Hot Rims & polymer sealants

[JamesLA]

Will Hot Rims wheel cleaner remove durable synthetic polymer sealants, such as #21, NXT Tech Wax, Zaino, etc.?

The intent of my question is as follows. My car generates, and deposits on the rims, an immense quantity of brake dust. I keep a polymer sealant on the rims to ease the removal of this brake dust, which I do regularly every week. Often, I will do a quick wash at the local touchfree wash, which generally does an excellent job of removing the week's light coating of dust from the paint. The rims are another matter. At best, the touchfree wash removes around half the dust, leaving the rest a splotchy mess, which I then remove with a mix of car wash soap and water I keep in a spray bottle for such things.

What I would like to do is spritz the wheels with Hot Rims just before entering the touchfree wash. The product would dwell for 15-30 seconds, but I estimate most of the brake dust would be removed, greatly reducing the post-wash final cleanup. But I am reluctant to do this if it will strip the sealant from the rims.

[travisdecpn]

Yes, hot rims will remove a sealant from the wheel surface. The purpose of using the sealant is to avoid having to use a wheel cleaner. My suggestion would be to use an old sheepskin mitt and your car wash solution on the wheels first. I know this can be time consuming, but it is safer on your wheels in the long-run and just as effective as Hot Rims.

[JamesLA]

That's what I do when I hand wash; typically do the rims first with regular car wash solution, and refresh sealant on rims at the end if I'm doing the rest of the car.

Am hoping to find something to streamline the touchfree process and reduce the after-wash touchups, while preserving the sealant. Unfortunately, any kind of agitation of the rims is not really feasible while waiting in line for the touchfree.

[travisdecpn]

My suggestion would be to avoid the touch-free wash all together and stick to the two-bucket method. The damage that is introduced to your car's finish far outweighs the time it saves.

[JamesLA]

Hmmm ... actually, from one week to the next the choice is more like "touchfree" vs "no wash," and I think the damage introduced by "no wash" outweighs the touchfree, which has been good to my previous cars over the past few years.

I personally think the potential damage from touchfree washes is far overrated among detailing enthusiasts, and is certainly no greater than the risk of me botching something while dragging wash mitt, water blade, drying towels, etc. all over the paint every week. And, most of the "risk" from a touchfree wash is mitigated, in my view, by a durable sealant. (Automatic washes with brushes are of course an entirely different matter.)

[travisdecpn]

You make a very valid point about the risks concerning a traditional wash. However, the 2 bucket wash using a grit gaurd is far less likely to introduce marring versus a touchless wash. The main reason that many of us have doubts about the touchless system is because without the presence of a mechanical washing tool, the system relies on harsh detergents and high pressure to dislodge the dirt and road spray. This compromises the sacraficial barrier ie. sealant or wax and leaves your protection greatly diminished. The second reason is the fact that if you have heavy surface contamination, the high pressure spray has the potential to push the soil over the surface instilling swirls.

While I agree with you that the traditional wash does have the potential to induce marring, steps can be taken to limit it. Washing with the grit guard and a high quality mitt and the correct dilution of your car wash go a long way. Using a towel like the water magnet helps to easily remove the water after rinsing by simply blotting the surface rather than dragging it across the surface. Using a detail spray during the drying process also helps to reduce the possibility of instilling any swirls.

This is just how it seems to me, we are all entitled to our opinions though. If the touchless car washes have done well for you in the past and you are not seeing any averse effects for running your vehicles through them, then you have no reason not to use them. I simply wanted to share the reasoning behind my suggestion of avoiding them.

I just realized that I forgot to welcome you to MOL, you have raised some very valid points and I'm sure Mike will share his opinions on this as well.