I bought a wire brush to clean my wheels. The bristles are pretty soft and it is supposed to be safe. However, I am hesistant becuase I am afraid of making abrasions or scratches. Anyone have any experience with these for cleaning??

 

Don't use it, it will ruin the clearcoat on the wheel......I bought a toilet bowl brush with long soft like a mop cotton strands it is great to clean the wheels in between the spokes all the way to the inside edge of rim... it has a long plastic handle on it that wont hurt the wheels

 

Never Use A Wire Brush.
It will damage your wheels.
Just use a good wheel cleaner and a nylon bristle brush and plenty of water for rinsing.

 

I agee with dodgeboytom - don't use it. I wouldn't even use the toilet brush he mentions for anything but the insides of the wheels since every toilet bowl brush I've ever seen has bristles that I would regard as too stiff/firm/coarse to use on the wheel face.

A far better solution would be to wash the car thoroughly first, then switch to a second, older wash mitt and use the same wash water you used for the car and just clean the wheels that way. If you wash the car regularly and wax the wheels fairly often then brake dust should clean up pretty easily from the wheel face, and you can use the toilet brush to clean the inner surfaces. If you find this isn't cutting it for you, then pick up some Meguiar's Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner and use that along with the secondary wash mitt. Just make sure you don't get the Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaner - that's too harsh for our wheels.

Even with the severe brake dust amounts produced by our factory pads, the wheels should come clean easily if cleaned often.

 

Good god man.......are you crazy!

Do not ever, EVER, take a wire brush to your wheels!


Use the appropriate wheel cleaner and good old fashioned "elbow grease"!

 

The brush I mentioned doesn't have brissels .it is like a floor mop that they have at most hospital and resturants that you wring out with the mop bucket wringer thing Soft cotton strands about 3 inchs long with about 30 strands that are similar to a wash mit

 

Now that sounds interesting. I'll have to look for one of those.

 

I am a retard. The inside is a wire but the bristles are plastic almost like that of a toilet bowl clean, but a little softer. However I am still afraid to use it on the outside. Maybe I will just keep this brush for the inside and terry cloth clean the rest. Thanks for the help guys.

 

That's the unit to use that I posted on the "How to clean all the way..." thread about 6 months ago. I really works great.

BUT, I have 2-one I use to clean the nooks and crannys in the engine bay!

 

I wouldn't use that. Try using a Scotch brite sponge & that hard scrubby side, it seems to work for me. Also Wash the wheels often, they'll be easier to clean when U do wash them. And remember NEVER NEVER pull to close to the curb, the crossfire rims stick out further than the tire! You'll mess them up!

 

Oh god no, don't use a Scotch Brite anything on any painted surface on your car. We see so many people bring their cars down to Meguiar's garage asking how to fix the damage from those things.

The best thing to use is a wheel cleaner that is safe for your wheel type (Meguiar's makes them specifically for Aluminum, Chrome and All; ie factory wheels) and either a brush specifically designed for wheel cleaning or a clean wash mitt, preferably either microfiber or lambswool. I use those on a regular basis, and a wheel brush only if the brake dust build up is severe or when I pull the wheels to completely clean the insides.

Never use anything to scrub your paint, whether it's a painted body panel or a painted wheel.

 

Wire Wheel....



or Micro Fiber???? Ummm....

 

FTroopChief vbmenu_register("postmenu_279848", true);


Posts: 204
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Heart of the Hills, Texas
Age: 76
User Gallery


Re: 15-1/4" Spoke and Wheel Brush CHEAP $2.99 - Today , 02:15 PM



Bottle brushes are great, except I don't do wheels with then. They have bristles that can scratch or mark wheels with a soft coating, most have a spiral wound wire center that can scratch if if contacts wheel. I found these at Albertson's on sale for $0.99 and really like them. Bought 1/2 dozen 'cause they will have a shorter service life. Handle is plastic and no metal on brush. Sponge strips are glued on.
Just my preference.
John P.



FTroopChief


Member # 17

 

This brush works great. I use it on the inside of the rims after each ride.

http://www.autogeek.net/ezdebrfca.html

 

I find that a good old sponge with hot water with plety of washing up detergent brings them up like new. You can work the sponge through the spokes ok to get to all of the rim. Once in a while I put the fronts on full lock and run the sponge round from the inside for nice thorough job.