Putting a protective coating over your wheels is recommended after cleaning it because it limits the amount of brake dust and earth dust that can corrode the magnesium or aluminum alloy wheels and rims (which are as effective at corroding those metals as much as water and oxygen are in corroding naked iron).
It preserves your hard work the same way putting wax on your car keeps it shiny for a longer period of time compared to foregoing the wax and letting the elements do a number on it. The coating can be wax or a special silver paint. For most people, to keep the chrome shine of the wheels in place, they'd rather use some sort of product.
Wax Applications and Wheel Maintenance
Repel Brake Dust: A protective wax coating is excellent for repelling brake dust to keep wheel corrosion at bay. Brake dust happens whenever you use your brake. The calipers squeeze onto the axle and the dust come from the friction that results in this squeezing on your brake pads. The dust slowly but surely wears on your wheels to the point of breakage without regular maintenance.
Some Car Waxes: Some (not all) car waxes have the ability to protect not only the chassis and body paint of your car but also the mags or aluminum of your wheels and rim. Check the packaging or the label of your wax container to see if it's okay to use on your wheels or if it's specifically made to protect wheels. They're usually cheaper than a commercial product that's specialized for wheel protection since they can be applied to the rest of your car as well.
Should the Hubcap Be Cleaned? A wheel cover known as the hubcap is sometimes included with the car and affixed to the wheel for its protection. Both the wheel and its hubcap should be cleaned in order to keep them looking good. Maintenance is important in light of the abuse that your wheels take on a daily basis. By cleaning and maintaining them, you can extend their lifespan significantly.
What to Remember Regarding Wheel Cleanup
Your wheels are high-maintenance items of your car. To be more specific, even new cars end up with dusty and dull wheels because not enough maintenance is being spared to them. They don't only make your car move; they also have to deal with brake dust, friction, dirt from the tires, and constant abuse from gravel on the road.
If you spend a little time and effort as well as money in wheel maintenance, that will pay you dividends in the long run. You'll make your car look brand new by a long period of time due to the showroom shine your wheels have.