May 18, 2017

Car Wheel | Fox Acura of El PasoUnderstand Why Wheel Detailing is Important

Most people know that a good set of wheels is fun to show off. However, you may not realize how important it is to detail this area of your vehicle. A lot of the grime that builds up around the wheels and rims is actually dust from the brakes. This is corrosive material, and over time it will pit and corrode your wheels. A full detail of your wheels and rims should be done every two to three months for the best protection and maintenance.

Get the Right Tools and Products

To make the cleaning affective, you need to have the right tools and products to keep your wheels clean and protected. You’ll need automotive shampoo, detailing brushes, a wash mitt, and wheel cleaner. While these are standard for cleaning your car, other options that you may want to consider include a tar remover to help get rid of tar buildup around the rims, or a long-term durable sealant to keep your wheels protected. While it’s not required, you may want to consider getting wheel polish to shine the wheels and rims.

Start With a Wash

The first thing you need to do is start with a basic wash of the wheel and rim areas. Lather up and scrub down the entire car, or focus only on this specific area. Using a sponge, brush, or mitt, rub down the area, making sure to get all the loose grime and dirt. If there are stuck-on areas, allow these to sit with some wheel gel, which will break it all down. Once you’ve made sure that all the particles are off the wheels and rims, give it another scrub for good measure.

Get the Hard-to-Reach Spots

One of the most commonly forgotten areas when detailing the wheels is the inner area. Make sure you scrub the back of the spokes and into the crevasses and small areas. Using a detailing brush, you can easily get into the difficult-to-reach areas, and ensure that they get clean. The back of the spokes is easy to miss, so make sure you spend some extra time ensuring you scrub it all.

Rinse and Polish

Once you’ve scrubbed all areas of the wheels and rims, rinse it all off. Make sure you rinse in those hard-to-reach spots as well, to get all the soap cleaned. After the area is rinsed, allow the wheels to dry, and apply your chosen polish and/or protectant.

Detailing your wheels isn’t a difficult process. It simply takes a little time and effort to ensure that your rims look great.

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