The physical parameters of the wheels will not change, but every driver wants the car to be not only reliable and comfortable, but also attractive in appearance, right?

Specialists of the avtodiski.net.ua portal told us how to properly care for alloy wheels.

Main principles of alloy wheel care

The most obvious method of keeping wheels in order is regular washing. Usually, wheels should be washed once every one to two weeks, depending on the intensity of vehicle use.

Those who often drive on country roads should clean their wheels more often. Dust and dirt over time negatively affect the outer coating of the wheel, making it dull. Therefore, let's take a detailed look at the process of washing alloy wheels.

Employees of any professional car wash are familiar with the rules of wheel care. However, many drivers prefer to service the car themselves. Let's look at the process step by step.

  1. Moisten the wheels with warm water to remove the top layer of dust. It is better to use a spray washer, but you should be careful with high-pressure devices. They are quite effective, but a powerful jet can damage tires and even leave scratches on the wheel. Therefore, it is better to refuse to use a pressure washer. You can simply rinse the wheels from a regular hose - that will be enough.
  2. In case of heavy contamination, do not try to wipe the wheels with a washcloth or brush. In such a situation, dust and sand particles act as an abrasive, and you risk losing the mirror shine of the wheels. It is better to immediately apply a cleaning agent - we will talk about its choice below.
  3. After 5-10 minutes, when the active components begin to dissolve the dirt, rinse the wheels with water again. And only if contamination remains, you can carefully remove it with a sponge or brush. It is strictly forbidden to use scrapers or any sharp and metal objects.
  4. If necessary, repeat the procedure. At the same time, try not to rub the wheels too hard - it is better to let the chemical composition do its job than to apply physical effort.

By the way, we strongly advise you to work with wheel cleaning compounds in rubber gloves. Among neutral products on the market, there are many products containing weak acid solutions and alcohols. If they get on the skin, even a chemical burn is possible, so be careful.

After washing, the wheels must be polished. Polish creates a protective layer at the molecular level. If you neglect this step, sand and dust will make the wheel surface matte within a month. It is optimal to use a branded polish recommended by wheel manufacturers - it is created taking into account the physicochemical properties of a particular alloy and therefore provides the best protection. If this is not possible, a universal wheel polish will do.

Based on our experience, you should not save on polish. Its consumption is small, so it is better to spend once on a quality product.

How to choose a product for cleaning car wheels?

There are many wheel cleaning products on sale. They differ in effectiveness and degree of aggressiveness - some are intended exclusively for professional use.

There are two main types of wheel cleaners: neutral and acidic:

  • Neutral compounds do not contain aggressive chemical components and act on the metal surface more gently.
  • Acidic products work more intensively and cope even with serious contamination. However, caution is needed when using them, as they harm the skin and can be dangerous for the car's paintwork.

Important! Always read the instructions for cleaners. Some of them require dilution in a strictly defined concentration - otherwise the chemicals can damage the wheel surface.

We analyzed a number of popular cleaners that can be found in most large car stores.

  • Koch Chemie REACTIVEWHEELCLEANER - the best acid-free cleaner for alloy wheels. The only drawback is the significant price. Moreover, recently it is not available in all stores, so you will have to look for it. Widely used by professionals.
  • Autosol Felgenreiniger Sauer - an extremely effective compound that removes any contamination. Very aggressive, therefore requires special care - the acids it contains can quickly ruin the paintwork.
  • Turtle Wax Intensive Wheel Cleaner - a good choice for car owners, but the composition is also quite aggressive. It must be washed off very carefully, avoiding foam getting on the paint.
  • Meguiar's - an excellent "soft" cleaner. Safe for all car elements. It copes well with dust and dirt, but may not cope with old contamination and resins. If you choose it, you will have to wash the wheels regularly.
  • Liqui Moly Felgen Reiniger - average in effectiveness, but quite convenient product. When reacting with dirt and plaque, the composition changes color. Overall, not bad, but there are more worthy options.
  • Grass Disk - effectiveness is questionable, it does not always cope even with ordinary dried dirt. Plus, it has a very pungent smell. Definitely not recommended.

Other cleaners found in stores are either too low quality for regular use, or are produced in limited batches and are not widely available.

In general, you can successfully care for alloy wheels yourself, but you can also use the services of a professional car wash. Choose the option convenient for you, and may your car's wheels always please the eye with their condition.