# Sticky  TIP - Cheap & easy wheel cleaner



## Jac-in-a-Box

Another oft asked question - wheels and cleaning.

As usual plenty to choose from. Most off the shelf products use aggressive acid (phosphoric acid) to easily and quickly shift deposits on your wheels.
They're not something I'd recommend - unnecessarily aggresive, they can damage the lacquer on your wheels. If that lacquer is not intact ie chipped or cracked, the acid will start to eat away the aluminium of the wheel and you'll see what look like white "worm trails"

If your wheels have stubborn hard to shift brake dust deposits, then a one-off treatment with an acid based cleaner won't hurt. It'll be the easiest way of getting your wheels clean.
An old piece of clay can also be useful to help shift those deposits.

Once you have them clean you should consider something like "Virosol" for your regular car care regime.
A janitorial product it's non-acidic and works perfectly - and safely on on wheels. 
Get it from:

http://www.cloverchemicals.com

Get their contact No from the site, call them and ask who your local distributor is; there is usually one in every town.
Buying on-line is possible, but you'll end up paying more for delivery than the product its self!

5ltrs will cost you around Â£6.00. It can be used neat for heavy soiling or diluted with water 1part Virosol 10 parts of water. That makes around 50ltrs of safe and effective wheel cleaner for not a lot.

Use a trigger spray to generously soak the wheels when COLD, have a cuppa then jet wash the wheels...that'll usually be enough to leave the wheels spotlessly clean.

You may need to agitate the solution - use a tesco value loo brush, 75p it's the best wheel cleaning brush you can buy!

Dirty wheel










Agitate with a loo brush










Cleaned










The Virosol has a few other uses around the car; spray diluted on door shuts - great for shifting all the crud. Carpets - a diluted mix sprayed on carpets and scrubbed will give old mats a new lease of life. Exhaust tips, sills undersides, the list goes on.
Don't spray on paint as it will lift the wax/sealant (it won't harm the paint) and don't use on leather - it'll dry it out.

Even works on ktchens and bathrooms - good stuff!

Dave


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## p1tse

i got one of those tesco brushes but quite hard finish

any other recommendations and brushes for the front, if the wheel has more curves, lips etc.?

virosol is good, another thumbs up


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## Jac-in-a-Box

p1tse said:


> any other recommendations and brushes for the front, if the wheel has more curves, lips etc.?


Not often I like a wheel brush; they're usually very poor - fall apart, too short, scratch etc. But this one I've had since late last year and it's lasting well/does it's job, bendy too which helps :wink:

http://www.motorgeek.co.uk/shopping_cart.php?cPath=3

Dave


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## p1tse

link not showing anything ;-)


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## Jac-in-a-Box

You're right!

www.motorgeek.co.uk > exterior care > wheel and tyre > EZ detail brush 

Dave


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## safTT

try the autoglym wheel brush - i've used my nearly every week for 7 momths now and it still looks brand new!

a quality product indeed :-*


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## The Rainman

jitb
Do you know if the viro sol removes brat dust from the brake calipers ? I have tried various degreasers with limited success

Thanks in advance


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## Welsh Auditor

Thanks for the tip. Bought 5litres yesterday for Â£6 and diluted to 1 in 10 but found a slightly stronger mix to be most effective. For the front wheels I also agitated with an old soft paint brush and then power washed. It worked really well and for that price you cannot go wrong.


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## The Rainman

Does it just work on the alloys or is it any good for removing brake dust from the calipers ?


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## trev

The Rainman said:


> Does it just work on the alloys or is it any good for removing brake dust from the calipers ?


 Hi Ali yip it works on the brake calipers with a toothbrush  
you still got the dodo cleaner :?:


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## Kell

How do you get rid of the really, really caked on stuff?

The exteriors of my wheels are fine, but the insides leave a lot to be desired. My TT wheels were immaculate as I'd had the car from new, but not that many people bother with the insides so how do you get rid of 3/4 years of built up grime?


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## Jac-in-a-Box

Kell said:


> How do you get rid of the really, really caked on stuff?
> 
> The exteriors of my wheels are fine, but the insides leave a lot to be desired. My TT wheels were immaculate as I'd had the car from new, but not that many people bother with the insides so how do you get rid of 3/4 years of built up grime?


Use an acid based wheel cleaner - AG stuff works. Spray on and scrub, repeat as needed. A one-off treatment isn't going to hurt :wink:

Dave


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## keef

I have just picked up some virosol in Hoddesdon £5 for 5 litres, I have yet to use it, but I was reading on a couple of other forums that this product will dull the finish on the wheels.

Has anyone experienced this?


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## L13BUG

I find auto glym custom wheel cleaner the best ,it's acid free and dissolves brake dust quickly to an as new finish.
then i use MUC OFF miracle shine wax then finish with MUC OFF silica shine.


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## lmracing

Hi guys,

I have just purchased a Mondeo ST220 as a runaround and can now sympathise with the QS guys as cleaning those multispokes is a real pain in the @£$&! :x

Dave,

Do you have to be any more careful with the lacquer on Diamond cut Alloys or is it the same type of lacquer and cleaning principles?

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to everyone,

Leon


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## kevlo

is TFR ok to use on wheels? is virosol better than tfr to remove brake dust etc?


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## Smeds

Just used Viro-Sol for the first time, WOW it's amazing. Can't get over how good my wheels now look.

Also.. Found it cheap on ebay and came with two cloths, a brush and some glass cleaner.


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## MrHooky

Add me to a recently converted Viro-Sol fan. Have always been sceptical about using the acid based cleaners and worries me when it says leave on for a minute. I also noticed some marks which wouldn't come off when using them despite the acid being aggressive.

Therefore bought some Viro-Sol last week and used at weekend. Did a rough 1 to 10 dilution although ended up adding a bit more for good measure. Smells bizarrely nice with it's citrus tang although more importantly cleans the wheels effortlessly. Left on the wheels for 5 mins max whilst I was towelling down the car, then rinsed lightly before taking the sponge to the wheel. Halves the time needed to clean each wheel because the sponge literally wiped off all the muck. No elbow grease required. My BBS RS2's have never looked so good. Really am amazed at how clean they are. Was thinking I might have looked into powder coating them due to some 'worm trails' mentioned in this thead although the Viro-Sol has brought them up a treat. Even better the fact I've got 50 litres of the stuff.

Oh and it did a nice job of the exhaust tips too. Excellent product at very cheap price. Thumbs up.


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## SAJ77

The specific alloy wheel cleaner they sell should be better than the Virosol :? 
http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... eel_uk.htm

Saj


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## MrHooky

SAJ77 said:


> The specific alloy wheel cleaner they sell should be better than the Virosol :?
> http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... eel_uk.htm
> 
> Saj


Saj why did you have to go and spoil my day!? I've now got 50 litres of the wrong product to get through. I have made a mental note to get some of that in 2017 when I run out of Viro-Sol!

Bet it doesn't have the lovely tangy smell though!


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## SAJ77

MrHooky said:


> SAJ77 said:
> 
> 
> 
> The specific alloy wheel cleaner they sell should be better than the Virosol :?
> http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... eel_uk.htm
> 
> Saj
> 
> 
> 
> Saj why did you have to go and spoil my day!? I've now got 50 litres of the wrong product to get through. I have made a mental note to get some of that in 2017 when I run out of Viro-Sol!
> 
> Bet it doesn't have the lovely tangy smell though!
Click to expand...

Sorry fella! All i hear are glowing reports of virosol - the thing is you can use the virosol on lots of parts on the car.....so a more versatile product!!

Not sure what to go for myself now :lol: , got enough car cleaning stuff so may go for the specific alloy cleaner......depending on its price.

Saj


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## MrHooky

True. I'm happy with it. Someone posted on this thread, and I've also read on other forums that it can dull the wheels although I'm guessing that's because it was put on too neat. I think I must have had at least 1:5 dilution if not more and the wheels have never looked so good. Will monitor them but hopefully won't show any signs of dulling in the future!

I used to have some P21s to clean the wheels. It wasn't half as good, and it was bloody expensive for a small bottle which had a rubbish nozzle!


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## poonamt93

Thanks for providing some useful information of wheel cleaner.Actually I was looking a wheel cleaner,because my rims still look dirty on some parts even if i spent a huge amount of time cleaning them.But now I am Happy,I got wheel cleaner which I want.


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## merlie

keef said:
 

> I have just picked up some virosol in Hoddesdon £5 for 5 litres, I have yet to use it, but I was reading on a couple of other forums that this product will dull the finish on the wheels.
> 
> Has anyone experienced this?


yes I've found this ... perhaps will try diluting it more


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## bmimily

Guys the best way to keep your wheels clean is using fairy liquid and a cloth(dont use a brush or even a sponge as these can act like an abrasive) with some warm water. that will do the trick. Do it once a week and you should be fine. Dont ever get them jet washed at the car wash, they will just get ruined in time.


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## smally4

Wow that's realy amazeing even switchs your brake calliper to the other side

Hmmmm Or is that another wheel :idea:

Either way looks good will try soon


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## Jonny5uk

Some great tips guys, I generally find Muc-off does the job, but thanks for the other suggestions


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## Jasper

I purchased Virosol from a local stockist for £8 for a 5ltr drum & the guy threw in a 1ltr spray bottle having asked what I was going to use it for. When I told him for cleaning alloy wheels he said he would try it also - then we noticed on the product description label it states for use on alloys with a 10 to 1 dilution. It really does the job leaving the wheels clean & bright & at this dilution the 5ltr's will out last the wheels. I have been using it know for over a year and have given some away to friends who commented on how clean my wheels were and still have over half the 5ltr's left.

When you consider what you pay for wheel cleaner at Halfords & the like this is a no brainer.


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## mighTy Tee

Use it at approx 1:10 for alloys - works a dream. Also a great kitchen, bathroom and boat cleaner.


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## cr4igj tt

Oven cleaner is amazing at shifting baked on brake dust etc


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## dlb tt

Nice


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## neiloid1

I've taken your advice and I'm just off to pick up 5 litres from the local distributor. The price is now £12 for 5 litres, but still a steal IMHO.

If you are in the Portsmouth area then the distributor is Castle Trading Co. in Fareham, really nice bloke too.


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## Abell

Not as cheap, but I use this for my TT and prevously on my motobike. It's multi purpose use, acid free (gets the car mats clean a treat).

http://www.voodooride.co.uk/indp.php?prod=shoq


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## vrs170

I find by occasional waxing my wheels are real easy to clean. Would be interested in this though as a general cleaner but if I did use it on my wheels am I to assume it would strip off my wax?


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## corv

Always best to seal your wheels, makes cleaning a breeze.


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## MikeyB

Is this the correct stuff?

http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... eel_uk.htm

or this?

http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... sol_uk.htm


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## YELLOW_TT

MikeyB said:


> Is this the correct stuff?
> 
> http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... eel_uk.htm
> 
> or this?
> 
> http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products ... sol_uk.htm


Second one mate


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## MikeyB

Nice one cheers - I'll get some ordered.


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## dg_1983

This stuff is fantastic!

I was a little sceptical when I diluted the mixture as instructed but it just works wonders, hard to believe its not acidic.

Is this any good/safe to use elsewhere? i.e. to get tar or stubborn bugs off?


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## chigmuss

Confusing, their specific wheel cleaner is a blend of acids etc yet this stuff is acidic free and by all accounts just as good. I'll try the virosol if only for fact I figure must be less damaging due to acid free.


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## blz-8027

sounds good stuff


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## Zoltan

[smiley=book2.gif]


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## Zoltan




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## Zoltan

:wink:


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## Leebo310

Clean them thoroughly with something like vp bilberry and then apply a couple of coats of fk1000p. 
Will provide an amazing protection that will last for ages. The tin of fk is huge and can be used on bodywork too so works out a really good and cheap buy.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk


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## snap

will be trying this


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## Scott2Hotty

loo brush :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Never thought of using that to get behind the alloy !


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## mandeep_vw

Bilt Hamber works well for me.


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## SwissJetPilot

My wife recently bought herself a new duster which has been re-assigned from dusting the house, to cleaning my wheels!

The brush, made by Leifheit, is called "Extra Large Hand Held Duster". It's roughly 15-inches long and comprised of microfibers with a dry diameter of about 4-5 inches. On the end of the wire core, they have secured a rubber cap. It has a nice comfortable plastic handle so there's no metal to touch the wheels. The wire core is flexible, yet stiff enough so it's not flopping around when used.

The beauty of this brush is the density of the microfibers. Once wet, they're thick enough that they prevent the wire core from contacting the wheel surface. The fibers themselves get into everything, and easily fit into and behind the spokes. Just spray your wheels with your favorite wheel cleaner, then soak the brush in water, ring it out a bit and then insert into the wheel to start cleaning. The microfibers work up a good foam and get into pretty much every nook and cranny.

Available from Amazon for less than 10-Euro, it's much better than many of the automotive wheel brushes that I found which were either too stiff, too short or if not used carefully, allowed the wire core to come in contact with the wheel.


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## SwissJetPilot

Just a follow up on this one. I've been meaning to do it for ages....

This brush, actually designed for dusting, does an an outstanding job as a wheel brush. The fibers are thick, long and soft and the wire is plastic coated with a rubber cap on the end so the wheels are pretty safe it you're not too aggressive with it.

After you've used a power washer to get the heavy brake dust off, grab a bottle of your favorite brake dust cleaner, spray the wheels and let them sit for a few minutes. Then soak the brush, wring it out a bit and start at it!

The beauty of this brush is it forms into the wheel and gets behind the spokes with ease. Once it's wet, is sloshes around really well and gets into everything. While the front caliper is a bit tight, you can see that it just fits past the rear caliper without much difficulty. This allows you to get way into the wheel and really clean the inner rim.

Depending on the brand of cleaner you use, it can really generate a nice thick soapy foam which gets into everything. After your done with the brush, rinse the wheel off with clean water and follow up with a clean wet rag to get any dirty drips. After that I often take it for a quick spin to dry the wheels, and then go over them one last time with a dry towel, followed up with a spray of Meguiar's Quik Detailer Mist & Wipe.

I can't recommend this brush enough. I think once you've tried it you'll never go back to the traditional, stiff wheel brushes for your wheels. Oh, and it cleans up and rinses out easily as you can see here. Quick rinse with clean water then swing it around to get the water out of it and fluff the fibers then hang it to dry for next time.


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## silverbug

Another tip for really cheap wheel cleaner , go to Poundland and find 'No More Dirty Bike', it's a pink liquid in a 1 litre spray bottle, ostensibly a solution to clean up bicycles!
Really it's a just a clone of Muc-Off wheel cleaner and it's brilliant for the money.
It isn't acidic and it's all I ever use on my alloys.
Sure, it won't shift really bad brake dust in the way that an acidic cleaner will but for the money IMHO it's unbeatable :mrgreen:


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## Dirty Ming

Thanks for the top tip. I'll be visiting Poundland tomorrow as part of my essential shopping allowance so will look out for that.

Could be useful for my MTB and KTM motorbike


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## silverbug

Dirty Ming said:


> Thanks for the top tip. I'll be visiting Poundland tomorrow as part of my essential shopping allowance so will look out for that.
> 
> Could be useful for my MTB and KTM motorbike


Just be aware it's not always available , I've been buying it from Poundland for the last couple of years (ever since I first came across it) and sometimes there'll be plenty and other times none.
I think it's such good value it tends to disappear off the shelves quite quickly, I tend to get 5-6 bottles at a time  .
If you can't find any just persevere , it will be back in stock at some point....


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## ChesterUK

I use a flat one of these:
https://www.microfibermadness.de/en/pro ... credibrush

A large Wheel Woolie and a detailing brush takes care of the wheel face and tyre.


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## Wolf44

Jac-in-a-Box said:


> Another oft asked question - wheels and cleaning.
> 
> As usual plenty to choose from. Most off the shelf products use aggressive acid (phosphoric acid) to easily and quickly shift deposits on your wheels.
> They're not something I'd recommend - unnecessarily aggresive, they can damage the lacquer on your wheels. If that lacquer is not intact ie chipped or cracked, the acid will start to eat away the aluminium of the wheel and you'll see what look like white "worm trails"
> 
> If your wheels have stubborn hard to shift brake dust deposits, then a one-off treatment with an acid based cleaner won't hurt. It'll be the easiest way of getting your wheels clean.
> An old piece of clay can also be useful to help shift those deposits.
> 
> Once you have them clean you should consider something like "Virosol" for your regular car care regime.
> A janitorial product it's non-acidic and works perfectly - and safely on on wheels.
> Get it from:
> 
> http://www.cloverchemicals.com
> 
> Get their contact No from the site, call them and ask who your local distributor is; there is usually one in every town.
> Buying on-line is possible, but you'll end up paying more for delivery than the product its self!
> 
> 5ltrs will cost you around Â£6.00. It can be used neat for heavy soiling or diluted with water 1part Virosol 10 parts of water. That makes around 50ltrs of safe and effective wheel cleaner for not a lot.
> 
> Use a trigger spray to generously soak the wheels when COLD, have a cuppa then jet wash the wheels...that'll usually be enough to leave the wheels spotlessly clean.
> 
> You may need to agitate the solution - use a tesco value loo brush, 75p it's the best wheel cleaning brush you can buy!
> 
> Dirty wheel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Agitate with a loo brush
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cleaned
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Virosol has a few other uses around the car; spray diluted on door shuts - great for shifting all the crud. Carpets - a diluted mix sprayed on carpets and scrubbed will give old mats a new lease of life. Exhaust tips, sills undersides, the list goes on.
> Don't spray on paint as it will lift the wax/sealant (it won't harm the paint) and don't use on leather - it'll dry it out.
> 
> Even works on ktchens and bathrooms - good stuff!
> 
> Dave


Your wheel's looking great, I will certainly consider it once mine have bee refurbished.


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