Coming off of an FX45 - pretty simple 20" design...
And these 18" buggers are taking me way too long to clean -
I have a couple brushes, but none of 'em seem to work very well.

Any tools or tips you guys have will be appreciated.

 

All I have been using so far is a 100% sheepskin mitt for the wheels. I have 3 100% sheepskin mitts for when washing my G.....two for the body and one for the wheels. Works great for me.

 

I get each wheel done in about 3 minutes using my "wheels only" towel. Use two hands, one on each side of the spoke, and wipe it up and down (mind out of gutter please), then wipe over each exposed section of rim where spoke meets rim and finally wipe over hub.

Another tip, super thick towels will not work as well as because the towel around your hand and fingers can't get into semi circle where spoke meets hub and into the inside corners where spoke meets rim.

 

Here is the single most important tip in regards to wheel cleaning:

Use regular water only with very little car soap. Make sure it is not abrasive or otherwise, contains any chemicals that would harm the paint of the car. Anything that is not meant for car paint, should not be used on the wheels.

You should NEVER use any of the wheel cleaner sprays they sell at any auto parts stores (AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc.), such as Eagle1 Wheel Cleaners, and the like. Those will stain your wheels beyond removal. Take my word on it, I learned it the hard way

Since that staining episode I've stopped using ANY cleaners/soaps on my wheels - plain water and a mitt.

Good luck.

 

+1 Garnet on the sheepskin mitt, they work great, and last a very long time.

SPEEED, excellent tips to follow.

I personally use 2 buckets, 1 sheepskin mitt, 2 microfiber towels, Meguiars Gold Class car wash soap, a quick detailer spray, and Wheel Wax.

I make sure to rinse the wheels off real good of dirt and whatever else before using the mitt to clean them off. After I clean using the mitt with soap on it, I use the microfiber towels to clean all the hard to reach places. I then dry them off with a leaf blower, I find this is the most effective way to get rid of all the water that pools up. After they are completely dry, I use a quick detail spray, then finish them off with Wheel Wax. So far this routine has worked well in keeping my wheels looking good.

 

I use wheel cleaners all the time, on lots of different cars, and never had a problem. Make sure you are using the right type of wheel cleaner (don't use metal wheel cleaner on these wheels, they are painted and cleared) and follow direction (don't spray it on hot wheels, let the cleaner dry on the wheel, etc.).

My biggest tip is once you get the wheels clean, keep them well waxed. It will make the brake dust and other dirt very easy to just hose and wipe off -- then you can just use regular car wash soap and water.

Also, I've got a nice weel brush that is flexible and fits in most places. I then use a cloth to get to some of the cracks I can't otherwise reach.

 

Thanks for the tips...

Can you post the wheel brush? Even my sheepskin seems to miss the brake dust - and the exposed areas behind the spokes.
I really feel like a sucker for the various brushes (I have 2 of them) - but they never seem to get the grime.

As a side note - the metal milling behind the Mt. Fugi is quite nice. I was pleasantly surprised at how well these wheels are made.

 

I have never and will never use a brush on rims.... also I don't use any wheel cleaner product. I simply use my microfiber mitt and normal car wash soap. These rims are a pain compared to the simple 5 spokers I had on my last car, but they don't seem to dust as much as the brakes on my old car so that's good.

 

...... so no one talks about cleaning the INSIDE of the wheels too?

 

Dang ... these are stock clear coated cast wheels and you guys put that much work into them? All the power to you, but I don't have that much time. However, I would if these were $1000+ 20" wheels .

 

That is one thing that I haven't noticed at all on the 07.....brake dust. My 03 on the other hand was absolutely brutal for brake dust.

And +1 for not using brushes on the wheels.

 

You should experience my '04.

 

buy meguiars "wheel brightener"
it works better than anything else for brake dust