# Best wheel cleaner....



## Beeste (Oct 25, 2005)

....not having been here for a few months - what are the current alloy "favourites" for wheel cleaners. I've still got a HUGE bottle of the Megs Wheel Brightener but I stopped using it a while back as it is SO strong! Recommendations anyone??


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## donnyboy (Oct 27, 2005)

The CG Blue Rim cleaners getting a good name. Seems to be like wheel brightner but safer.


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

Wheel brightener Bri! 

Just dilute it more so it becomes safer try 10:1


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## skid (Oct 5, 2006)

Havent tried the rest of the stuff that most of the guys use on here but i use "virosol" diluted to 20:1 .
Works for me and it is citrus based


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Beeste said:


> ....not having been here for a few months - what are the current alloy "favourites" for wheel cleaners. I've still got a HUGE bottle of the Megs Wheel Brightener but I stopped using it a while back as it is SO strong! Recommendations anyone??


What do you mean by BEST? for me effective and safe are what is best, so as such regular car shampoo wins everytime :thumb:


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## dace (Oct 15, 2006)

skid said:


> Havent tried the rest of the stuff that most of the guys use on here but i use "virosol" diluted to 20:1 .
> Works for me and it is citrus based


Could not agree more.......superb cleaner and non acidic. 5 litres will last for years!!


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## satnam (Oct 27, 2006)

if the wheels are really bad i use the wonder wheels as this shifts most of the crud of the wheel then i shampoo the wheel down with some zymol shampoo just to be 100% that theres none of the wheel cleaner left on the rim..

Sat 

p.s. ive just ordered some diamonize wheel cleaner and im yet to try that as its either to be delivered today or monday.. so have to leave the car dirty over the weekend... will do a quick right up and pics of before and after with the wheel cleaner.. as no1's heard of it as of yet lol


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## sunnyV5 (Jul 26, 2006)

I use a mix of fairy liquid and baby bath. Probably a big no no, but I'm still a newbie so think its ok. :newbie: 

Mix it up in a spray bottle, spray on wheels, and then it washes off nice and easily.


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## ClarkeG (Jun 17, 2006)

If you wash your wheels in fairy up liquid its gonna strip any wax or polish you have on em 

Clarke


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

cgraham2k said:


> If you wash your wheels in fairy up liquid its gonna strip any wax or polish you have on em
> 
> Clarke


The honest truth is, it is not going to do that at all


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

I've been using the Meg's Hot Rims wheel cleaner for the past month or so and it seems to be very good...not too strong but very very effective:thumb:


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## sunnyV5 (Jul 26, 2006)

cgraham2k said:


> If you wash your wheels in fairy up liquid its gonna strip any wax or polish you have on em
> 
> Clarke


I don't use any special polish on them. If i take them off to clean them, which i will probably do sometime, then i will polish them properly.
its better than using acidic cleaners though.


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## Eddie Irvine (Aug 25, 2006)

Avanti said:


> The honest truth is, it is not going to do that at all


Avanti is that right? Would it be ok to use a solution such as this?? Clarke knows his stuff so surely would'nt post something that was not correct


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Eddie Irvine said:


> Avanti is that right? Would it be ok to use a solution such as this?? Clarke knows his stuff so surely would'nt post something that was not correct


Your own common sense can answer that , it is truthfully one of those urban myths. Admittedly I do not wash my car with washing up liquid, only due to the fact there are more effective detergents about, eg car shampoo :thumb:

If washing up liquid was so easily going to remove waxes and lsp, then have a think about what it would do to someones hands after washing the dishes?

Would you want to stick your bare hands in a solution of domestic washing up detergent or a solution of wheel cleaning agent ?

Are you trying to say your skin is more resistant to chemicals and the elements than waxes and lsp.

Have a look around your home at liquid soaps and your car shampoo's the main ingredient in a lot of them nowadays is Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (or variants).
Washing up liquid has advanced just as much as many car shampoos.

One time I got carried away with waxing a car and got wax residue onto the black trim, even pure washing up liquid would not remove the wax residue, if WU liquid was so able to remove wax then we would be using it much more often than some other inneffective products


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## ClarkeG (Jun 17, 2006)

As far as I knew fairy up liquid will remove wax/polish. Perhaps im wrong but I thought i've read on this site before anyone wanting to strip back their wax/polish washes their car with a fairy up liquid solution so they can start from scratch. I might be wrong but thats what I was lead to believe. I know from personal experience when I done this and then checked for any beading there was a distinctive difference with before fairy up liquid than after.

Hmmmm...

Clarke


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

cgraham2k said:


> As far as I knew fairy up liquid will remove wax/polish. Perhaps im wrong but I thought i've read on this site before anyone wanting to strip back their wax/polish washes their car with a fairy up liquid solution so they can start from scratch. I might be wrong but thats what I was lead to believe. I know from personal experience when I done this and then checked for any beading there was a distinctive difference with before fairy up liquid than after.
> 
> Hmmmm...
> 
> Clarke


You may have also read some of my posts about a colleague who has has a VW passat since new 1998 and has only cleaned it with washing up liquid  perhaps not fairy as his mrs worked for safeway , however 8 yrs down the line and 70k miles later his car still looks fab,  they now also have a BMW mini and he is using the same regime on this car too 

As they say the proof of the pudding is within the eating.

Yes indeed some of our friends here say they use washing up liquid to strip back sealants etc to start again, what we do not know for sure is if this method is in anyway effective.

Many companys sell dewaxer for such tasks listed in your reply, are you assuming it is just a big drum of washing up liquid at an inflated price? 
I think what is in the container is a blend of solvents and /or caustic ingredients.


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## sunnyV5 (Jul 26, 2006)

Doesn't fairy contain salts too - which are bad for the paintwork, rubbers, plastic trim, not just bad for wax?


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Eddie Irvine said:


> Avanti is that right? Would it be ok to use a solution such as this?? Clarke knows his stuff so surely would'nt post something that was not correct


Does washing up liquid do this to your hands?










In my back garden I have a car wing and alloy wheel which I sometimes try products on, part of the wing has been waxed and washing up liquid did not remove it. bug and tar remover did however .
That's one of the reasons I always wear gloves when using the products.


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## sunnyV5 (Jul 26, 2006)

on the back of fairy bottles it says, aviod contact with skin. - just another Health and Safety thing i guess...


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

davemarkey said:


> Doesn't fairy contain salts too - which are bad for the paintwork, rubbers, plastic trim, not just bad for wax?


The salts you maybe reffering to are used as a thickening agent, just as they do in erm...car shampoo 

Don't get me wrong, I am not promoting WU liquid, Im just saying it is nowehere near as bad to use as the urban myths would have you believe.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

davemarkey said:


> on the back of fairy bottles it says, aviod contact with skin. - just another Health and Safety thing i guess...


No, there is a link relating the prolong use of detergents to alzhiemers or parkinson disease.


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## jas11n (Sep 2, 2006)

Avanti said:


> Does washing up liquid do this to your hands?


What did that then  Best avoid whatever it was at all costs :doublesho

I'm like others and don't use WUL because of what's gone before, also coupled with the fact I have specifically "designed for the job" car shampoo.
It's all a steep learning curve and you defo learn something new every day.

Jas..


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

jas11n said:


> What did that then  Best avoid whatever it was at all costs :doublesho
> 
> I'm like others and don't use WUL because of what's gone before, also coupled with the fact I have specifically "designed for the job" car shampoo.
> It's all a steep learning curve and you defo learn something new every day.
> ...


Probably a caustic solution on unprotected hands, naturally an extreme example but if WU liquid was going to strip wax so easily then it would certainley do much damage to the skin .

car shampoos like you say are cheap enough not to have to use anything else :thumb:


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

davemarkey said:


> on the back of fairy bottles it says, aviod contact with skin. - just another Health and Safety thing i guess...


It also says the similar on car bodywork products and certainley on all the data sheets I have looked at .


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

I've got plenty of wheel brightener, but it is very strong so not very comfortable using it on customers cars.

P21s Wheel Cleaner is superb, but expensive.


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## Phil H (May 14, 2006)

P21S Wheel Gel!! the best


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

I like Autobrites bright wheels (acid free), but have to agree with Avanti on alot of posts. Fairy and other liquids were my staple diet for car cleaning for many years, my cars always beaded very well so what does that say?
i don't use it anymore though.


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## pcc (Oct 11, 2006)

another one for p21s wheel gel. stuff is fantastic!


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## taztam (Jul 8, 2006)

I used to use my normal car shampoo but recently i have been using Meguiars Hi Tech Wheel Cleaner. Cleans the wheels and brings them up in a nice shine.

Tam


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## Deadlock (Jul 6, 2006)

I use Megs Wheel Brightner - been using it for a looooooong time now! I love the stuff, but yes I do add more water to the mix then the reccomended 4:1. it's never messed up any of my alloys.


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## CleanYourCar (Jan 23, 2006)

Can't belive no one has mentioned Sonus Rim Bright. Fantastic product that can be used on any type of alloy and shifts the dirt with the very best. It's a tad expensive, but if you have some quality rims it's worth the money IMHO.


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

Brazo said:


> Wheel brightener Bri!
> 
> Just dilute it more so it becomes safer try 10:1


what he said :thumb:


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## hutchingsp (Apr 15, 2006)

I use muc-off. I believe they do a product marketed as alloy wheel cleaner, but I use the pink stuff made to clean bikes with. AFAIK it's safe, and seems to work fine diluted around 1:1 (admittedly this is on pretty clean wheels to begin with).


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## Jules (May 21, 2006)

I've always found an MF Cloth in little fingers to get in all the nooks and crannies works best.......


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

aw bless haha


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## s70rjw (Apr 18, 2006)

Jules said:


> I've always found an MF Cloth in little fingers to get in all the nooks and crannies works best.......


I have a set of 3 of those. I changed my methods when one of them dropped a cloth then picked it up and continued to clean the whole side of the car. Bought a Colour stick, black polish and part exchanged it.........Relegated to their own cars now or the hose. Mind you I end up lookng like I walked through a carwash at the end of it.......


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## adb (Jul 13, 2006)

Depends on who's wheels i'm cleaning! if i'm doing my own (which i keep regularly cleaned!) i now use a strongish mix of Hyperwash in a spray bottle with a foaming head and a microfibre cloth (dedicated to wheels!). 
If the Hyperwash solution doesn't shift the dirt i then go on to a combo of CG's BRWC followed by Meg's APC if necessary.
If it's a minging set of wheels i'll use Megs WB diluted 4:1 - brilliant stuff and surely it's better to use something you can spray on, rinse off, than it is to have to scrub like hell with a weaker product?


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## Fat Audi 80 (Nov 8, 2006)

For me I soak them with AG APC (whatever it is called) diluted 1:2 leave for a couple of minutes then just wash off with a sponge / microfibre / washmitt. If the wheels are waxed and then washed every week of two it is a piece of p1$$...

Cheers,

Steve.


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## Damage Inc (Nov 13, 2006)

This is a stupid question Im sure (im a newb and learning here) but all these products you guys are discussing are obviously "wheel cleaners". Can they also be used on the tyres to clean those too? Or is that a terrible "good god no! - you will eat through them in seconds leaving just smoking husks where your tyres used to be" ?

Please dont tell me i have to buy cleaner for the wheels, cleaner for the tyres, dressing for the tyres and wax for sealing the alloys...im going broke just thinking about all this.

Dam.


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## Refined Reflections (May 12, 2006)

Damage Inc said:


> This is a stupid question Im sure (im a newb and learning here) but all these products you guys are discussing are obviously "wheel cleaners". Can they also be used on the tyres to clean those too?  Or is that a terrible "good god no! - you will eat through them in seconds leaving just smoking husks where your tyres used to be" ?
> 
> Please dont tell me i have to buy cleaner for the wheels, cleaner for the tyres, dressing for the tyres and wax for sealing the alloys...im going broke just thinking about all this.
> 
> Dam.


Unfortunately being a member on here does require you to spends all your money and then some 

I use the Chemical Guys blue wheel cleaner and it is totally safe to use on the tyres as well (its more of a degreaser than anything especially when mixed with water), although I must say I've never had a problem with any of the cleaners on tyres, just I prefer to use a gentle cleaner on tyres as they are your only contact with the road, better safe than sorry.

On treatment after cleaning, yes unfortunately you will need one for the rims and one for the tyres if you want to make them look better than new. However rim wax (several available) will last a long while, as a business I use a lot of these and I guess after doing 100 wheels I still have 1/4 of a pot. The amount of tyres you can treat will depend on what product you go for but again I'd say on average you can get 100 tyres from a 16oz bottle.


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## AndyC (Oct 25, 2005)

Wheel Brightener for me every time - never had any issues with damage on my own and other cars.

Just adjust the dilution ration as required - even at 20:1 h2O:wb it's still highly effective I've found.

Alternatively APC usually does the trick.

No offence Avanti - but I'll photograph my hands after exposure to WUL and it dries em to hell and back making them go flakey and itchy regardless of brand - and I don't suffer from dry skin as a rule and certainly not during longer exposure to car shampoo


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## Deano (Jul 7, 2006)

Jules said:


> I've always found an MF Cloth in little fingers to get in all the nooks and crannies works best.......


thats a BIG bmw:doublesho


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