Cleaning Rims For the wheels (RIMS)I use the Meguiar’s Hot Rims (Retails for $4.99 at any auto parts store or http://www.meguiars.com), with an alloy wheels that has clear coat you will want to make sure that you use a safe chemical on the wheel so you do not damage the wheel. I recommend using liquid Dawn and water. Dawn will cut through and grease that you may have picked up along your travels. It will also get rid of brake dust that you will accumulate. First you will want to remove the wheel and tire from the car. Then you will want to wash the surface of the wheel with the dawn and water mixture. I recommend a terry cloth to wash wheels. Make sure you also clean the inside of the wheels. This will make a BIG difference in the appearance of your car. For those hard areas that will not come off, you may use a harsher chemical such as Simple Green (dilute 30:1). Be aware that this may harm the clear coat on wheels. Before you place the wheel and tire back on the car, you will want to use a polish to keep the surface for “catching” any dust. I recommend several different one being the Gold Class All Metal Restorer (Retails for $5.99 at many auto parts stores or http://www.meguiars.com). You will want to place the wheel and tire back on the vehicle. Make sure you use the proper torque specs. You can find these in your owner’s manual. You will now want to give your tire a decent shine. For this I use Zaino Z-16 (Retails for $12.95 at http://www.zainobros.com). You will want to apply a small amount on a foam tire applicator and rub into the tire. This will give the tire a new look. After applying the first coat you will want to take a terry cloth and rub the excess tire dressing off. For a shinier look apply a second coat. When you complete this drive car back about 12 inches so you reach the edge of your tire that was close to the ground especially in the front due to the weight of the engine the tire sit kind of flat but that is normal in most cars.
*Note: Removal of tire is not necessary each wash also wash inner wheel when you feel it is necessary..
In addition to what Adam has written, A good clean wheel well will accent your wheels and not take away from it. I use the tire jack from the trunk and raise the front of the automobile so that the wheel is just touching the ground this should lift the suspension enough for you to do you’re cleaning. Take a brush and scrub down as much dirt as you can off your wheel well, don’t worry it is plastic unless you painted it then in that case you should not be driving it enough to get dirt in there. The springs in the front of your car should be wiped down as well get in there with your brush and clean the whole well. Move on to the rear tire well you must raise your car in the rear also. Now repeat the same process as you did for the front. Make sure you clean out the lip in your wheel well because dirt, mud, salt, rocks and trash gather up in this lip it is a must to clean out. After I clean each well I use Meguiar’s Gold class endurance high gloss (Retails for $5.99) for the plastic in wheel wells it gives it a deep gloss plus it last a pretty long time.
Wheel wax is great product that protects your wheels finish as well as makes them easy to clean after all the hard work you put into them. Wax the inner rim and the face of your rims. This will make cleaning that nasty brake dust a cinch just wipe with a soft clean cloth to remove your brake dust. This step will reduce your cleaning time; it takes me about 5 minute’s tops per rim to wipe them down Your tires must be checked too for rocks embedded in the tread remove them whenever you clean your car. If you run over something just right those rocks dig deeper into your tire some times causing flats. In all cases you do not have to remove your rims if you have wide enough spokes to fit your soft rim brush in there (DON’T USE your hand you will cut your self on the calipers)
*Note: Inner rims should be cleaned weekly if you ever expect them to last and keep that new wheel look. This goes for chrome even more than alloy wheels.
