Meguiars Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner or....

[paulri]

I'd like to start cleaning the gunk off my wheels (aluminum, stock). I am leaning towards Meguiars for no reason other than they've had good products in the past that I've used, but if there is something else out there that beats them for the same price, I'm game.

Never thought much about wheels before. The highlander I just got has very very clean wheels, and I'm running a mesh sponge over them every time I wash them, to keep them looking good. Now I want the Sienna to look the same. But it has a lot of grime.

So first off, I need a cleaning product that will get those wheels clean. Car soap and the mesh sponge will take off some of the newer grime, but it still leaves a lot that is stuck. If the meguiars product for $5 isn't effective, is there something better?

Also, should I just spray it on and use a cheap dollar store plastic bristle brush to scrub it off? I see in reviews, some guys talk about using a mf towel. Is that to make sure it doesn't scratch the aluminum?

 

[eagle23]

As I recall, Meg has two alloy wheel cleaners, one for chrome/shiny wheels and the other for more "matte" finish alloy wheels.

Meg's recommends NOT using the shiny formula on matte finish if memory serves (which it doesn't always). I think the Sienna has shiny wheels so may not matter.

I have found both work well, but don't have the heavy buildup you describe. Am interested in others' thoughts on this or similar products.

 

[paulri]

I only saw one that was dedicated for aluminum, but they did have others as well. If I decide to go with them, I can always call their tech support or go to their forum to narrow the choice down.

Yeah I really don't need it for the highlander, I'm thinking of applying car wax to it as an additional protective coating, but I do need to buy a product that will work out the grime.

Unless I can use car soap with a brush? Probably should have tried that before starting this thread.

 

[PimTac]

I wouldn't use any stiff bristles or scrub pads on aluminum. First, apply a iron remover like IronX. That will take care of the iron from the brake dust. Find a good wheel cleaner from Sonax, P21, Griots or any quality brand. Use cheap towels to clean.

One preventive idea would be to apply a sealant on the wheels. That can get expensive but I've found that spraying them with these new SIO2 spray products helps reduce the buildup from happening in the first place. That is a much cheaper way to go but will have to be done with each wash.

 

[RooflessVW]

Your wheels are painted alloy. You want the Meguiar's Hot Wheel in the purple bottle. The others are for polished metal surfaces. It works very well. Any of the brushes in the detailing section if your local auto parts store will work just fine.

If it doesn't take off the stubborn grime, you'll need something like Meguiar's Wheel Brightener.

 

[eagle23]

Originally Posted by paulri
Unless I can use car soap with a brush? Probably should have tried that before starting this thread.

I used that and it helped on some older Ford "matte" alloys, but the Meg stuff for non-shiny wheels did a better job.

IIRC spray it on and let it set a few seconds (whatever the instructions say). It helped far more than I thought it would. I also found that once cleaned, the soap/SOFT bristle brush was usually enough.

Captain Obvious comment

: wheels need to be cool to the touch or it will evaporate too fast.

 

[Broo]

If your wheels have clearcoat on the aluminum, you can safely use their purple tire & wheels cleaner as it is stronger than their blue bottle aluminum cleaner. The blue bottle product is designed for UNCOATED aluminum wheels.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Do these wheel cleaner products actually do a good job at dissolving brake dust that gets all over the rims? Do these products etch or damage the rims at all? I've never used one,but am considering it.

 

[paulri]

I'll probably be buying the purple bottle of Megs (Hot Rims Wheel & Tire Cleaner) this weekend, and I'll use it during my weekend car wash. I think I'll take a before & after pic, just to show folks here. Then you can decide for yourself. My aluminum wheels don't quite look like the painted black steel ones, but they're close.

Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Do these wheel cleaner products actually do a good job at dissolving brake dust that gets all over the rims? Do these products etch or damage the rims at all? I've never used one,but am considering it.

 

[paulri]

I have used the purple Hot rims Wheel & Tire Cleaner, and it has done a great job on the Sienna wheels that had lots of grime. There is still a slight amount of grime, but most of the wheel looks not just clean, but shiny. I'm very pleased with how well it worked, and I still have about 95% of what originally came in the bottle.

Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Do these wheel cleaner products actually do a good job at dissolving brake dust that gets all over the rims? Do these products etch or damage the rims at all? I've never used one,but am considering it.