Cleaning wheels without a hose?

[Buck91]

I've used ONR a number of times now due to my apartment complex frowning on running a hose to wash my car, which has worked just fine. In fact I'm going to try to get away from using the pay and spray carwash to clean my wheels but I would like something a little stronger than just ONR for hte pre-wax washes. Would there be a product which I could use like a normal wheel and tire wash and just wipe off with ONR and forgo the rinsing or is this asking for disaster? ONR does work fairly well, especially if used frequently, so I suppose that it would be workable to just go in a few times of year to th spray wash to do up the wheels...

[Murr1525]

Re: Cleaning wheels without a hose?

I think what you want to do is get your wheels very well cleaned with a paint cleaner, etc... then coat them with the new Brake Dust Barrier. Then you should be ok with the ONR, or other rinseless wash much easier.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Cleaning wheels without a hose?

This is probably the best course of action:

I think what you want to do is get your wheels very well cleaned with a paint cleaner, etc... then coat them with the new Brake Dust Barrier. Then you should be ok with the ONR, or other rinseless wash much easier.

Using a traditional wheel and tire cleaner and then rinsing with a rinseless wash is probably not the best idea as such cleaners really should be thoroughly flushed away with water. We wouldn't risk it, especially when the above process exists.

[Wilhelm]

Re: Cleaning wheels without a hose?

I would use this process:

1. Clean well with a traditional wheel and tire cleaner.

2. Thoroughly flush and rinse off the traditional wheel and tire cleaner. Use a one or two gallon garden sprayer filled with distilled or filtered water. Like this one:


3. Dry wheels (or let them dry) then apply Megs Brake Dust Barrier per instructions on the container.

4. Maintain regularly with ONR or some other waterless/rinseless product or even Quik Detailer if you keep on top of it and don't let the dust get too out of hand or if you haven't been through any puddles.

5. When you notice the wheels getting harder to clean with Step 4, repeat Steps 1 through 3 again.


BTW, the above is just a less articulate version of the Meguiar's 5 Step Paint Care Cycle, modified for wheels and for use in restricted water conditions.

[BillyJack]

Re: Cleaning wheels without a hose?

I do the majority of my washes with ONR. Here's what works for me: Use your normal tire and /or wheel cleaners. Have a bucket of water handy and use your tire and wheel brushes to rinse off the cleaners. Finish up using the leftover ONR applied with a sponge or towel that you designate for that use only, so as not to contaminate your future ONR washes. Normally I would do the wheels before washing the body, but since I'm using my leftover ONR, wheels will be the last thing before the ONR is tossed. As others have said, keep your wheels waxed to make future cleanings easier. I had been using 845 as my wheel sealant (sorry, but it's the toughest stuff I can find), but once the new Meguiar's Brake Dust Barrier hits the local shelves, you can bet I'll be using it.

Bill