Rim Cleaner---Which is better? Is there better

[TimBlues20]

I have a bottle of the Hot Rims /Cool Care All Wheel Cleaner, nice, like it a lot, recommend it to everybody. Bad side, little expensive. You get about 5 or 6 cars out of it. So the questions are, which is better, whats the difference, is there something similar?

The Hot Rims /Cool Care All Wheel Cleaner

or

The detailer line Meguiar's Wheel Brightener.

I would like to go with the Wheel Brightener cause of the obvious, you get a lot more. But is it similar to the Hot Rims?

[C32 AMG]

Do you use this cleaner everytime you wash your car / wheels?

I use the wheel cleaner only once a month because regular car washes can maintain the wheels easier to clean with your regular car wash detergent.

[George Wax]

Hot Rim's work's really well on clearcoated wheel's..I would assume the wheel cleaner in the Detailer Line would be extra strong and should be used with caution. In California due to everyone traveling in heavy traffic, brake dust is a major issue with wheel's. I use Hot Rim's on a weekly basis and make sure the wheel's are cool to the touch not hot..Make sure you find out your exact wheel surface..Remember some wheel's are 3 piece design's and can have 3 diffrent surfaces.

[Lt1Corvette]

I would personally stay with the hot rims. I am not sure how much you are paying, but it is one of the cheapest wheels cleaner I have ever seen. I think the bottle is only five dollars. Also being that it is an all wheel cleaner you do not have any worry about it damaging your wheels because it is too aggressive. If you need to get a little more bite out of it try using a rim brush after you spray it on. Then blast it with a washer or hose. Also after you have thoroughly cleaned your rims you might want to try applying a wax onto the wheel. NXT works great for this. With the wheels cleaned and waxed, you should be able to go longer without cleaning them because brake dust doesn't adhere as well. Also when you wash your car you can simply use the car wash shampoo to clean them. I now only use a wheel cleaner about every five to six weeks. This will keep your wheels clean and protected. Also anytime you use a wheel cleaner on your wheels you need to re wax.
Hope this helps and good luck with the wheel maintenance.
Joe

[DETLMAN]

Wheel brightener is the ticket ! I have used this on more wheels than I can count. On my personall vehicles I use it weekly and there have been NO problems and our wheels sparkle like new. Best part is you dont have to scrub at all and they come completly clean. If you spray in the inside of the wheel and its not too nasty it will also coome clean. I clean a lot of big wheels and nothing looks worse than a big wheel with a dirty center section. Its as somple as spray and rinse = clean wheel.

The only wheel I wouldnt use it on would be a non clear coated aluminum wheel. Works great on painted, powder coated and chrome wheels.

[gbackus]

Originally posted by DETLMAN
The only wheel I wouldnt use it on would be a non clear coated aluminum wheel. Works great on painted, powder coated and chrome wheels.

What do you use on raw aluminum and anodized wheels?

[DETLMAN]

car wash soap and some tlc I dont do many cars with tuner type wheels. If polished aluminum I clean with car wash soap and then polish with a good metal polish, the new nxt metal polish works pretty good !

[mirrorfinishman]

Originally posted by DETLMAN
car wash soap and some tlc

This sounds like very good advice. Especially when you're detailing customer's vehicles.

[Black Diamond]

Three things to remember.

Rinse, Rinse, and Rinse again!