Rims are a very popular form of footwear. They give you a few advantages: they look nice, they feel nice against your feet, and they are portable and easy to ship out if needed.
Caring for your wheels is a good way to promote how you use them. If you drive on roads and wear safety gear while doing so, then you have proven your skill as a driver. You put in the work to keep your wheels clean and safe while using them.
Cleaning your rims is an easy way to take care of them. There are many ways to clean rims, so we will go through some different ways to do so.
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Find a liquid that does not scratch rims
If you want to avoid any liquid damage to your rim, look for a solvent that does not scratch or wet the rim. Somesolvents will actually stick to the rim and prevent it from being rubbed off by other substances. some dishwashing liquid works well as a liquid, as does window spray!
Another tip is to find a way to properly store your wheel cleaning tools. I have found using a dry cleaner followed by a warm water bath method works well. Put the cleaned rims in a warm water bath and let them sit for an hour or so before proceeding with the next step.
Lastly, do not forget about trying something as simple as dusting off the wheel before re-oiling! This may seem silly, but it can save you from having to start over completely.
Dab the rim with a cloth to remove any loose dirt
Once the rim is dry, it is time to give the wheel another go! many people choose to wax the rims again at this point, but you can also decide to ride away if that is how you want to style them.
Many people coat their wheels with petroleum jelly to prevent water and insects from entering the wheel. This helps keep your wheels looking fresh for several weeks!
If you want to take it a step further, some people add sealants or lacquers on top of the rubberized coating. These can be painted or glued onto the rim. Either way, these prevent water and insects from entering the wheel.
Add some liquid to the brush or rag
If you are cleaning the rim using a dry brush or brush with no water, then you need to add liquid to the brush or rag. For example, if you are brushing with a cloth, then you would add water to the cloth.
If you are using a wet brush, then you would add some liquid to prevent it from sticking to the rim. For example, if you are using a fluffy brush, which would require water to work with it.
Begin brushing the rim, starting from the bottom and moving up
After cleaning the ridges, you will now need to wipe them downtailless. Start with a diluted household bleach solution, followed by liquid soap and a sponge. Let this process work as long as you have the cleaner, because eventually it will remove some of the paint coatings!
After that, you can either use a dry cloth or a warm (not hot) bath oil to wipe down the rims. Either way, make sure to avoid using abrasive wipes or liquids that contain alcohol as these probably wouldn’t work.
Last step: Apply some wax if needed! Many people use petroleum jelly or waxes that look identical, but we recommend checking your car’s rim for drainage and changing which type works best for that vehicle. Some cars do not require any waxing at all, whereas others do.
Rinse and repeat until clean
Once your rim is clean, you are ready to put it back on! Now that your rim is dry, you can begin cleaning it again.
Most importantly, take your time to let the rim dry completely. This takes about a day or two depending on how hot it is outside. Once it is completely dry, put them back on!
Now that you are beautiful, spray some water onto the rim to protect the finish and then go into the shop and give them a little wipe down. You can do this yourself or have someone come out and help if you are too busy or nervous.
Let dry and apply car polish for protection
Once your rim is dry, you can start cleaning it! Using a brush or slightly damp cloth, remove dust and debris.
Very carefully, working one step at a time, wash the other side too. Then you can buff with a fine polishing cloth to give your rim extra shine.
Make sure to check your rims often to make sure they are clean. A little bit of water and polish goes a long way!
To protect the paint from drying out, avoid washing the wheels immediately after use in favor of giving them some time to dry out themselves. Also avoid strongly heating the wheels up to prevent cracking or flaking of paint.
Do not let your car sit outside for long periods of time with the windows up due to heatstroke or heatstroke Warning! This does not prevent water damage, which is another topic for another day.
Use a car wash instead
If you are unable to get the rim cleaning you want or if you have a lot of dirt, grime, and/or grease to remove then try using a car wash.
Car washes come with different brushes and tools that are used to clean the rim. These include the toothbrush style brush that is used to buff out the surface, the microfiber dry brush that is used to wipe away any remaining water or polish, and the vacuum equipped with which it can remove dust and dirt from the rim.
Most home models of washing machines have a tine or claw shape tool that can be used to clean the rim. The best way to use this is on low water pressure as some debris may fall through it.
Have your rims professionally cleaned
If your wheels have some minor scuff marks or deep grooves, you can DIY-clean them at home. There are many YouTube videos showing you how to do this.
opt to use a power washer instead of a router table to remove the old rubber. A flooring nail clipper can also be used to remove the end flanges that hold the wheel in.
When using a power washer, make sure that it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the rim. If using a flooring nail clipper, make sure that it is sharp enough to easily removes the end flanges that hold the wheel in.
Lastly, do not tighten your wheel until you have cleaned and re-calibrated it with a flooring tool and/or an automated tachometer. This way, you do not overcompensate for slight imperfections in your wheel which could cause speed issues.