Tips for cleaning your car wheels | Consum

We give you the best tips for cleaning car wheels. Enjoy what looks like a newly purchased car with our advice.

How to clean car wheels

Car tyres are subjected to countless inclement conditions and great friction during use, when they come into contact with all kinds of materials: from the mud caused by rain as well as snow, together with the asphalt, oil and grease from the road itself. In addition, substances produced by the gradual wear of the brake pads are also deposited on the rims, which are in direct contact with the rotating brake discs while driving. If this were not enough, grease from the dispersion of oil from the car's engine and transmission systems on the road is also deposited on the tyres. 

So a fundamental part of maintaining car wheels is cleaning them. This should be done more often than you think, as greater attention is often paid to the body, engine and the interior of the car than the tyres themselves. 

We recommend you first wet the tyre with soapy water and then rub it with a medium-hard bristle brush. It is important to keep it wet during the cleaning process to prevent any scratches from lack of lubrication. Rinse the grooves several times. This is where the fine dust from the brake pads settles. After the first rinse, repeat the operation in the other dirty areas. Last of all, rinse the tyre one more time and dry with a clean cloth.  By now, the wheel will look clean.

How to clean car tyres

Start by making sure the rims are cold. If they are hot, the products you use to clean them could dry too quickly and you won’t get the results you expected. It is very important to start by applying the product to be used on a small section of the rim. Leave it on for a while and rinse. You will be able to see if the result is the required one and avoid damaging the rim in the event that the product selected is not suitable for the material in your car rims. That said, here are the steps to follow so that your tyres look as if they have just left the factory:

Spray the cleaning product you are going to use on the rim. Don’t forget the contours and be sure to go over the edges between the gaps.

Wait the time indicated by the manufacturer of the product to obtain a good result. This is usually around five minutes.

Rinse the rim with a hose or sponge and a bucket of clean water to remove the product. Remember to wear gloves to protect your hands if using a sponge. Use a soft brush to access the smaller areas. Make sure there is no product left on the wheel. Use a cloth to dry the rim.

If you are not happy with the result, repeat the process.

Best cleaning products for tyres

A recommended product for this job is rim polish.  It is specially formulated to clean rims and  restore them to their original colour. It consists of a liquid with a viscous and slightly cloudy consistency, soluble in water and has a neutral pH so as not to cause damage to the rubber.
On the other hand is a foam cleaner for tyres. It removes the black dirt left by the tyres and , makes them shine again. In turn, it helps prevent tyres from aging, cracking, and discolouring. It does not damage car tyres. Among its most outstanding characteristics are

• A foam cleaner cleans, polishes and protect in one step. Just spray on and move away.
• The intense foam  is activated on contact with dirt, descaling without rubbing.
• In addition, it restores and enhances the deep black appearance of the tyre.