It doesn’t matter what kind of car rims you have because we will teach you how to clean chrome rims and how to clean aluminum rims as well.
Cleaning your rims correctly each time will help prevent any damage and extend the life of your rims.
The majority of vehicles manufactured today are built with high performance brakes and brake pads that are constructed out of mixed metallic compounds. As a result, the constant stopping and braking of your vehicle will build up large amounts of brake dust on your rims which can quickly cover up the shine.
You could invest more money in specialized semi-metallic brake pads, designed for high performance vehicles, since they produce less brake dust. However, nothing saves you more money than learning how to clean your rims correctly yourself.
The quickest and easiest way to clean your regular car rims is to use some sort of multi surface cleaning solution along with some paper towels or a soft cloth. All you need to do is spray an even coat over the entire surface of your rims and then wipe each rim down thoroughly with your paper towel or soft cloth. Make sure you wipe all the nooks and crannies and then make a final pass around the outer lip of the rim. If you are really lazy you can purchase one of those rim cleaning sprays which only require you to spray and rinse without having to wipe at all.
1) Check to see if the rims are cool before you begin to clean them. If you have just finished driving, it is best to let your car sit in the shade for awhile to let your rims cool down. By doing this you will prevent any types of spotting on the chrome which could result from trying to clean them when they are warm or hot.
2) Take a water hose and lightly spray each of the chrome rims with a fine mist to rinse off any loose dirt or brake dust. You can increase the pressure to rinse off more stubborn particles but we recommend you save it for manual removal with a towel.
3) Get a bucket and fill it about halfway with cold water and then add one or two caps of very mild dish washing detergent. Take the nozzle of your hose and spray the water to mix the two thoroughly until you see a thick layer of suds on the surface of the water. Dip your soft towel into the water and let it soak for a minute or two until it is fully drenched.
4) Remove the soft cloth from the bucket and gently wipe the soft cloth across the chrome rim to remove any of the visible dirt or brake dust particles. Apply pressure evenly and gently across the surface of the rim as you glide the towel over the entire area. This is important because if you start off by rubbing the chrome rim with a lot of pressure you may actually remove some of the chrome finish, or worse yet, drag some of the dirt particles across the rim and cause scratches to form.
5) After the first round of gentle wiping take your hose and begin to spray off all the loosened dirt and brake dust. Focus on the crevices and hidden areas of your chrome rim. Now take the drenched towel and repeat the procedure but this time with a little more pressure. Again, focus on the crevices and hidden areas of your chrome rim to remove any remaining brake particles or dirt.
6) If you haven’t cleaned your chrome rims in a long time you may have to repeat these steps a few more times. After you finished, and are satisfied with your results, resist the urge to take another towel and dry them. In fact, let them dry naturally as this will prevent unnecessary additional rubbing on the delicate chrome finish.
