Always start out your wash with a good wheel process. Do one wheel at a time. Start by using a wheel cleaner that is the proper strength for the task. Heavy brake dust will need a heavy duty wheel cleaner or a good medium duty wheel cleaner with an iron remover additive. Light weekly clean ups are better suited for a lighter strength product. Heavy duty wheel cleaners are very strong and can damage delicate surfaces if used incorrectly. It is important to balance product strength vs brush agitation based on the soil level. Too much required brush agitation means that you should have used a stronger cleaner. Too strong of a cleaner requiring little or no brush agitation means the chemical was possibly too strong for the job. Grime should loosen easily and be brushed away with reasonable agitation. Thats when you know you got it right. There is no one strength cleaner fits all jobs. Keep your wheels properly coated and do regular maintenance washes and you will only need to use a light duty cleaner.
The Process:
Start the process by applying the wheel cleaner either with a foam cannon or a mechanical spray bottle. Allow the wheel cleaner to dwell as long as needed but do not let it dry. Do not apply in direct sunlight or it will dry really fast reducing working time.
Use a tire brush to agitate the tire until all the dirt and browning is gone.
Now use the wheel barrel brush. This brush is specifically designed to reach into those deep hard to reach wheel barrels. Start from the top and work your way down to the bottom. Be sure to angle the brush strokes to contact the harder to reach areas.
Use a wide wheel face brush to clean the wheel faces. This soft bristle brush is safe, fast and easy.
Follow up with a boars hair brush to get around valve stems and any of the tighter areas that were hard to reach. Also use the boars hair brush to agitate and clean the brake calipers.
Rinse wheel with water, inspect and repeat any of these steps if necessary.
Continue washing the rest of the car before drying the wheels and or applying any tire dressings.
After the rest of the car is completely washed, rinsed and dried, dry the wheels using either the heated dryer (my favorite) or a black microfiber towel. Wheels are full of brake dust particles that can scratch paint so make sure to use dedicated towels for your wheels.
After the wheels are completely dry apply dressing evenly to the tires with a dressing applicator. These applicators are designed to minimize product usage and be far less messy. Allow dressing to fully saturate the surface and dry as much as possible. Prevent product sling by wiping off any excess dressing with your black wheel towel. I have found that with most short term dressings you can lightly dab the tire with a towel before it dries to control the amount of shine. You can also apply additional layers to enhance the look. That’s up to you. For best results with the semi permanent dressing be sure to let it dry completely without touching.
Now that the tires are finished its time to protect the wheels. A proper ceramic coating is always best but adding spray protection to the wheels works great too. Spray product directly onto your wheel towel being careful to avoid the brake system. Wipe on evenly. Flip towel and buff to a shine. This will enhance the shine and make cleaning 10x easier next wash.
The Products:
Links to my favorite Wheel & Tire products. You definitely can not go wrong with anything listed here. I personally tested every product vigorously and I stand behind all of them. I use every one of these at my shop.
Light duty wheel cleaner Online Store or Amazon A lighter duty wheel cleaner perfect for routine weekly maintenance washes.
Medium duty wheel cleaner with Iron remover A good smelling highly effective PH neutral wheel cleaner with iron remover. Safe & Affective! REVIEW VIDEO
Heavy duty wheel cleaner A heavier duty wheel cleaner perfect for the tough jobs.
Foam Cannon Use a foam cannon to auto-dilute and apply the cleaner easily. My favorite method (Pressure Washer Required)
My second favorite foam cannon Amazon
Spray bottle High End Version Dual action pump sprayer with a great look and feel to it. My favorite. SPRAY BOTTLES REVIEW VIDEO
Spray bottle Economical Version Good quality for those on a budget. I have used these for many years. SPRAY BOTTLES REVIEW VIDEO
Tire brush Online Store or Amazon Medium stiffness brush made to scrub the tire clean and conform to the shape of the tire.
Wide wheel face brush Online Store or Amazon Cover a large wheel face fast with this soft bristle non marring brush. I have tried may different types of wheel face cleaning tools and this is the easiest and safest of them all. Using the wrong brush will scratch the clear coat on your wheels.
Boars hair brush Online Store or Amazon Stiff but not too stiff. Perfect for lug nuts, valve stem, brake calipers and any area that needs light agitation and is hard to access.
Wheel barrel brush Online Store or Amazon Easily clean the inside of the wheels. A good reach, bendable wheel barrel brush is key to an easy cleaning . Agitate the brake dust off fast.
Heated wheel dryer This is a great tool to dry the wheels & tires thoroughly prior to the application of sealants or dressings. Easily dries the hard to reach crevices. REVIEW VIDEO
Microfiber towel black Online Store or Amazon Thin pile on one side and thicker on the other. This combo towel will give you multiple use options for your wheels and tires. Keep in mind that even clean wheels may still have brake dust on the surface. Brake dust can get embedded in the fibers of the towel and can remain even after being washed. I use my black towels for the wheels only. This eliminates any possibility of cross contamination. Be sure not to mix your wheel towels with paint towels. Using a designated color for your wheels guarantees this won't happen.
TIRE DRESSING & APPLICATORS
Applying tire dressings should be easy and fast. High quality products will not sling all over the car while driving. The finished look should match your preference of either shiny or matte finish.
Tire dressing long term durability Medium difficulty. Slight shine after 1 coat and shine intensifies with additional coats. Will last several months with minimal touch ups. Semi Permanent. REVIEW & HOW TO VIDEO
Tire dressing short - medium durability Online Store or Amazon EASY to apply. Slight shine when dry and lasts easily til next wash and beyond. If you want a matte finish, use a microfiber towel to lightly dab the tire. This will wipe some of the shine off. Experiment to get the results you are happy with.
Dressing Brush Use this brush to get product into crevices and grooves on the tire. Very high quality brush that works well and is very ergonomic. One of my favorites.
Dressing applicator large Large foam hex pad. Best for covering lager surfaces like on larger profile truck tires. Rinse well after use and this will last a long time.
Dressing applicator small Small foam hex pad. Best for covering smaller surfaces like on lower profile performance tires. Rinse well after use and this will last a long time.
WHEEL PROTECTION / COATING
Applying a ceramic coating or sealant to your wheels offers several key benefits:
Enhanced Gloss: Ceramic coatings and sealants provide a deep, glossy finish that enhances the appearance of the wheels, making them look cleaner and more vibrant.
Ease of Maintenance: The enhanced hydrophobic properties of a ceramic coating or sealant mean that water and dirt are repelled from the surface. This significantly reduces the adherence of brake dust, road grime, and other contaminants, making future cleaning much simpler and less frequent.
Durability: These coatings are highly resistant to chemicals, UV rays, and minor scratches, which helps maintain the wheels' aesthetic over time, reducing the need for polishing.
Protection: They offer a protective layer that guards against corrosion, oxidation, and the harsh effects of brake dust, which can be particularly damaging to wheel surfaces.
Longevity: Long term benefits include less frequent detailing and potentially longer life for the wheels themselves due to the protective barrier.
In summary, applying a ceramic coating or sealant to your wheels not only improves their look with a glossy finish but also simplifies maintenance, offers protection, and extends the lifespan of the wheels.
Ceramic wheel / rim coating Ultra high durability ceramic coating. High gloss and slickness. Best ceramic wheel coating out there. Buttery slick after applied. Use Code HAWAIIDETAILING for 10% Off. This product requires proper prep and general understanding of how to apply a true ceramic coating. This video covers ceramic coatings in depth CERAMIC COATING INSTALL VIDEO
Spray on rinse off ceramic protection Great Short Term Durability. Easiest solution to get great protection with no skill or effort required. will last til the next was and beyond. Spray product on to the wheels and rinse it off. Reapply after each wash. Use Code HAWAIIDETAILING for 10% Off VIDEO DEMO
Spray ceramic protection Short to Medium Term Durability. This is a spray on and wipe off product. Apply to the rims after each wash. This is one of the strongest, easy to use, spray sealants out there.
DILUTION RATIOS
Foam Cannon - I use wheel cleaners at 100% in the foam cannon. The cleaner will get diluted by the normal mixing from the foam cannon. Great for light to medium soiled wheels.
Spray Bottle or Foam Pump Spray Bottle -
Light Cleaning - 50/50 cleaner to water
Medium Cleaning - 75/25 cleaner to water
Tough cleaning - 100% cleaner
Please let me know if you have any questions or if any of these links are not working properly Jeremy@HawaiiDetailing.com
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support.