Can anyone recommend a good alloy-wheels cleaner?

[veteran]

This new Match Edition 1.2 of mine has of course come with alloy roadwheels as standard. This is something new for me to deal with, as the old Mk3 Golf that I had before had steel wheels, and those steel wheels required very little attention in terms of cleaning.

For this Match Edition I especially ordered a fifth true wheel, with fitted tyre. That's to say, another of the alloys. Cost me an absolute king's ransom, BTW. Anyway, I simply can't abide those temporary, skinny, steel wheels that come as the spare. Why oh why do car manufacturers persist in foisting them upon us? Mine's been relegated to the back of my garage.

Anyway, rant over, from hereon I'd obviously like to keep all five alloy wheels in as good condition as possible. Invariably, it's the backs of the alloy roadwheels that collect most dirt and grime, I suppose particularly because of the dust emitted from the now all-round disc brakes. But it's already apparent that the standard washdown of the car and wheels will miss those backs. And, in situ, you can't really access the backs with a sponge, or whatever, through the spokes. So, it looks like if I want to properly clean the backs of the wheels I'll need to take each wheel off in turn and especially deal with it.

Thus, what I'm needing is primarily a non-acidic cleaner for alloys where I can use it in combination with a small, soft-bristled brush to remove caked-on grime and then wash it all off with clean water, and then liberally apply wax polish to it. The latter should then tend to shed the grime from thereon, hopefully lasting for, say, some six months or more before needing the treatment to be repeated. Obviously, the actual frequency with which this would need to be repeated will depend on the extent of my usage of the vehicle (which will be below average).

When I was recently in my local Halfords I had a look at the alloy cleaners that they sell, but couldn't make up my mind whether any of them were worth spending £7 - £8 on. Also, I had no idea whether or not they were non-acidic; the particular chemical contents quoted on the containers told me nothing about their acidity or true suitability to the job.

Would I be better off just using diluted washing-up liquid and a small soft brush? Although washing-up liquid is known to be bulked up with salt, it's never done any harm to my previous vehicles as a general car-wash soap.

[Samvr46park]

Use Iron Out from AutoFinesse


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[veteran]

Where can you buy that? From any highstreet car accessories store? From Halfords, maybe? Do any of the groceries supermarkets with car accessories products sell 'Iron Out'?

[SRGTD]

Valet Pro Bilberry Wheel Cleaner;

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/valet-pro ... d_499.html

I have this as one of the products in my cleaning and detailing kit. I don’t use it every time I wash my car as my wheels are well protected, so don’t tend to suffer from a build up of grime as I usually wash my car every week to 10 days.

On the subject of cleaning the rear surface (barrels) of the wheels, I have a set of Wheel Woolies;

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-an ... _1037.html

With the Wheel Woolies, I can keep the backs of my wheels as clean as the fronts. They are expensive, but I expect to get many years use from them by looking after them. There are three different sizes in the set, so depending upon the design of your wheels, it should be possible to clean the hard to reach barrels of your wheels without having to remove the wheels from the car. They can also be used to clean the front surface of the wheels and between the spokes, although I use a dedicated wheel mitt to clean the front surface of the wheels, and with the design of my wheels, I can also reach and clean the back surface of the spokes with the wheel mitt.

https://wo-wo.co.uk/collections/wo-wo-c ... -wash-mitt

[RUM4MO]

I've tended to use ordinary Kent wheel brushes, three different "versions" - 1 left as bought, ie flat and straight to clean through spokes and the inner rim surface, 1 folded front to back through 90 degrees to clean behind the spokes and 1 bent side ways slightly to reach other areas. I've always tried to wash the car and wheels every two weeks so there is never, with my car usage, any build up of any of that brown film on top of the lacquer. Also I use one of these barrier "waxes" to add in a bit more protection and make cleaning easier/quicker.

I've always tried to pick wheels - where is an option, that only have 5 spokes on a car with 5 fixing bolts and with slightly rounded spoke profiles to avoid having any sharp corners that will quickly lose some protection and corrode before you have sorted them out. My wife's car has 5 spoke summer 16" alloys and 7 spoke 15" winter alloys - these winter wheels are a bit more difficult to clean, which in winter is a nuisance! My car has 7 double spoke 19" summer alloy wheels and 5 spoke 18" winter alloys - the 7 double spoke 19" summer alloys are a pain to keep clean - but that was the correct wheels for that car new!

[Willni]

As SRGTD and RUM4MO said get a set of good wheel brushes, I use wheel woolies but when I got them they were the only makers of brushes like that.

Wheel cleaner wise, I use Autobrite very cherry wheel cleaner mixed about 1:10 of water.

My alloys are coated in Gtechniq C5 and Exo v3 so I don't need tar remover and I think iron remover is a gimmick (Don't need it if you wash it weekly).
But if you don't want to invest in it and something easier Supaguard alloy wheel cleaner and protector work insanely well but only for 3 months.

[joe6]

When the wheels are clean I seal them with autoglym alloy wheel seal. Seems to last at least 6 months. Need to take the wheels off and spray inside and out. First day I have a new car this gets done.

[alexperkins]

I second bilberry

[pipsyp]

Gather Meguirs stuff is good.

I tend to use Auto Glym wheel cleaner, but its only good for painted/powder coated wheels. You need something gentle on a diamond cut wheel...to be fair I only ever use car shampoo and water on mine. Diamond cut wheels seem to start killing themselves after about 18/24 months no matter how well you look after them (eventually s**t starts lifting the lacquer then its just a slow road to corroded horrible looking things).

My Parabolicas on my 15 6C GTI are beginning to corrode here or there....if I keep the car longer term I will be powder coating them.

[Algeo007]

Having used many cleaning products over the years I can honest say that Bilt Hamber Alloy Wheel cleaner you can buy from Amazon is amazing. By far the best I've used.