8 Steps That You Can Easily Follow To Remove Brake Dust From Alloy Wheels

Brake dusts accumulate over time. If you don’t want that to start making your car look awful and start causing damages which might require you to visit the car repair shop, it’s best that you try to set aside some time to clean that off. We say set aside because brake dust don’t easily come off with your regular car cleaning agent that you use when washing your vehicle. If you didn’t know that and it surprised you, don’t worry because it’s not exactly rocket-science either. All you have to do is follow these simple steps and you can definitely handle this on your own and at the comfort of your own home or garage.

Step 1: Prepare The Things You’ll Need

You’ll need the following:

· Wheel Cleaner (Specific To Type Of Wheel)

· Clean Towels

· Hose And Nozzle

· Soft Bristle Brushes In Various Sizes

· Wash Glove Or Mitt

· Bucket And Sponge

· Wax

Step 2: Prepare Your Garage Or A Makeshift Roof

Whenever you’re cleaning or doing any kind of grooming on your vehicle, it’s always best to do it in your garage or at least somewhere that’s out from direct sunlight. This way the wheels stay cooler and won't dry before you're done cleaning.

Step 3: Rinse The Wheels

To start off, go get the hose and nozzle to spray rinse the wheel and loosen up any heavy dirt and debris. Doing this prevents those things from scratching the wheels when you start giving it a good scrub.

Step 4: Spray The Brake Dust Cleaner For Rims

Always make sure to use a brake dust cleaner specific to the type of your wheels. Read the instructions on how to use the cleaner and follow them carefully in order to get the best result.

Step 5: Start Gently Scrubbing The Wheel Surface

Once you’ve let the cleaner soak according to instructions, get your soft-bristle brush and or washing glove mitt to start gently scrubbing the wheels’ surface. Try to reach every nooks and crannies of the wheels as you scrub.

Step 6: Rinse The Wheel With Water

When you’re done with that, get the hose again to rinse out the brake dust cleaner along with all the dirt. As you rinse, if you see any spots that you missed simply repeat steps four through six.

Step 7: Don’t Skip Drying

Always towel dry after cleaning to prevent water marks and get a thoroughly cleaned wheels.

Step 8: Apply A Layer Of Vehicle Wax To The Wheel Surface

Once you’re satisfied with the wheel’s appearance, and it’s completely dry, apply a layer of vehicle wax to the wheel surface, following the wax manufacturer’s directions. The wax helps prevent brake dust build up and makes it much easier to remove during future cleanings.

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Dos And Don’ts Of Cleaning Your Car

Dos And Don’ts Of Cleaning Your Car

Just because you clean your car doesn’t mean you’re doing a good job   with it. Sometimes, because people don’t know how to properly clean their cars, they end up damaging it. Remember that even if you do clean your car, it doesn’t count if you’re not doing it right. Here are some dos and don’ts in car washing that you should keep in mind.

Dos

Choose The Right Cleaning Agent

It’s a must that you only use car cleaning solutions. Buy a car shampoo that works specifically well with getting stubborn dirt and grime off your paintwork without causing damage.

Make Sure You Dry The Car After Washing It

Yes the sun and wind can easily dry your car, but letting your vehicle dry that way will leave unsightly water marks which renders your hard work useless. Use a microfiber towel or preferably a weave drying towel to absorb the water and dry the car.

Clean With A Clay Bar

Washing your car with water and car specific cleaning agent is a great way to prevent any dirt from causing damage on the paint. However, even after washing, some contaminants still cling to the paint. To totally get rid of them, using a clay bar is the way to go. Using this product is very easy but time consuming. Many clay bars in the market come with a lubricant but if it does not, there are products that you can purchase separately. It is extremely important to lubricate the surface first to enable the clay to glide easily across the surface. You’ll know it’s working because the clay gets dirtier as you go because of all the contaminants it’s grabbing.

Seek Car Polishing

Sure, we’re talking about car washing. But car polishing is also an important part of keep your vehicle pristine looking. Polishing is one of the most misunderstood paint care procedures and as a result many individuals skip this important step. Polish is an abrasive compound, which, when worked into the paint using the hand or a polisher, shaves off imperfections of the paint. It levels out the surface and makes it smooth, thereby preparing it for the next step of applying wax or paint sealant. If you wax without polishing the surface first, not only will the paint look dull, but you will also notice that the wax layer will wear off quicker than usual. So ultimately it is a huge waste of your time and resources. Because polish is abrasive, it is important to master polishing techniques especially if you are using a rotary buffer, or you risk burning right through the paint.

Don’ts

Using Dish Washing Liquid As Cleaning Agent

You have to remember that your car is made of completely different materials than your dishes or clothes, etc. So don’t assume that the cleaners that you use to clean the rest of your house will also do with your car.

Using Abrasive Cloths

Always use microfiber cloths when cleaning your car. It only takes a rough towel or dirt on a towel to scratch your precious paint job. Do not risk it and make sure you’re always using clean microfiber cloth to wipe your car with.

Cleaning Under Direct Sunlight

If you think that cleaning your car under direct sunlight is a good idea because it will reduce drying time, think again. Yes it may help dry the car fast but it can also cause smears, water spots, and residue which are never a good idea for your car.

Removing Missed Patches With A Drying Cloth

It happens to the best of us: you rinse your car, only to find you’ve missed a bit. But, instead of reaching for the cleaning cloth (the recommended solution), you attack the spot with your drying cloth – a big no-no. By rubbing a mucky mark with a dry cloth, you’ll effectively work the dirt into the paint, or at the very least cause a stubborn swirl mark. Remember – never clean your car with a dry cloth.

Applying Products Directly To The Paintwork

The golden rule is to dilute and apply to cloth first. Dilute cleaning products to water and apply polishing products to cloth first. Don’t even think of cutting this process short by applying the products directly to the paintwork. The damage that over-applying of products may cause is not worth the seconds you may have saved on cleaning. 

Thinking One Bucket Is Enough

Always use two buckets when cleaning your car, one for washing and one for rinsing. It just doesn’t make sense to use the same water filled with dirt and suds to rinse the car.

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