How to clean alloy wheels without scratching them

Wheels are usually the dirtiest part of the car. Brake dust is abrasive and, left too long, it bonds to the surface. Clean them first and with their own tools. This guide covers which cleaner suits which finish, the brush for each part of the wheel and what to do when ordinary washing is not enough.

How to clean alloy wheels in 5 steps

1. Work on one cool wheel at a time and rinse off the loose dirt.
2. Spray on a wheel cleaner that suits the finish and let it dwell for the time on the label.
3. Agitate the inner barrel, then the face and nut holes, then the arch, each with its own brush.
4. Rinse thoroughly before the cleaner dries, then move to the next wheel.
5. Dry with a cloth you keep for wheels only.

Why wheels come first

Brake dust is a mix of metal from the discs and material from the pads. It lands hot, it is abrasive and it builds up every time you drive. If you wash the bodywork first, the dirty spray from the wheels lands on clean paint and you end up washing the lower panels twice.

Doing the wheels first also keeps their dirt out of your wash buckets. Anything that touches a wheel should never touch paint afterwards. That means separate brushes, separate cloths and, if you use one, a separate bucket.

Know your finish

Painted, diamond cut, polished, gloss black and anodised wheels do not all react the same way. No.03 Wheel and Rim Cleaner is ready to use and comes in four formulas, so you can match the cleaner to the wheel.

Diamond cut wheels deserve extra care. The machined face sits under a thin clear lacquer, and once that lacquer is chipped, moisture can creep underneath. Stay with Summer or Delicate on those, and keep strong cleaners away from any wheel with chipped or lifting lacquer.

If you are unsure what your wheels are made of, start with Delicate and test on a small area.

Use the right brush for each area

• Inner barrel, behind the spokes: the Caliper Safe Wheel Wand. It is a long, soft microfibre wand with a fully covered wire core, so nothing hard touches the wheel or the caliper. Push it through the spokes and turn.
• Faces, lug nut holes and centre caps: the Soft Bristle Wheel Face Brush. Its bristles are soft enough for painted, diamond cut and gloss black finishes, and a rubber bumper protects the wheel if you knock it.
• Arches and liners: the Long Handle Wheel Arch Brush. It is stiff and angled to scrub road grime out of plastic liners. Never use it on paint or on the wheel face.

Step by step

1. Check the wheels are cool. Never spray cleaner on hot brakes. After a drive, give them time to cool down first.
2. Work on one wheel at a time, from start to finish. A cleaner sprayed on all four wheels will have dried on the first before you reach it.
3. Rinse to remove loose dirt, including inside the arch.
4. Spray the wheel cleaner over the face, between the spokes and into the barrel. Let it dwell for the time on the label.
5. Agitate the barrel with the wand, reaching behind each spoke.
6. Agitate the face, the nut holes and the centre cap with the soft brush.
7. Scrub the arch and liner with the arch brush.
8. Rinse thoroughly, barrel first, then the face, then the arch and the tyre.
9. Move to the next wheel and repeat.
10. Dry with a dirty jobs cloth, kept separate from your paint textiles. Drying stops water spots forming on the face.

Remove baked on brake dust and iron fallout

Every few months, give the wheels a deeper clean. If orange or brown spots remain after washing, they are usually embedded iron from brake dust. No.06 Fallout and Tar Remover Summer turns purple as it reacts with iron deposits, then rinses away. Use it on clean, cool wheels.

Black spots that feel raised are usually tar thrown up from the road. No.06 Extreme is a solvent tar and glue remover made for those. Our guide to removing iron fallout and tar covers the method for both.

Winter wheels

Road salt sits in the barrel and the arch long after the roads look clean. From October to March, rinse the arches every time you wash and switch to the Winter formula. Our guide to dealing with road salt covers the rest of the car.

Common mistakes

• Cleaning hot wheels. Cleaner dries almost at once on a hot wheel and can leave marks.
• Using a strong cleaner on the wrong finish. Match the formula to the wheel, and test first when in doubt.
• Letting the cleaner dry. Rinse before it does. Work in the shade if you can.
• Using the arch brush on the wheel. It is stiff by design. Keep it for arches and liners.
• Sharing tools with the paintwork. Wheel brushes and cloths stay with the wheels.
• Forgetting the barrel. Most brake dust collects on the inside of the wheel, where you cannot see it from the kerb.

Everything on this page is in our alloy wheel cleaning range. With the wheels done, carry on with the snow foam and the two bucket wash.

Quick answers

Kit for this job

• No.03 Wheel and Rim Cleaner
• Caliper Safe Wheel Wand
• Soft Bristle Wheel Face Brush
• Long Handle Wheel Arch Brush
• Wheel and Dirty Jobs Cloths 3 Pack
• No.06 Fallout and Tar Remover

More from the Journal

• How to do a two bucket wash without adding swirl marks
• Snow foam explained: how to use a foam cannon properly
• How to remove iron fallout and tar spots from car paint
• Winter car care in the UK: how to deal with road salt