[QUOTE=mitsuozboi;4383044]after my friend cleaned his benz's wheels with wheel cleaner and it left "water marks" etched into the wheel....

These "water marks" are from an alkalide* soap. The acid burned the clear coat. the worst part is you cant really get them out without reappling clear coat. My family ownes a car wash....i saw this happen one to many times whenthey first opened.

The key to clean rims is to clean them often...when the brake dust accumilates on the rims and the rims heat from driving the dust cakes on....this is when is becomes a pain in the a** to clean them

 

Watered down simple green. It works for me

 

+1 Let it soak in for a bit then wash off, it does wonders

 

thats what I have been using, the only thing I was worried about was the finish on the calipers.

 

You should be...hot rims is among one of the STRONGEST cleaners I've used. Eagle One's A to Z wheel cleaner is terribly strong as well.

If you guys value your rims do NOT use wheel cleaner often. Instead, clean the wheels as often as possible. Soap, soft sponge, and time are the KEY!

 

I've used various auto parts store wheel cleaners for over a year. Washing once a week and I have never had any problems with the finish. Just the dusting of the pads is why it needs cleaned so often.

I just bought the hot rims cleaner so we will see how it works.


Of course, follow instructions and it shouldn't be a problem. (make sure the wheels are cool, etc.)

I don't think people should come and say it will ruin finishes. Some may, and of course not following instructions might be an issue.

I just don't want someone to see this thread and start worrying about use wheel cleaners on the OEM wheels. If you worry, put it on the inside of the wheel or other small area to test then clean it.

I am just not one that spends all day cleaning wheels and want something that will do the job quick. Fast pace world ya know.

I'll let everyone know how the meguirs hot wheels works for me this weekend.

 

i get a lot of brake dust from stock pads, so every 3 days I use a spray bottle with a few drops of pamolive dish washing soap. I spray down all 4 wheels then rinse them off with water. The pamolive dish washing soap works great on the grease, totally breaks apart the dust; I figure its safe since it says on the bottle its supposed to make your hands softer

 

I just power wash my rims and works really good

 

okay, so i went out and bought some meguirs hot wheel cleaner. Its by far the best I have used compared to other over the counter (walmart, autozone, advanced) type cleaners.

 

get the nod from me as well. works great on both the stock enkeis, and the 5zigens