Wheel duster

[JCE]

I forgot to include this in the 'product suggestion' line during saturday's great detailing class:

Mercedes and BMW brake pads leave LOTS of black dust on the wheels - and if you ignore it for a week it can start to 'bake' onto the wheel finish. For several years I have used the small (dashboard sized) california duster to dust down the wheels between washes. It works pretty nicely, takes off all the dust it can reach. I label the thing with a felt pen on the handle "brakes only" so it doesn't accidently get used on the bumpers at some point by another family member.

This duster, however, has several drawbacks - it us a flat mop type material and isn't optimal for the application; it is a bit oily at first and the wheels need to be wiped down after the first time a new duster is used on them; and it isn't washable.

I suspect that a lot of MB and BMW owners would be glad to find a 'wheel duster' that was a bit closer to a brush than a mop in structure, that removed brake dust like a duster, and that was washable. Maybe even a mit like device to keep brake dust off the hands, but a handled brush would probably be easier to use.

I will keep on using the duster until I find something better, but if anyone can improve on this application, it is Mequiars.

John

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Wheel duster

I know exactly what you are talking about, and the two best products are Meguiar's Quik Wheel Detailer with a microfiber towel/mit, or Amazing Roll Off. For ARO, just spray down the wheel at least once a week with water, spray on ARO, than rinse off. It has some type of protectant which should help reduce break dust built up, though dusting off ever other day or so with Quik Wheel Detailer will keep the wheels cleaner. That or just do a ARO rinse down a couple times a week as it only takes about 2 minutes, than once a week go over the wheels with Quik Wheel Detailer to ensure nothing gets embeded in the wheels leading to baked on stuff.

Simply put, the key for it, as for everything else in the car care world, is maintenance! The more you do, the less aggressive you have to be!.