I've got some sort of dirty film/coating on my wheels that will not come off with soap/water. Anybody recommend cetain products to get my oem sports rims clean again?

 

You need something that cuts grease, like dishwasher soap. Make sure the wheels are cool and then immediately hose them off after cleaning.

 

Hey Zookeeper,
The product that I have used quite successfully is a spray called "Simple Green" which is available (here in Canada anyways) at most automotive parts stores. I do one side at a time. I wet both rims with water and spray on Simple Green, first on the front rim, and then on the back rim (thus allowing it to work on the film for a little while but not too long). I then scrub the front rim with a wet, soft bristled brush meant for rims. You'll see the "crud" come off. Then rinse with water. Then do the back rim.

If you have any tight spots, use a tooth brush to scrub in those areas.

PS: I have found this product to be safe for the various alloy rims that are out there, but I make a point of not allowing it to stay on the rim too long before scrubbing the rim and rinsing it off.

Hope this helps!

 

For oem alloy wheels, it is alright to use an acidic cleaner to remove stubborn contamination and brake dust. One option that we carry that many detailers enjoy is Poorboy's Spray & Rinse. This product is concentrated and should be diluted starting at 3:1 water-to-product ratio so a 32oz bottle actually yields a gallon of wheel cleaner. Pretty good bang for the buck. If you need more cleaning power, just use a more concentrated solution.

Another option is to use a clay bar on the surface to remove contamination.

One of the best things I can recommend to you though is to follow up your cleaning with some Poorboy's Wheel Sealant. This helps add a barrier of protection on the wheels surface that makes future cleanings significantly easier, so that you only need soap and water along with a dedicated wash mitt.

Let us know what you end up using and how you make out.

George

 

+1 on the Poorboy's wax afterwards. I put it on my coupe 19's and it makes cleaning them SUPER easy now. It takes just minutes now to clean with light brushing only.

 

I use Eagle one wheel cleaner. Spray on front and back of one side of car after you rinse the rims first. Let it sit for 1 couple of minutes and I use a seperate wash mitt like the one I use for my car to wipe off the remaining crap on the wheels. Then rinse again. I use zaino z5 on my wheels after that to make them easier to clean.