How I cleaned my stock 17” wheels

[Number4]

Do not do this, or do so at your own risk!!!!!

One day I went to clean my wheels and they wouldn’t come clean. The brake dust had baked on. I tried many different brand wheel cleaners and this crud wouldn’t budge.

The other day, tired of looking at them, I decided to try one last thing, Purple Power. I can see you cringing now, those that know. Let me up the ante, I used a brass brush as well.

Here’s what I found, the uncut/though well used (degreased ‘94 Explorer engine parts with it) Purple Power cut through the brake dust like a hot knife through butter. I sprayed and almost immediately started scrubbing, dividing the rim into 5 or so sections, then hosed off thoroughly.

Now, I only used the wire brush on the rough surface, which is primarily where the brake dust was. I used a tooth brush on the polished portion. With the exception of the polished lip where the wheel weights set, I used the wire brush there too.

Did this with the wheels off the truck. Cleaned the back side of the rims as well as the lug nut wells.

As my brass brush was well used, it didn’t get into corners well, as you’ll see there’s still some remnants where theres angles.

Anyone interested in a science experiment, fill a bucket full of this stuff and put a piece of aluminum in it for a day or so. Not paint or clear coat friendly either.

 

[Joe in NY]

Looking good! I see you have the raw aluminum rims. Mine are coated and the coating has a few chips sadly. I have since asked firestone to start using the inner flat balancer weights instead, looks much cleaner that way!

I use oven cleaner and it works well. Purple power is potassium hydroxide while oven cleaner is sodium hydroxide. Most wheel cleaners are sodium hydroxide. So just expensive oven cleaner. You can buy the big cans for $4 at the hardware store! (Its great to have SDS available!)

 

[Mbrooks420]

No aluminum rims are sold “raw”. Aluminum corrodes terribly and is always cleared from the factory.

I probably would have tried a flitz style drill ball first.

 

[SnoC]

Wheels used to be sold with raw aluminum all the time. Now they almost all have some kind of coating on them. Back when I ran straight aluminum wheels, I used saniflush toilet bowl cleaner to keep them clean. I think the main ingredient was citric acid which made those wheels shine like no tomorrow. Truck washes still use citric acid to clean the aluminum trailers. Purple Power is some good stuff for cleaning. Great for stripping wax off floors too.

 

[CDW6212R]

The brass brush is scary to me, don't put that on wheels. That will scratch the paint for sure, maybe not deep and noticeable, but they're there. Take a brand new car, wipe the hood clean on one spot, then rub your finger over the area. That will scratch the paint. Waxing/polishing does mask the scratches, hides them. But your fingers can scratch automotive paint. Be easy touching a car, touch gently but don't rub with pressure.

I have been using Purple Power since 1989, on wheels, rugs/fabric, bottom sides, the front end etc. I used to detail cars, and quit in 1988 and ran out of the commercial products soon after. You ought to dilute the products for a given use. I was used to that from work experience, Purple Power is an easy choice to use.

There is a better wheel cleaner(stronger) that I used for some old used wheels that also had never been cleaned. It hurt the clear coat a bit, but I have to have them machined and refinished anyway. It was Brown Royal by Flash, a good $30 for a gallon. Here's the first link to it I found;
https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Brown-Non-acid-Cleaner-Concentrate/dp/B0167RVV2K

 

[Turdle]

Yeah, I think we all agree the wheels were cleaned so good they are now actually "stripped" of the clearcoat. Now the aluminum will stain.

 

[Number4]

Yeah, I think we all agree the wheels were cleaned so good they are now actually "stripped" of the clearcoat. Now the aluminum will stain.

Clear coat is still good, didn’t leave it on that long, and the wheels were wet, so technically the PP was cut.
There’s a spot on one wheel where there’s damaged clear coat, it’s pretty obvious to see.

Again, I don’t recommend anyone else does this, but it’s the only thing that worked on the baked on brake dust.

 

[toypaseo]

I had great results using full strength Simple Green and dollar store green scrubber pads. NOT the ones that are aggressive like Scotch-Brite green pads. Removed baked on Satisfied Pro Ceramic brake dust off some 03 Honda Civic EX alloys. No wheel damage.

 

[CDW6212R]

The PP I use in a bottle I mix about 1:5 ratio, I fill the bottle to maybe six ounces with the PP. Filled the rest with water, it's safe enough to spray on the wheels, lower sides, and front bumper down sections. I do that at one time when it's all wet and the weather is not sunny and dry.

Meaning in full sun and a breeze, don't leave it on long because it will begin to dry, and that will hurt many surfaces. If it'll stay wet, not sunny or windy, you can do the whole perimeter at once as I do. I'm fast at cleaning cars, relatively(I've slowed down), so I can do big sections of a car at a time. I wash the top first, then the sides, then the bottom part. In more sun and wind, I do less at a time, to keep it all wet, especially with cleaners like PP.

 

[boominXplorer]

Wire wheel cleaner aka wheel acid will take that off a good bit easier than purple power.