BKLN2LA

what wheel brush should i get? i have a stock S4.... also what wheel cleaners do you guys use?

RKA

I treat the wheels to a gentle wash and dry, just like the rest of the paint. That also includes a regular waxing to help keep things from sticking to the surface. Twice a year, I give the wheels a good once over with P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner, or P21S Total Auto Wash, if there is heavier dirt buildup...the rest of the year is just soap, water, and a dedicated wheel wash mitt.

Ted K

detailing spray to get the brake dust off. Comes right off. That's if I don't wash the car. If I do wash the car, then that takes the dust right off, and I might follow up with the One Grand just to deepen the shine. Don't need to use Wheel Cleaner as it would strip all the wax off. Having said that, I do have a bottle of P21S High Tech cleaner in the house, but haven't opened it in almost a year.

RickM

I don't really understand what wheel cleaners are for. None of them really works in a "spray it on, rinse it off" fashion , although many advertise that they do. Maybe if you have heavy caked on brake dust or something nasty like that, a wheel cleaner will help more than regular soap and water. But if you're washing them regularly this isn't really an issue either. I have some P21S wheel cleaner at home, but I haven't used it in a while. Note that a lot of wheel cleaners on the market contain acid, and can permanently etch your wheels -- even if the label says "safe for all types of wheels." I learned the hard way on that one. P21S is ph-neutral and safe.

My routine: Since I have summer and winter tires mounted on separate sets of wheels, each Spring and Fall I do a "major" job on the wheels to get every last bit of crud off of them while they're off the car. You're supposed to do this before storing them. Sometimes I don't, and end up doing it before putting them on for the season. It doesn't really seem to matter (I've read that brake dust left on wheels for long periods will corrode them or something like that, but I haven't seen this happen. Maybe because my wheels are waxed?). I've used different products for this "major" cleaning. This year I used a diluted citrus-based cleaner to get the stuff behind the spokes that I can't reach when the wheels are on the car. Worked very well. Then I waxed em inside and out. Good as new.

For regular care I just wash 'em and that removes all the brake dust and dirt, except the little bit that accumulates over time right behind the spokes. I do use a brush to get inside, one of those long skinny ones. I don't scrub hard. It gets places my hands can't. I wax them every few washes. That's it. I don't usually clean my wheels between car washings, but if I feel like brightening them up and only brake dust is on them, I'll use the little "dash duster" that came with my larger California Duster. It works very well removing light brake dust, and doesn't smear it around. Your hands stay clean using it, too.

Troy H

to fully clean mine though, as I don't need or use snow tires, so I must admit that the inside of my wheels probably aren't up to snuff. Then again, I don't scrub out my fender liners either.

OpusK551

Dawn deteg plus periodic use of Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity on tires & wheels

ex-quattro PETE

dawn will strip wax off the rims.

TXurS6

Found it at Pep Boys. I is about 8" of synthetic wool on a cone shape with a handle. The tip is a point so it is easy to get into tight spots while the back is thick enough to cover a lot of area. I can do all 4 of my wheels in 10 minutes or less. I use regular car wash soap in water.

AlanL

and the brushes shown in the picture below.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/14388/wheel-cleaning.jpg">

My wash bucket has 2 chambers so I don't have to mix the dirty wheel water with the stuff I use on the rest of my car.

OpusK551

every 4-7 days. Takes &lt;15 min.