How to Clean Your Wheels — Quick & Cheap in 5 Steps
How to Clean Your Wheels — Quick & Cheap
Brake dust is metal, adhesive and grime baked on at high temperature — left alone, it can pit the finish on your wheels. The good news: getting them properly clean takes about ten minutes a corner and a handful of basic tools. Here's how we do it.
What You Need
The short kit list.
Nothing exotic. Keep these tools for wheels only — brake dust is abrasive, and you don't want it anywhere near your paint.
The Steps
Five steps, one wheel at a time.
Do wheels first, before you wash the rest of the car, so any splash-back gets washed off with the body.
Start cool, then rinse
Park in the shade and make sure the wheels are cool to the touch — cleaner on a hot wheel dries fast and can spot. Give the wheel, tire and barrel a strong rinse to knock off loose dirt before any chemical goes on.
Spray and let it dwell
Coat the face, the barrel and the tire sidewall with Brake Buster. The gel clings so it keeps working instead of running off. Give it a minute or two to break down the dust — just don't let it dry on the surface.
Agitate everything
Chemicals loosen, brushes remove. Run the barrel brush through the inside of the wheel, use the soft brush around the spokes, lug holes and center cap, and scrub the tire sidewall with the stiff brush. Dip brushes back in your wheel bucket as you go.
Rinse thoroughly
Rinse from the top down, getting deep into the barrel and behind the spokes so no cleaner or loosened grime is left behind. If you still see brown streaks on the tire, repeat steps 2–4 on that spot.
Dry and finish
Dry the wheel with your dedicated microfiber towel (or a blower) to avoid water spots, especially on gloss-black and chrome finishes. Finish with a tire dressing if you like the look, and you're done.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
How often should I clean my wheels?
Every time you wash the car is ideal. Regular cleaning stops brake dust from bonding to the finish, which makes every wash quicker.
Is Brake Buster safe on my wheels?
Yes — it's a non-acid formula rated safe on clear-coated, factory-painted and chrome wheels.
Can I use my paint wash mitt on the wheels?
No. Brake dust contains metal particles that will scratch paint. Keep separate brushes, mitts and towels for wheels.
Does performance brake pad dust need anything different?
Performance pads tend to dust more, so clean more often. The process is the same — a longer dwell and a second pass handles heavier buildup.
Further Reading
Want a second take? The Rag Company has a great write-up on quick, budget wheel cleaning: How to Clean Your Wheels Cheaply and Quickly in 4 Steps. Credit to them for the inspiration behind this guide.
Ready to clean?
P&S Brake Buster
Non-acid wheel & tire cleaner · Ready to use · Safe on all finishes