Wheel cleaner
Popular Reply
Jul 8, 2024, 10:59 AM
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,751
Likes: 2,499
From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Adams....I use all their products. Great quality and a wide variety of products.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
Racer
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 475
Likes: 218
Unsure how often you wash your car but if you wash it frequently I would recommend using car shampoo on your wheels and skipping the wheel cleaner. If you have a good brush normal car soap will clean wheels just fine and doesn’t take very much effort and I’ve always taken the approach to use the least harsh product that will do the job.
For some really bad wheels I’ve had good luck with adams and the Turtle Wax ceramic wheel cleaner but just be aware most wheel clears have harsh chemicals and if used incorrectly (mainly used on hot wheel or left on too long) can damage the wheel. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wheel cleaner without this type of disclaimer on the bottle.
For some really bad wheels I’ve had good luck with adams and the Turtle Wax ceramic wheel cleaner but just be aware most wheel clears have harsh chemicals and if used incorrectly (mainly used on hot wheel or left on too long) can damage the wheel. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wheel cleaner without this type of disclaimer on the bottle.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 13,602
Likes: 12,864
From: Virginia
Unsure how often you wash your car but if you wash it frequently I would recommend using car shampoo on your wheels and skipping the wheel cleaner. If you have a good brush normal car soap will clean wheels just fine and doesn’t take very much effort and I’ve always taken the approach to use the least harsh product that will do the job.
For some really bad wheels I’ve had good luck with adams and the Turtle Wax ceramic wheel cleaner but just be aware most wheel clears have harsh chemicals and if used incorrectly (mainly used on hot wheel or left on too long) can damage the wheel. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wheel cleaner without this type of disclaimer on the bottle.
For some really bad wheels I’ve had good luck with adams and the Turtle Wax ceramic wheel cleaner but just be aware most wheel clears have harsh chemicals and if used incorrectly (mainly used on hot wheel or left on too long) can damage the wheel. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wheel cleaner without this type of disclaimer on the bottle.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
I would agree with this, any wheel cleaner will be somewhat harsh, long term, Some pH balanced so they’re not too bad, but using a wheel cleaner every time to clean your wheels is long-term gonna degrade the wheel. You’re much better off to attack this problem either two ways:
PROTECT the wheel against damaging brake dust by applying a true ceramic to the wheel.
Or
STOP/REDUCE the dust from happening, change out the pads to a dustless variety.
This is almost mandatory if you own a Z51, they dust like crazy you can’t keep ahead of it…
PROTECT the wheel against damaging brake dust by applying a true ceramic to the wheel.
Or
STOP/REDUCE the dust from happening, change out the pads to a dustless variety.
This is almost mandatory if you own a Z51, they dust like crazy you can’t keep ahead of it…
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,950
Likes: 12,363
From: NE South Carolina
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,833
Likes: 2,151
From: Kelso, Wa
Pro
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 702
Likes: 585
From: East Tennessee
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,636
Likes: 1,185
From: Lake Worth Beach, Florida
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,427
Likes: 3,611
From: Commerce Texas
Sonax - German product -- Spray and wash.... my Ferrari techs recommended it. I buy it by the gallon.
https://www.sonaxusa.com/
https://www.sonaxusa.com/
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 31
Likes: 41
S100 total cycle cleaner is the best cleaner for all things mechanical.
I've been using it for almost twenty years now and it returns anything that's cleaned with it to brand new condition and leaves a anti corrosion coating to extend the life of your car or cycle. It works especially good on brake dust, and I notice after cleaning brakes they stop squealing for a while.
I've been using it for almost twenty years now and it returns anything that's cleaned with it to brand new condition and leaves a anti corrosion coating to extend the life of your car or cycle. It works especially good on brake dust, and I notice after cleaning brakes they stop squealing for a while.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 485
Likes: 168
From: Gainesville, Ga.
I used Adams Graphene Ceramic coating on my wheels (ordered aftermarket) all the through the barrels before having them mounted and the whole car when I took delivery. Simply awesome...I wash my car and the wheels with Adams Graphene soap delivering it with an Adams foam cannon...no scrubbing...no fuss...easy for the wheels! I dry the car and wheels with an air jet dryer...then the car gets an additional drying with and Adams towel with no need to do anything more to the wheels...No, I am not being paid by Adams for this...this whole process of maintenance (after the applications) takes me a good hour or so...that's it! Hope this helps you!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 180
Likes: 153
From: Overland Park, KS
I tried Meguiers, but it left a nasty white film that no amount of rinsing would remove. I had to take the wheels on the car and clean them.
I only use Adams now. No residue, rinses off quickly, cleans well (I agitate it with a soft artist's brush before rinsing).
I only use Adams now. No residue, rinses off quickly, cleans well (I agitate it with a soft artist's brush before rinsing).