Does meguiars make wheel acid?

[PaulTso]

I need a super strong wheel cleaner. Safe on clear coated wheels. I know eagle one makes a super powerful wheel acid but i have a megs dealer near me.

I just need to get rid of brake dust build up which accumulates in the little nooks and crannies of wheels which have been neglected for years. I can get most of the brake dust build up off witha brush and normal wheel cleaner, but many times small black specs of black brake dust remain, which is impossible for me to clean.

[Teak]

Yes Meguiars makes a wheel acid called Wheel Brightener (d-140). Use with caution and per instructions.

Eric

[Epic18s]

Have you tried the Gold Class wheel cleaner yet? Its safe on clear coated wheels. I just don't know if its something that would be strong enough for you.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Does Meguiar's make wheel acid?

Originally posted by PaulTso
I need a super strong wheel cleaner. Safe on clear coated wheels. I know eagle one makes a super powerful wheel acid but i have a megs dealer near me.

I just need to get rid of brake dust build up which accumulates in the little nooks and crannies of wheels which have been neglected for years. I can get most of the brake dust build up off with a brush and normal wheel cleaner, but many times small black specs of black brake dust remain, which is impossible for me to clean.

Hi PaulTso,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

Besides a good wheel cleaner, when you need to remove built-up brake-dust and road grime that has accumulated into little nooks and crannies you also need to consider a wheel brush to agitate these areas.

Often times people just want an easy solution which equates to a powerful chemical to dissolve the dirt, road grime and brake dust that builds up in hard to clean areas on a wheel, but sometimes by using strong wheel cleaner you might remove the dirt but you risk staining the finish on the wheel.

From our FAQ


2. What is the best and safest way to clean my wheels?!


Use the correct wheel cleaner

The best and safest way to remove brake dust, dirt, and road grime from wheels is to match the type of wheel cleaner to the type of wheel you're cleaning. Using the wrong wheel cleaner can lead to discoloring, dulling, and permanent staining. When in doubt, contact the wheel manufacture and ask them for their recommendations.

When cleaning neglected or extremely dirty wheels with extra heavy build-up of brake dust and road grime, instead of relying solely on a chemical cleaner for its cleaning power, boost the power of your wheel cleaner by using either a soft wheel brush or quality household paint brush.

When it comes to cleaning extremely dirty wheels, many people seek-out an extra strong wheel cleaner to do all of the work, when all the extra strength they really need can be found in their arms.

Don't make the mistake of trying to take the easy way out by resorting to an extra strength cleaner that can potentially damage your wheels because it's too strong. This is a common mistake people make when they rely on cleaners that are too strong, or use common under the sink multi-purpose cleaners that were never intended for use on their particular wheel surface.


Twice is Nice

Instead of using a more aggressive and potentially harmful cleaner on your car's wheels, try cleaning your wheels twice using a soft bristle wheel brush such as Meguiar's Deluxe Wheel Brush, or Ultra Soft Wheel Brush. Even a high quality household paintbrush along with a little extra elbow grease will help you get you wheels clean easily and safely.

Your first wheel cleaning will remove a majority of the built up brake dust and road grime. This will allow the next application of wheel cleaner to go right to work on the built-up brake dust and road grime that was underneath the first layer.

By using a high quality wheel brush or a household paintbrush, you will effectively agitate the built-up brake dust and road grime enabling the wheel cleaning chemicals to penetrate, loosen, and break their grip on the surface of your wheels. A second application will only take a few extra minutes and it will do a much better job of safely cleaning your wheels, versus trying to get the job done quickly with only one application.

Of course, as Barry always says, "Frequent car care is easy car care". This goes for cleaning wheels too. Washing your car often and thoroughly cleaning your wheels each time you wash your car, including all of the nooks and crannies, will prevent excessive brake dust and road grime from building up in the first place. Applying a protective coating of either a Meguiar’s NXT Generation® All Metal Polysh, or Meguiar’s All Metal Polish (for uncoated, polished wheels), or any Meguiar’s premium wax or paint protectant (for coated, or factory painted wheels) to insure cleaning your wheels is fast and easy.

In an effort to help you keep your wheels sparkling clean, Meguiar’s offers the following wheel cleaners, one of which is perfectly suited for your particular wheels:

Gold Class Instant Wheel Cleaner - Safe for factory clear coats and chrome
Hot Rims/Cool Care All Wheel Cleaner - All wheels except anodized aluminum
Gold Class All Wheel cleaner - All Wheels
#36 Wheel Cleaner - All Wheels

[Mike Phillips]

Besides the wheel cleaners listed above, we also offer a professional grade wheel cleaner in our Professional Detailer Line of products.


From our Technical Bulletin,



WHEEL BRIGHTENER
Meguiar's Wheel Brightener is the product of choice for professionals looking for a powerful wheel cleaner that quickly and effectively removes tough brake dust. There is a thin line between effective cleaning and dangerous to use products; Wheel Brightener gives users the ultimate in flexibility, cleaning and safety with one product.

Packaging:
1 Gallon, part # D-14001
5 Gallon, part # D-14005
55 Gallon, part # D-14055


Features:
* Safe on clear coated, factory painted, and chrome wheels
* Easily removes brake dust
* Concentrated formula:

pH: 5.0
Paintable: Yes
Dilution: Up to 4:1
(Water : Product)

Application:
Dilute to required strength, spray on cool, dry wheel surface. Let sit for 30-45 seconds and rinse with water. Apply only to wheels that are cool to the touch. Clean and rinse one wheel at a time.
Warning: Not for use on anodized, magnesium or polished aluminum wheels

Pro Tips:
For severe accumulations of brake dust, use a wheel brush and agitate area during the application of Wheel Brightener.


Health rating:
Health: 3
Fire: 0
Reactivity: 0
Specific Hazard: 0

If you type in Wheel Brightener into the Search engine for this forum you will pull up plenty of information and members thoughts on this product, here are a few,

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4394

In the below link, make sure to read Joe's comments.
(Joe aka Superior Shine)

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6488

[Mike Phillips]

Joe's comments were so good I decided to go ahead and post them into this thread...

Here you go...

Originally posted by Superior Shine
We use gallons and gallons of wheel brightner. First off let me recommend you read the MSDS and the precautions on the bottle.

Before you use it start with the best wheel cleaner in the world, soap and water. We clean the wheels with soap and water first and only use wheel brightner if the first cleaning with soap and water doesn't bring satisfactory results. Most of the time soapy water is good enough.

Also, when we do use wheel brightner we mix it 10:1 and not 4:1. I rather apply cleaner twice (or three times) than to apply a to strong of a mix one time and damage or stain the rim.

Keep in mind that wheel brightner will stain concrete. We still use it if the vehicle is parked on concrete but we make sure to rinse the area around and under the tire thouroughly.

Wheel brighner is a good product if used correctly and safely.

[05PhillyStang]

One thing I like to do is keep my old wash mitts that are no longer suitable for the paint. With the mitt, I can get behind and in between the spokes and use my hand to remove the dirt and brake dust.

I think the need for a stronger wheel cleaner can be eliminated with proper technique when using less abrasive wheel cleaners. When I wash my car, I use the car wash soap on the wheels and it works wonderfully

[PaulTso]

awesome guys, thanks for the great info. And yes i do use a wheel brush. I have the new megs one and an OXO one with stiff bristles on the tip. Thanks again!!

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

If you choose to use Meg's Wheel Brightener, my favorite wheel cleaner, make sure you wear goggles, hand protection, and only apply to cool wheels. The stuff is amazing!!!


Tim

[rusty bumper]

Those are two good threads!

[rusty bumper]

Originally posted by 2hotford
Hey,

If you choose to use Meg's Wheel Brightener, my favorite wheel cleaner, make sure you wear goggles, hand protection, and only apply to cool wheels. The stuff is amazing!!!


Tim

It wouldn't hurt to hold your breath as you spray it.

[EPHIOS]

Is Wheel Brightener safe for brake parts?

I use Wheel Brightener for my wheels once in a while (Quik Wheel in between, and wax it with EO NanoWax Spray). I was wondering, sometimes I accidently spray some of the product on the brake parts, will it hurt it somehow? Thank YOu!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Is Wheel Brightener safe for brake parts?

I use Wheel Brightener for my wheels once in a while

I was wondering, sometimes I accidentally spray some of the product on the brake parts, will it hurt it somehow? Thank You!

It won't keep your brakes from working, if that's what you mean by hurt

If you mean will it discolor or change the appearance of some "materials or coatings" then the answer is yes, it's a wheel cleaner that like many wheel cleaners on the market uses acid to dissolve and remove stubborn brake dust and road grime, a feature many people look for in a wheel cleaner. (Customer demand).

The product is intended to be used on the wheel surface only, the problem is it's almost impossible to spray ANY kind of liquid in an atomized spray to a defined, enclosed area and not get overspray on other surfaces. That's not Meguiar's fault and we have no control over this just like no other manufacture of any wheel cleaner has no control over this.

If this is a concern then use our new Hot Rims® Aluminum Wheel Cleaner



This product is safe on anything in the wheel compartment area as well as all types of wheel.

Another option would be to remove the wheels in order to clean them.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Does meguiars make wheel acid?

Read through this thread... points out some common sense when it comes to wheel cleaning.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25606

Also, the Gold Class Wheel Cleaner is mentioned in this thread is being discontinued.

[kazzper]

Re: Does meguiars make wheel acid?

Hi,
I get a lot of questions from consumers about wheel cleaners, mostly about the contents. Do Meguiar's offer an acid-free wheel cleaner?