Wheel Cleaning

[michaelfriesen]

Maybe I should've posted this under wheels and tires but I guess it kind of applies to both.

 

Quite a while back, I posted a question about putting a set of Ford Edge Sport rims on our 2008 Ford Edge:

 

Ford Edge Wheel And Tire Size Confusion

 

The response was great and much appreciated, I certainly learned a lot about wheels. We managed to find a refinished set of 2011 Sport rims which they bored for us. They fit beautifully and look beautiful as well.

 

Our vehicle is in mint shape as you can see from the photo, less that 100,000 km on it. Being as fussy as I am with keeping my vehicle clean, these are clear coated wheels (our other ones weren’t). I don't wash our vehicle once a week like some of the fanatics out there do and believe me, at one time I _was_ one of those fanatics but old age has crept up on me

 

So how often do I need to clean these wheels? I'm worried that if my wife and I just do the regular driving around town and put 200 to 300 km over the course of a few weeks and get brake dust on them and not clean them for a month, I might ruin them (we really don't drive our vehicle much at all, honestly I think we put 2500 km on a year).

 

Is brake dust really that bad? If I put 300 km on and clean the wheels once every six weeks, is this going to be satisfactory? They’re so nice and shiny and new right now, they almost look like they’re chrome (which of course, they're not).

 

I just don't want to take any chances but I just don't have the resources to wash with our vehicle as much as I want to used to. Any help/product recommendations would greatly be appreciated. I've used Meguiar’s aluminum wheel cleaner in the past (the blue-colored bottle stuff) but I don't think that will work on clear coated wheels, it looks like I have to use the pink-colored bottle stuff now. Also, is it just me or is it literally impossible to find a tire gel that gives a satin/matte finish? Meguiar’s is just so glossy.

 

Thanks!

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by michaelfriesen