Most Amazing Alloy Wheel Cleaner

[dk]

OK, I have brakes that produce VAST amounts of brake dust and I have to wash my wheels every two weeks without fail or else they will be ruined by the dust, it really does melt itself on aswell.

I have been using wonder wheels and a few others which are pretty good but after a recommendation from Fred I have found the ultimate cleaner.

I didn't believe it was possible until I tried it today but it is Fairy Power Spray, only £2.44 and it is amazing, spray it on and leave for around 15 minutes and then use a wheel brush to scrub it off, soooo easy and my dust was sooooooo baked on.

Try it, you won't be disppointed, and thanks Fred!

http://www.fairydish.com/en_UK/powerspray/powerspray.shtml

 

[Daz]

That stuff strips baking trays.

It ain't going anywhere near my alloys.

 

[Clart]

exactly what i was thinking

 

[dk]

nothing wrong with it, nowhere near as dangerous as wonderwheels, fairly liquid is kind to your hands

 

[fizzy_drink]

I've started using engine degreaser (similar sort of thing I suppose), and it works a treat!

But, obviously Fairy is a bit cheaper....

 

[BRUN]

"Fairy Power Spray will remove paint and varnish on some surfaces - especially surfaces not designed to get hot. This is permanent. In case of accidental spillage, wiping the surface immediately should avoid any risk of damage. "

 

[dk]

yes i understand that brun, my wheels are a special case, they need something VERY powerful and this is not as acid like as wonderwheels!

As long as you follow the instructions and wash off properly it will be fine.

 

[V1NNY]

might give it ago. need to shift this:

 

[V1NNY]

have no idea what it is

 

[Steviant]

How about some Brillo pads for the paintwork?

 

[BRUN]

Vinnyc19, Mer do a wheel polish that might shift those marks, ive tried it on a few wheels before

 

[polarbert]

what brakes have you got?

 

[Guilbert]

Why not just use cillet bang, that way you might be able to get rid of the laquer too!

 

[SOHROB]

id use a citrus based degreaser/cleaner and add a bottle of lemon juice.Works well and wont harm your wheels

 

[Daz]

Cillit Bang, and the wheel is gone!


or something..

 

[patty]

:O fairy is not good 4 ur wheels!!!

 

[TomS]

I just clean mine once/twice a week with hot car shampoo.... works a treat!

 

[Rich]

I'll stick to Autoglym engine and machine cleaner, tuff enough to clean brake dust etched on cars that have not had there wheels cleaned in years but safe of paint and contains no acid.

 

[Rip3z]

Doesn't Fred work on cars for a living? If he recommended it then it's good stuff imo.

EDIT: He refurbs wheels as part of that job - I think Fairy Power Spray can be trusted.

 

[JillyB]

LOL, contains patassium carbonate, ethanolamine and sodium hydroxide at a massive Ph 12. Might as well just pour concentrated bleech on your wheels (which is essentially what it is).

Would not go anywhere near my alloys.

 

[Pete]

Where did you get the ph info from Rob?

I found a much better device for cleaning wheels/cars, I call him Little Chavy Newms! :clown:

 

[Fred@BTM]

it works

when we test the resistance of our coatings we leave them in all kinds of acids, alkalines etc etc

fairy works the best

as long as you give them a good rinse there's no problem

pour some wonderwheels on your driveway and watch what happens!!!!!

Jill, i never knew you were so intellegent!!!

 

[Rob669]

I've been using the Autoglym brake dust remover for alloy wheels. Works ok, though I've a few baked on marks that won't shift so I'll give this stuff a try - and I need to clean the loo so it's a bonus!

 

[Lagerlout]

LOL, contains patassium carbonate, ethanolamine and sodium hydroxide at a massive Ph 12. Might as well just pour concentrated bleech on your wheels (which is essentially what it is).

Would not go anywhere near my alloys.

We use Sodium Hydroxide (@ only 2% conc. vol/vol and it's still pretty f**king strong) as a caustic agent to clean beer mains at work. It's nasty stuff.

Where did you get your info from Jill? Have you done some testing?

 

[KDF]

Hi Stromba, nice to hear from you again.

 

[JillyB]

Im sure concentrated hydrochloric acid would clean the alloys too, but i wouldnt recommend it.

 

[JillyB]

We use Sodium Hydroxide (@ only 2% conc. vol/vol and it's still pretty f**king strong) as a caustic agent to clean beer mains at work. It's nasty stuff.

Where did you get your info from Jill? Have you done some testing?

I think the sodium hydroxide in Fairy is about 2.5 %. Plus the other chemicals. But the strength depends on the original pH of the sodium hydroxide.

 

[dk]

wow, i like this thread, some interesting facts appearing, if you saw the state of my wheels after 2 weeks though you would understand why i need something powerful!!!!!

 

[JillyB]

The best way to clean brake dust is to use a mild detergent (car shampoo?) prior to the dust becoming encrusted on the lacquer of your wheels with lots of water and a soft brush. After the dust is encrusted, you have to take a bit of lacquer with it to get it off. Hence the need for high and low pH solutions which are corrosive (find of like using a pumice stone to remove paint from your hands, it actually works by taking a layer of skin off).

Petroleum based solvents will also take the lacquer off the car.

Waxing the wheels often with a thick wax will make the dust come off more easily, as the dust will stick to the wax, not the lacquer. Dont forget to wax the inside too.

 

[Lagerlout]

Was about to suggest the same - prevention rather than cure. I regularly wax my alloys with Megs #16 - You can pretty much hose the dust off.

 

[Rich]

Naturual carnuba waxes won't hold up as well to heat as some of the more modern synthetic polymer sealants. Something like Autoglym Extra Gloss would be a better option. When well protected as others have said normal car shampoo will be fine.

 

[JillyB]

Jill, i never knew you were so intellegent!!!

You cheeky git! :clown:

Jill.

 

[biojo]

any one tried clay baring there alloys

 

[Dash]

Was about to suggest the same - prevention rather than cure.

Do what I do. Put the car in storage, nothing happens to it to get the wheels dirty

 

[Matty]

Mr Muscle Citrus degreaser is a good cleaner also but not looked into the ingredients and PH levels. Always worked for me, that or Muck Off/Dirt Attack.

 

[Fred@BTM]

lol @ "Jilly" you ever tried clean wheels that have performance friction pad dust on them!!

the stuff welds itself to the wheels, you could dip them in hot wax and the PF dust would still go through it

 

[dk]

LOL, soooo true, I wax my wheels everytime I wash them and it make no difference whatsoever, this dust is like nothing else I have ever experienced, its like trying to get chewing gum out of your hair without cutting or freezing it.

 

[Brazo]

Fairy powerspray would undoubtfully work. Wonder wheels is strong stuff as well but I wouldn't recommend using either reguarly. If you wnat a much better cleaner than fairy power spray which is a million times safer to use try Megs wheel brightener

I f your interested fred this is 18quid for 16 litres (diluted) so works out massivly cheaper than fairy powerspray

 

[philis]

I would have thought that if fairy was safe enough on the old queens best china is would be safe enough on my wheels, probably.

 

[Fred@BTM]

brazo a few problems there, i doubt it can shift PF dust, and the word diluted isn't in my vocab book (neither is soft, gay, polish, clean etc etc)

thats about £4.50 per liter