Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 0
From: Cut n Shoot TX
Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels?
I like using Simple Green to clean my tires and white letters, but now I have bought polished aluminum wheels, and someone told me that if you get overspray of the Simple Green on the wheels, it will dull them and ruin them. Is this true? And if so what do you use to clean your white letters and tires? :confused:
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (VettePower)
I had a problem with it crusting on my alum intake and valve covers so I don't use it on them any more. I recently use it to clean my just my engine block off and it didn't seem to leave the same crust on it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,166
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa Ok
Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (Fevre)
I use simple green on my tires and haven't noticed any problem with getting it on polished alum. I think as long as you rinse well and hand dry the wheels it won't be a problem. Someone posted the other day they use PAM on they're wheels to provide a barrier to corrosion. Sounds like a good tip. :cheers:
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,653
Likes: 6
From: North Royalton, OH
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (VettePower)
Yeah - Simple Green is very alkaline, if I remember correctly, and can cause problems with degrading surfaces. Look for a neutral pH cleaner or rinse rinse rinse after you use it.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (BSiegPaint)
Yeah - Simple Green is very alkaline, if I remember correctly, and can cause problems with degrading surfaces. Look for a neutral pH cleaner or rinse rinse rinse after you use it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,242
Likes: 221
From: Dryden MI
Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (VettePower)
I messed up a set of valve covers with the stuff, won't use it near my car again. It left big spots on the covers and removed the shine. Roger L. Gibbons
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (VettePower)
I've never had a problem with it on wheels when I used to use it. One caution: Don't put it on HOT wheels. (the wheels on your car, not the small die-cast toys :D)
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From: Deland FL
Re: Does Simple Green Harm Polished Wheels? (ddecart)
I've never had problems with Simple Green. Worked fine on my wheels and tires. However, I don't have any clearcoat on my aluminum wheels, and using Wheel & Tire cleaner (cant remember the name.. its been a while) destroyed the shine on the metal. I had to get out the buffing bullet for the drill and take some polish to them to get them to shine again. If you don't know if there is clear coat on them I'd be very careful with cleaners on the wheels, but to answer your question (from my experiance), Simple Green will not harm the factory aluminum wheels even without clear coat.
