Keeping your wheels well maintained, rotated, aligned, properly inflated, and clean can help improve their longevity as well as the way your vehicle drives. Issues such as poor inflation can cause your tires to last 20 percent less than they should, and can also cause you to burn more fuel when you drive. Keeping them clean will help keep debris and gunk out of the tread and also help your vehicle look newer for longer. Get your wheels looking good by following the cleaning tips listing below.
When washing your car, you always want to start with the wheels. The dirt and residue from your wheels can ruin your paint if it is left on your vehicle. When doing your wheels, only wash two at a time so that you can clean them quick enough to prevent the soap from settling on the wheels.
Start by rinsing your wheels with a hose, spraying close to each wheel and around the nooks and crannies. This will help you remove most of the loose dirt and debris and loosen the more stubborn residue.
Use a good wheel soap designed for your wheel types. If your rims are chrome, make sure to choose a cleaner designed to work on it. Use a brush to apply the soapy water on both the inside and the outside of the first wheel, making sure to get into all places the dirt can hide. Then move to the second tire, so the soap on the first tire has time to work on removing the grime.
Rinse your brushes off with the hose thoroughly before putting them back in the bucket, so you don’t mix the dirt you have removed from the tire with the clean water.
Use a hose to rinse your wheels completely. If you have one, rub your wheels with a wash mitt while rinsing to help remove all of the soap and residue while you are rinsing. Wash mitts can also be great to remove soap from around tire caps and lug nuts.
Letting your tires air dry will still make sure they are clean, but will likely leave you with spotting. To keep your wheels as shiny as possible, dry them as soon as you rinse them.
Wheel wax can provide a good finish for your wheels and also ensure that they will be looking clean for months to come. You will also want to apply your favorite wheel well dressing, making sure to avoid getting any on your vehicle’s paint. Finally apply your favorite tire dressing to the entire tire, moving the car to get to the bottom of the tire as well.
Keep your wheels clean and looking like new for as long as you can by following the tips above. Maintaining your wheels is an important part of helping them last longer and perform better.
Image via David Villarreal Fernández | Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
