just put it on *VERY* thin, so thin you can barely see it.  Do that with every such Last Step Product ("LSP") and everything will go better anyhow.


 


You're gonna take the wheels off the car so you can do the barrels/back sides, right? (Hint: correct answer is "yes" :D ).  You'll find the remove/reinstall more of a hassle than the coating, and I figure that part of the job is simply no biggie at all. 


 


Hey, do you have the plastic-sleeve sockets for use on your lug nuts?  Good idea, added safety margin against messing up the wheels' finish, better than wrapping a regular socket with masking tape or Saran Wrap.


 


The Klasse Sealant Glaze ("KSG") is what I used to use on wheels.  WIth (at least) six layers it held up pretty OK, but not really any better than two-three coats of FK1000P (love that stuff) and not *anywhere near* what the OptiCoat brings to the table.  WIth fewer than six layers the KSG isn't even worth using IMO (and I've used it a *LOT* on many vehicles and wheels).


 


I apply with a foam "wax applicator" pad and buff off with a MF.  And I reuse the foam pad countless times (note that I'm not a cheapskate and would toss it in an instant if I had reason to).
 
Once gain thank you for the info! Also my wheels seem to have a clear coat on what looks like a polished lip and has flat black powder coated center with what seems like no clear coat at all.


I ordered a lot today and spent ways more then I should have but I got the following products.


Car add lug nut brush

Boars hair lug nut brush

Recessed lug nut cleaner with foam inserts


Speed master wheel brush

Speed master brush mini

2 foam finger applicators for wheels


Clear inline hose canister system to eliminate my hard water issues I have my at house


Pinnacle Souveran paste wax


P21S wheel cleaner

Foam sponge


These are things that seemed to be what I needed... I need to still go and get GRIOTS car soap for the vehicle.


I'm always taking my wheels on and off to clean them so this won't be an issue at all.


I need to get better lighting, that is something I don't have much of in my garage.
 
rscott22- Is this your first go with Souveran?  I use that on my (currently mothballed) garage-queen Jag, but quit using it otherwise as I got tired of redoing it after every wash.  That *is* my wife's favorite LSP on (Audi) silver, she can spot it (and could tell when I quit using it on her car :o ) right away, probably the only LSP she could ever do that with.


 


See how you like the foram recessed lug cleaners...I just use a cylindrical BHB and I'm curious which you'll end up preferring.


 


Ditto for the hose canister system, see how it works for you. I have a dedicated-to-garage softener (separate from the house one) and I use a CRS unit when I need "better" water.


 


I'm not a fan of the Daytona/EZ/Speed Master brushes, but that's just me and I do sometimes use them for things like the coil springs on beater cars.


 


For lighting, besides the standard-recommendation halogens, I like regular incandescent bulbs for inspecting silver.  The trick IME is to turn out all the other lighting so you're working in an otherwise dark environment., sorta duplicating the "at a gas station at night" situation.  Heh heh, you might see things that you'd rather not know about!
 
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