2 Questions

[gauravvi]

First off, good day to all

Q 1. I don't really understand the point of wheel cleaners, does it make any difference with cleaning wheels by car soap?

Q 2. The exterior trim on my mother's car is starting to fade away since its been sitting under the sun for about 9 years now, is it safe to restore them by using Megs Supreme Shine or maybe the UQW? I tried using tire gel, it got washed right off..

[Murr1525]

Re: 2 Questions

1. Well, the dedicated wheel cleaners tend to be stronger than car wash soap, so can help if you have really stuck on dirt. And then different types of wheels may need different types of strong cleaners to be safe.

But if you wash often, and just loose dirt, car wash soap is fine.

2. You would tend to want to look for something like the Ult. Black for the trim.

Using the Ult. Black once in a while, and then some UQW after a weekly or so wash should do a good job.

[Eldorado2k]

Back in the days I used to use the foaming chome wheel cleaner for my weekly wash. Nowadays my rims tend to stay clean thx to a coat of wax and just require a quik pass with my black colored microfiber sponge when I begin my wash process[I make sure not to double dip that black sponge to prevent grit in my new suds]
Then I use the big Supreme Shine microfiber that came in the clay kit to dry my rims after the wash and they stay clean!
I only need the foam rim cleaner if it's rained, or been a while since the last wash.


As far as that plastic trim, just get yourself a bottle of Ultimate Protectant and spray it onto a microfiber towel and wipe it to a shine. If that doesn't make it look new again, you could look into buying one of those gimmick "look new" bottles they sell on TV for about $20. My neighbor said it actually works if you follow the directions. Good luck.

BTW, what kind of car is it?

[BillyJack]

Re: 2 Questions 1) I'm not a fan of wheel cleaners either. The average consumer wants a product that will clean nasty, neglected wheels with a minimum of effort, so the manufacturers all attempt to satisfy the demand with some type of super-strong product. Most alloy wheels today are coated with some type of paint, either silver or clear and IMO, every time you use a harsh cleaner on a painted surface, you're compromising the integrity of the finish to some degree. Eventually with repeated use, you'll never be able to restore the level of gloss and protection that the wheel coating possessed initially. It's usually necessary to keep a few strong cleaners for a one-time use on neglected wheels. My favorites happen to be Iron-X soap, Griot's Garage HD Wheel Cleaner and Meguiar's D140 Wheel Brightener in ascending order of strength. Once you're satisfied the wheels are clean, then a polishing may be necessary to restore the finish. I'll use either a 3" pad on my polisher and/or one of the polishing cones in a drill, usually with Ultimate Compound or D151. Now that you have a good base, keep it protected with a few coats of your most durable sealant. I haven't tried the new Hot Rims Brake Dust barrier yet, but I've heard many good reviews as to it's durability and longevity. From there, washing with a soft brush and you're normal car wash soap should be all you need to keep them clean. Every few months, a scrubbing with APC and renewal of your favorite sealant should keep them in good appearance for a long,long time. 2) Plastic trim oxidizes just like paint. In order for a protectant like Ultimate Black to be effective, the surface should be prepped first. APC and a stiff brush will remove a lot of the oxidation and allow the protectant to do its job. Here's a link to a thread on AGO worth reading:http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ic-trim-2.html Bill

[Top Gear]

Re: 2 Questions

1. For me, wheel cleaner sprays are reserved for when the brake dust builds up on more than the wheel itself. I tend not to let the wheels get very dirty, as I clean them during my washing process with suds-n-mitt. Between washings, I'll spray quik detailer on the outside edges and wipe them off. When the brake dust or other grime builds up beyond a washing, I use a paint-safe wheel and tire cleaner spray to get into all the areas of the entire wheel well (particularly the bright red Brembo brakes on my car). When needed, I also coat the whole undercarriage and suspension with tire foam.

2. Ultimate Black is the only answer. The stuff is amazing, and has an awesome scent of soapy freshness. It will create a messy residue on your paint or glass, so be careful applying it, but otherwise, use it to coat your exterior plastic and rubber trim. It will run off a bit when you get rain, creating drip lines or residue, so just wipe that off as needed. Otherwise, there is nothing that can save or adequately protect your trim parts. For comparison, the classic "Armour All" protectant many of us grew up with is a very, very distant second place to Ultimate Black. AA is not a restorer, but more of a temporary detailing snake oil that evaporates away completely within hours. By comparison, Meg's Ultimate Black soaks in and bonds with the material, restoring and coating for a long time, many weeks, at least. You can even wash and detail over it without removing it or having to re-apply it.

[gauravvi]

Re: 2 Questions

Thanks to everyone who'd helped with some useful information, I should be looking for Ultimate Black now. Not so sure if its available in my place.
As of wheel cleaners I'll probably stick to car wash soap as I am satisfied with the results. Though at least I understand the concept of wheel cleaners and could use some in the future. How about using degreaser to clean rims? Wont that loosen off brake dust or any other stuck dirt?

[gauravvi]

Re: 2 Questions

Back in the days I used to use the foaming chome wheel cleaner for my weekly wash. Nowadays my rims tend to stay clean thx to a coat of wax and just require a quik pass with my black colored microfiber sponge when I begin my wash process[I make sure not to double dip that black sponge to prevent grit in my new suds]
Then I use the big Supreme Shine microfiber that came in the clay kit to dry my rims after the wash and they stay clean!
I only need the foam rim cleaner if it's rained, or been a while since the last wash.


As far as that plastic trim, just get yourself a bottle of Ultimate Protectant and spray it onto a microfiber towel and wipe it to a shine. If that doesn't make it look new again, you could look into buying one of those gimmick "look new" bottles they sell on TV for about $20. My neighbor said it actually works if you follow the directions. Good luck.

BTW, what kind of car is it?

Its a Honda City, some might know it as the Honda Fit Aria. I dont think it is available in the US though. Its the sedan version of the Honda Fit.
Anyways thanks for the input! Could try the Ultimate Protectant too.

[Eldorado2k]

Yea they sell Honda Fit here. But I've never seen Honda Fit Aria..

If you can find Ultimate Protectant but can't find Ultimate Black, just buy the Ultimate Protectant. From what I understand it's the Same exact product just different packaging.

[Detailing by M]

Re: 2 Questions

All pros use a wheel cleaner, to get the rims spotless.
No it doesn't hurt the paint.
and wax your rims, the dirt and break dust won't stick

[C8N]

Re: 2 Questions

I have Hot Rims all wheels and tire cleaner and it works great.
However, I rarely reach for this for use on my car. I've used it once which was when my car was detailed for the very first time.
My car and its wheels are regularly maintained and I see no reason for it as car soap is plenty.

[Top Gear]

Re: 2 Questions

All pros use a wheel cleaner, to get the rims spotless. No it doesn't hurt the paint. and wax your rims, the dirt and break dust won't stick

Well, if that were true we'd only have to clean wheels once over the lifetime of a vehicle

Nothing prevents road grime and brake dust from building up and sticking to wheels and tires. It's just the reality of daily driving - the vehicle gets dirty, especially its wheels, tires, and undercarriage, even more so with disc brakes, rain, slush, mud, etc. Protectants or waxes or foams used on wheels do not "prevent" anything whatsoever. They only make wheels look better temporarily.

For my money and time, the best results in cleaning wheels and tires are from the suds-n-mitt during a full wash, washing as much of the wheel and tire I can get to with the wash-n-wax suds, sometimes using a wheel cleaner first to break down grime I can't get to with my mitt, or as a first step before washing if the wheels/tires are really trashed. Between full washings, a little "tire shine" and quik detailer or quik wax make the wheels and tires appear clean at a glance, and doing this regularly keeps the wheels and tires generally more clean than not (on the outside faces).

The best prevention is to avoid driving in rain, slush, mud, etc, and then elbow grease is the crucial product

[The Guz]

Re: 2 Questions

If one let's the brake dust build up then by all means use a wheel cleaner to remove the heavy build up. Then maintain with a simple wash. Wax helps on the wheels but it's not as durable as say brake dust barrier. Both will eventaully break down. As stated up above a spray wax is a good way to add some shine and protection to the wheels.