Best for cleaning grime off alloys?

[Steve McF]

I picked up some Wonderwheels alloy cleaner yesterday - impulse purchase as I saw it in the shop, and thought I'd give it a go on the set of Aero alloys I bought a couple of months back. They were quite grubby, especially the inside surfaces and the recesses and corners. Seemed to be a combination of brake dust, grease etc.

You spray the Wonderwheels on and leave it 5 minutes before using a jet washer to get the grime off. Except, that it didn't really clean up the paintwork that well, or at all in most places. The wheels don't seem greasy now, but they are not much cleaner!!!

Anyone got any recommendations on what else I could try to try and make them at least look a bit better?

At some point they may need refurbing, but I want to put them on the car for a bit and run it on them, so don't want them looking totally shabby!!!

[Audax]

Autoglym brush on wheel cleaner, use that, then clean the wheels with shampoo and a cloth that will go in the bin. Then clay them and then wax them and just keep them clean from there on. I can't be bothered with all that though 

[sgould]

I just wash the wheels.  If they are off the car, the insides can be scrubbed with a Scotchbrite sponge pad.  The outside can be cleaned like the car.

Most of the wheel cleaning products are acid, and designed to remove brake dust that contains metal.  This is usually the racing type pad which is designed for high temperature work.  On ordinary tyres, the most you would normally need is some solvent for the tar spots.

[carrera]

Autoglym wheel cleaner, spray on & leave 5 minutes or more, it's a weak acid

[phoenix]

I use Bilberry wheel cleaner every wash. Non-acidic and smells pleasant too.

Pressure wash the worst off then you do, I'm afraid, still need to use a brush or a wheel sponge to get the rest off. Any cleaner that doesn't need this is really quite corrosive.

[welshwizard]

Wonderwheels for the most recent multicar wash.....good at loosening up the brake dust but still need to work hard with the sponge to remove the debris from the wheels...

when it runs out I will try the Autoglym

[Geoff1951]

I've used Autoglym in the past, but found it gradually dulled the surface.  (I still use all their other stuff though.)

These days the non-acidic cleaners get very good reviews, specifically the ones that turn red as they work. Auto Express have more here -

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product-group-tests/63754/best-car-wheel-cleaners-2022

I gather it's a chemical rection with the brake dust that coats the wheels.  I've used the Bilt-Hamber cleaner for a year or so, no damage to the wheels or lacquer and comparable on price. Spray on, work with a brush (suppied) or a small sponge, rinse then wash as usual.