The most common wheel type on the road at present is the alloy wheel. Many vehicles coming off the assembly line that aren't sports cars but typical city roadsters have wheels made of clear-coated alloy.
However, many drivers enhance and customize their wheels regardless with aftermarket polished alloy wheels. When choosing a wheel cleaner like KevianClean Wheel Cleaner, you need to consider the finish on the top even if your wheel maybe made of aluminum alloy.
Read the label on the wheel cleaner itself in order to see if it can only clean clear coat or polished alloy wheels as well as both if it's the multipurpose type of cleaner.
The Worst Enemy of the Wheel and Other Considerations
- Your Wheels' Worst Enemy: Brake dust or dust made from your brake components themselves is your wheels' worst enemy because it's made of carbon fibers and adhesives that come off the brake pad. It also contains tiny metal shavings from the rotor. The intense friction and heat generated by the wheels whenever the brakes are activated results in this highly corrosive mixture. This is especially true with cars that undergo stop-and-go type of road traffic daily.
- Step-by-Step Treatment: Clean alloy wheels with a wheel brush and a clear coat-safe wheel cleaner like the environment-friendly KevianClean Wheel Cleaner. A special brush must be used in order to clean your wheels, rims, and hubs without scratching them up. After the cleaner has been applied, dry the alloy wheels completely by wiping them with a microfiber or cotton towel for good measure for water spot prevention.
- An Important Wheel Cleaning Tip: Most motorists simply wash the car and include the wheels with the washing. This isn't kosher. If you want to take really good care of your vehicle then you should clean the wheels first then proceed to clean the rest of your car. This will prevent dirty water and brake dust from splashing unto your clean car. Just rinse away all that brake dust along with the rest of the accumulated exterior gunk of your vehicle.
- Prevention Is Better Than the Cure: Prevent driving your car through mud, rocky roads, and salted roads as much as possible so that you'd have a lot fewer substances to wash off of your wheels, tires, hubs, and rims. Finally, apply wax on your wheels. The wax should shield your rims and hubs from road salts and brake dust, plus these substances are easier to wash off with a layer of wax over your wheels. Reapply as needed or simply apply at the same time as when you wax your car itself so that you can reapply the wax on both the car body and the car's wheels.