Wheel cleaners, revisited

(I haven't seen this topic in a few years, and figured there may be new products)

So I picked up some wheel cleaner at Pep Boys this morning, already forget the name. I was using Dub foaming cleaner, turns red while it eats brake dust, but they didn't have it in stock. I bought something similar.

Being the daily driver of a car with white wheels, the subject is near and dear to my heart. I even saw something that was supposedly a brake dust repellant? From Armor All I believe...

What do you guys use? I saw an advertisment for something recently, coffee hasn't kicked in yet, a non-acid from Meguiar? Similar to Sonax? I'm open to ideas, I just upgraded the front brakes to Hawk's newest pad Street 5.0, which seems to be helping. (Street plus occasional track day, like the HPS but less dust)

I learned this one here on GRM.

Cheap, standard 2" or 3" house paint brush and your favorite degreaser like Purple Power.
Wet wheel then spay on degreaser. Once sprayed use the paint brush to push around the degreaser and "paint the wheel" in all the nooks and crannies. Spray clean with the hose.

The real secret is the paint brush. The products you mentioned above promise that the liquid will do the scrubbing. Try adding the gentle scrub and crevice reaching capability of a paint brush rather than lettting the liquid do the job.

I pulled up this image to remind myself of what your rims would look like.
Those should clean very easily with a 3" brush since that are not real intricate like a BBS lattice can be.

In reply to JohnRW1621:

Woah. I never thought about a paint brush. I have two different wheel brushes, cone-ish shaped with different sponge and short bristles. Neither one really works to get into the corners though. Thanks!

I used De-Solv-It Mechanic's Solvent with a rag or paper towels when the buildup gets bad. It works well, doesn't take much work, and it's cheap and safe on paint, but it won't clean the wheel to show-quality levels.

I clean the wheels every time I wash the car.

I usually spray the wheel/tire with Eagle One A2Z cleaner, wash the car, rinse it all with a hose, and then use a microfiber rag in the wash bucket to go over the wheels at the end. I also hit the wheels with spray wax at the beginning and end of the season, which makes cleaning them even easier.

I use Sonax. Awesome stuff

I use the Hot Wheels cleaner (purple bottle) it works pretty well. I even spray it on before going in the car wash. Can't be seen rolling on dirty wheels. I also keep a microfiber and some detail spray in the trunk to clean the lips between washings.

I too never considered a paint brush. Going to have to try that one!

Sine_Qua_Non wrote: I use Sonax. Awesome stuff

I'll second that. It's so metal when your wheels start bleeding.

My white wheels are a bit more open....

I use this...

Add whatever cleaner you choose....

I use CG Diablo wheel cleaner gel And I use these "wheel Woolies"

Old toothbrush works in tight spots. Purple Power can damage the paint if its on too long. I use Meguiar's Hot Rims Cleaner.

I just use OPT No Rinse in a spray bottle on mine. As long as I get it every couple of weeks it comes off without much of an issue.

I've got some Carbotech AX6 on my wheels now. Stuff is terrible to clean when you neglect it a few weeks with rain repeatedly.

I'm probably going to try and brush some oven cleaner on because I have about $70 worth of wheel cleaners that didn't even tickle the heavier stuff. I will try Purple Power first though.

This is what I ended up with. Like Sonax and Dub, it turns red as it eats brake dust. Just tried it this morning before work, did a 5-10' viewing job, up close you can see some crap at the corners. Going to get a paint brush this weekend though.

I've always just used a toilet brush and water.

On other peoples' cars. My cars wear brake dust as a badge of honor.