# Keeping wheels cleaner for longer



## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

I think a good set of wheels really sets a car off so I like to keep mine clean and shiny. My bread and butter way of doing this is a coating of FK1000p every 6 months to protect against the heat, then weekly VP bilberry wheel cleaner and a pressure washer. This works great and gives me the shiny wheels what I want, but, only for a week...

I drive about 12 miles a day but after only a few days my wheels are grubby and covered in brake dust. This photo shows how they look 4 days after being cleaned.









Do you have any tips for keeping wheels looking their best for longer?


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## giggs (May 20, 2011)

Ceramic brake pads?


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## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

Is this amount of grime/brake dust abnormal then. Is this just what to expect without fitting low dust brake pads?


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## GAVSY (Mar 19, 2013)

As above, the only thing to reduce the dust is a harder set of pads, nothing will stop it completely.
Braking wears the pads and discs down which results in dust, it sucks! :-(


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## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

It sure does! I know I can't stop it but I was hoping there was some sort of 'magic brake dust repellant' type of product. I can dream I guess


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## manel (Jan 10, 2013)

in the junkman video about cleaning wheels he says that he uses a no brake dust pads... maybe worth checking


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Another option that I've seen work well is Armor All Shield for wheels. Spray it on and it does a very good job of repelling dirt, more so than the fk1000p.


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## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

roscopervis said:


> Another option that I've seen work well is Armor All Shield for wheels. Spray it on and it does a very good job of repelling dirt, more so than the fk1000p.


I've been reading some reviews / watching some videos on this stuff and it could be just what I'm after. I'll give it a try and see how I get on.


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## Pignut71 (Mar 12, 2013)

I've used it and can confirm it works. It's just a case of spray on and leave to dry over night for the best results. The only issues are that I've never managed to get a 100% good coverage so I end up with dirty patches and as soon as you wash the wheel the coating is gone forever. I managed to just about cover 8 individual wheels from one can so it's not cheap to use on a regular basis IMO. The wheels won't stay 100% immaculate but a massive reduction in brake dust. 

Regards, Jon.


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## rogeyboy (Apr 15, 2013)

EBC Red Stuff pads are low dust, i used to run the GreenStuff and they gave me a significant reduction in dust...
I now regularly wax/seal my wheels with collinite and it makes cleaning them so much easier too.


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## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

I seal my wheels with FK1000P and only the first time after sealing they get very dirty, but clean with no effort. 
I guess the product is still tacky until the first wash. 
I don't use any wheel cleaner or dedicated product, just wash them with the same solution I wash the car with (Meguiars Shampoo plus). 
The wheels stay long time clean, and wash of with no problem, I have the feeling that dedicated wheel cleaning products are still to aggressive and don't agree with the FK1000P
Tried Colly on the wheels, however easy to clean the product attracts more dust for a longer period of time.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

JDO330 said:


> I've used it and can confirm it works. It's just a case of spray on and leave to dry over night for the best results. The only issues are that I've never managed to get a 100% good coverage so I end up with dirty patches and as soon as you wash the wheel the coating is gone forever. I managed to just about cover 8 individual wheels from one can so it's not cheap to use on a regular basis IMO. The wheels won't stay 100% immaculate but a massive reduction in brake dust.
> 
> Regards, Jon.


The trick with this stuff I think is to leave it cure as much as possible, then when it is time to wash, just use water and use no friction so no mitts or brushes to try and keep it lasting as long as possible.


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## TomG (May 28, 2014)

Also drive an Audi so feel your pain; your experience with brake dust is not unique :wall:

I use Auto Finesse Mint Rims - a temp resistant paste wax for wheels. This reduced slightly the amount of dust that sticks to the wheels, and allows the wheels to be cleaned weekly or fortnightly with an APC and high pressure washer. The protection lasts about 3-4 months, but only if you get the wheels spotlessly clean before applying the wax.

Incidentally, I experimented with AutoGlym EGP sealant on wheels, and it did an OK job. I was running out of time, and only had 10 min to slap on some protection prior to completion, so I loaded some EGP into a spray bottle, gave each wheel a decent spray, and wiped off excess. The protection was not as good as Mint Rims, but still respectable, and lasted maybe two months. Worth doing if it is the only thing on hand.


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Is it just brake dust and not some tyre dressing fling also?

Think everyone has covered the brake dust options.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

My RCZ generates a LOT of brake dust. I seal my alloys with Gtechniq C1 / C5 (same product). It lasts around 18 months so keeps the alloys well protected. I use shampoo and water to clean the wheels after power washing down. Brake dust does not stick to the alloys.


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## Vsti (Oct 27, 2013)

My wheels are sealed with DodoJuice Infinity Wheel Sealant and i have fitted EBC Green Stuff brake pads.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Autoglym Alloy Wheel seal is also good. TBH, I tried the armour all wheel shield, and it was utter tosh.

I drive about 1,500 - 2,000 miles a week. My alloys get cleaned daily. Curse those polished type wheels!!!


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

The Armorall stuff as Neilos say's, is pretty dire really.

My wheels were spotlessly cleaned, coated with Armorall and left overnight in the garage. A week later the wheels were washed simply with the PW, they came up ok but on the 2nd wash a week later I had to use a wheel brush to agitate the grime on them, basically, the Armorall seemed to add no protection whatsoever.

Using Carbon Collectives Platinum Wheels at the mo, 4mths in and still only using a shampoo mix and wheel woolies to get them clean again so a sealant similar to this C1/C5 or some have used DLux with similar results.


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## MGH74 (Jun 8, 2014)

They look worse due to tyre dressing. Do yourself a favour use no dressing next time and see the difference after 4 days. You then have the dilemma of cleaner wheels/****ty tyres or shiny tyres/dirty rims.

I'm now at the stage where I am using very little dressing (2drops per tyre) so I get the best of both.


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## TIODGE (Jan 26, 2011)

im using AF mint rims at the minute and it seems to keep the brake dust from sticking to the rim making it easier to clean. although im now running white rims, that paired with brembo brakes = ALOT of brake dust and cleaning every 2 days.

il be looking gtechiq next for a easy life


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## year (Feb 8, 2013)

then weekly VP bilberry wheel cleaner '

_this is to much IMHO_.


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## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

TIODGE said:


> im using AF mint rims at the minute and it seems to keep the brake dust from sticking to the rim making it easier to clean. although im now running white rims, that paired with brembo brakes = ALOT of brake dust and cleaning every 2 days.
> 
> il be looking gtechiq next for a easy life


What is the gtechniq product that will be good for this?


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## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

year said:


> then weekly VP bilberry wheel cleaner '
> 
> _this is to much IMHO_.


You say Bilberry weekly is too much, why is this? Is it damaging in some way?


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

benwhit said:


> What is the gtechniq product that will be good for this?


Please see my post below. I get at least 18 months protection from C1.



Blueberry said:


> My RCZ generates a LOT of brake dust. I seal my alloys with Gtechniq C1 / C5 (same product). It lasts around 18 months so keeps the alloys well protected. I use shampoo and water to clean the wheels after power washing down. Brake dust does not stick to the alloys.


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

they day we got our new VW CC i took all the alloys off, gave them a good clean back, front and barrel.
then i used korrosol on them and tardis.
dried them off and coated them with 2 coats of FK1000P.

its been about 4 months now, and they still look great and are a breeze to clean. i use bilberry 10:1 and wheel woolies. the dirt easily comes off even from inside the barrel.

great to keep a brand new car clean and protected from day 1


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

Ebc green stuff or red stuff


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Blueberry said:


> Please see my post below. I get at least 18 months protection from C1.


Oh and I don't use anything to clean them other than shampoo and water and brushes.


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

year said:


> then weekly VP bilberry wheel cleaner '
> 
> _this is to much IMHO_.


bilberry diluted is a great gentle wheel cleaner.

iron x/korrosol weekly would be too much.

have you got the impression bilberry is an iron fallout remover type product? a lot of people on here seem to think it is as its a purple red colour, but it's not


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## benwhit (Aug 3, 2014)

I agree, clean and protected. 

I also use FK1000p with Bilberry, and yes they clean back up very easily. But what I really want if for them to not get as dirty in the first place. Does C5 provide a good brake dust repellant surface?


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

I do the same on my Audi as I did on the BMW and have to say what ever I do the brake dust is awful on the Audi, I could go a week with bmw do 200+ miles and it would look ok, audi it looks like I have done a 1000+


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

benwhit said:


> I agree, clean and protected.
> 
> I also use FK1000p with Bilberry, and yes they clean back up very easily. But what I really want if for them to not get as dirty in the first place. Does C5 provide a good brake dust repellant surface?


Nothing will stop brake dust but Gtechniq stops it adhering to the alloys, therefore making it easy to clean.


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## PWOOD (Apr 30, 2007)

Do you really need that wheel cleaner every week. It won't do any wheel sealant any favours. I agree with others that a change of brake pad might help and is best advised by a forum dedicated to your car.


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## Clarkey-88 (Apr 29, 2014)

My mum thought that the wheels turned black from using the air conditioning :wall: 

:lol:


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

Clarkey-88 said:


> My mum thought that the wheels turned black from using the air conditioning :wall:
> 
> :lol:


How on earth can anyone think that?
That's like saying I thought the volume button turns the wheels left and right, there's no logic to that!?
:lol:


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