If you’re at all serious about keeping your car clean and you enjoy the surprisingly therapeutic process of removing grime, alloy wheel cleaners will keep your pride and joy sparkling. We’ve done the dirty work of finding the best by cleaning a plethora of dirty alloys.
Wheels are often the dirtiest part of your car and are constantly subject to both dirt and mud from the world and dust and grime from your brakes. As a result, your wheels can end up looking mucky, especially over colder periods of the year when they’re subject to the onslaught of salt. It’s the trudge of winter and dust of the summer that really gets a car filthy, but happily, we’ve made a guide on how to clean your car properly at home.
The stuff that comes off your brakes is mostly iron unless you have carbon-ceramic brakes, as found on some high-performance cars. Iron gains a static charge when heated and clings to the wheels in a more determined fashion than regular dirt. It’s something that regular car shampoo can’t tackle on its own.
The best alloy wheel cleaners at a glance
You guessed it; specialised wheel cleaners are better at ridding your wheels of this determined muck than an all-purpose cleaner or damp rag . We’ve tested a line-up of wheel cleaners and iron fallout removers on a number of test vehicles currently being run by the Parkers team. Read on to see our favourites ranked.
How we test
Equipped with a bucket full of wheel brushes and a host of the best pressure washers to blast away grime, we embarked on the task of cleaning a variety of dirty cars. We followed the instructions on each product bottle to apply it to a dirty wheel, then used dedicated wheel brushes, barrel brushes and the odd wheel mitt to scrub it clean before rinsing it off with water.
During our test we made sure to look at performance, as not all wheel cleaners are made equally. Some will clean grime and serve as a fallout remover, others will focus on just the one. Which one you want depends on preference; combined options often provide better value for money but arguably are less effective than dedicated examples. The ability to clean thoroughly is equally important.
Most wheel cleaners will take the form of a spray and as alloy wheels swell in size, getting a wide coverage from the nozzle is the difference between good value for money and needing a new bottle each time wash your wheels.
Value for money falls in-line with the performance of wheel cleaners. Generally speaking, the more expensive, the more likely it’s going to be better. However, we take it all into account and judge whether that extra price difference is worth it for the extra cleaning performance. All of the above gets tied into our overall score.
Meet the experts
Aaron Hussain
Racking up a long list of testing expertise with Parkers as a Commercial Content Writer since 2023, Aaron has elevated his knowledge and skills with car care, classic and modern, to new levels since completing his masters degree in Automotive Journalism. Having been writing about cars since the humble age of just 16-years-old and been a long-life petrolhead, he brings a certain level of finesse into product testing and puts himself forward for every group test that comes his way.
Ryan Gilmore
Ryan has been with Parkers since 2020, beginning his journey as a Commercial Content Writer before moving up the ranks to become the brand’s Deputy Commercial Content Editor, and just recently, Parkers’ Car Buying Editor. It’s fair to say, therefore, that he knows a thing or two about giving product advice. He’s a serious anorak when it comes to car detailing, so naturally, he was one of our best candidates to partake in a bit of wheel cleaning testing.
The best alloy wheel cleaners tried and tested 2025
The best alloy wheel cleaner
It doesn’t matter whether it was alloys on a BMW 5-Series or covers on a VW ID Buzz, the end result was a clear level above the other competitors. The appearance and feel of the cleaned alloy were incredibly smooth and spotless after the full detail. It’s priced above the others on test, but quickly after trying it out, it was easy to see why.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- pH-balanced formula means no risk of damage
- Gentle but incredibly effective wheel cleaning
- Minimal agitation required for application
Cons
- Has a strong smell, which could put some off
- Trigger could be improved as it can get quite sticky
| Volume | 1000ml |
| pH level | 7 |
| Recommended dwell time | 1-5 minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
Editor's pick
That's all very nice, but how does it get on as a wheel cleaner? The answer is really rather excellently. You have to let it bleed for two to four minutes before agitating the product with any of your equipment. The dirt-lifting ability is profoundly good and there's little-to-no effort needed with the barrel brush, mitt, or detailing brush. With a pressure washer on hand, you could quite easily apply this stuff before rinsing it straight off.
The condition of the wheels afterwards was immaculate. Permanent stains on the wheels from brake dust can't be removed from the Volvo I applied it to, but the quality of the work is a little step above most other wheel cleaners, and the ease of applying it makes it my personal pick.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Very consistent spray pattern, which is fabulous for wheel coverage and efficiency of the solution
- Takes little-to-no effort to clean off once applied and bleeding
- Leaves the alloys looking immaculate, no matter how dirty they are
Cons
- Not too many, all things considered. It does compete very neatly to the other options
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH level | Neutral |
| Recommended dwell time | 2-4 minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
Editor's pick
With agitation using barrel brushes and wheel brush, all of the brake dust, grime and other muck that was on your wheels was easily removed. After a quick rinse with the pressure washer, it left an almost showroom finish. Like the others, it has a pH-neutral formula. This is new for Autoglym as its previous wheel cleaning products were wither acidic or had alkali within. This means the Advanced All-Wheel Cleaner is safe to use on almost any type of wheel, as the chemicals within aren't as strong.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- pH neutral for cleaning versatility
- Left a showroom finish to the rims
- Good trigger to use, which I prefer over the Bilt Hamber one
Cons
- You'll scrub a little harder than the Bilt Hamber
- The ceramic smoothness can jar
| Volume | 1000ml |
| pH level | 7 |
| Recommended dwell time | 2-4 minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best wheel cleaner for heavy degreasing
The result? Well, it ploughed through the dirt and lifted it up with a smooth and buttery ease. You have to let it agitate the dirt for between five to seven minutes after spraying before rinsing it off. The condition of the alloys afterwards was immaculate, and you can't really ask for more than that.
It's not completely pH-neutral. The Rim Cleaner sits slightly on the Alkaline side of the spectrum, so if you're cleaning a set of wheels containing sensitive materials, this might not be the ideal product for you. But it's important to remember that you mustn't let it set in and dry as this may cause a bit of damage - so rinsing the product off after agitation is imperative.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Effortless at removing dirt and grime
- Spray trigger is very easy to use
- Doesn't require pre-wash to get a good result
Cons
- You have to let it dwell for five to seven minutes
| Volume | 1L |
| pH level | 7-8 |
| Recommended dwell time | 5-7 minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best value wheel cleaner
I've christened it so because I'm the sort of person who doesn't really like waiting around for the wheel cleaner to bleed. I've found that after seemingly a matter of seconds, you can get right into agitating the dirt on the alloys and the results are still showroom fresh.
It feels strange to not look out for the bleeding, but the fact of the matter is, I got the job done faster - and just as well - as most of the other top end wheel cleaners, and it feels especially nice that it undercuts them all on price.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Works very quickly and saves a lot of time when cleaning the wheels
- Very efficient and doesn't require that many sprays
- Great value for money at a little over £13
Cons
- I don't personally like the lack of bleeding
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH level | Neutral |
| Recommended dwell time | N/A |
| Reactive to brake dust? | No |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best instant wheel cleaner
It's may have Red in its name, but don't think it's designed to clean only McLarens (or even red wheels for that matter), because it's surprisingly affordable at under £10 for 500ml, and it's designed to cater to any vehicle.
How did it perform on a rather more humble Volvo V60, then? The simple answer is very well. The reassuring thing about McLaren's wheel cleaner is the fact there's no dwelling time to worry about - you can just wait for it to bleed before agitating and washing it off straight away. In terms of cleaning performance, it is great: any bit of grimy dirt is so effortlessly cleared away. You wouldn't normally say this about a McLaren, but I think this wheel cleaner represents the best value for money out of the whole range of products we've tested.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Great value for money at under £10 for under 500ml of product
- Clears away dirt and grime effortlessly and very quickly
- Bleeds very quickly, which is ideal for saving a bit of time
Cons
- Finish perhaps isn't as immaculate as others, but puts on a very good effort
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH level | Neutral |
| Recommended dwell time | Instant |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best wheel cleaner on a budget
The trigger wasn’t the easiest to use, feeling stubborn and unwilling. But the actual spray pattern was good. It also clung exceptionally well to the wheels, reacting immediately with the brake dust present on the wheels. It managed to cut through most grime and brake dust with ease, just missing out on that final 5% that would tip it into exceptional territory. For wheel cleaning on a tight budget, it is my pick, Turtle Wax will even bung free delivery in for your troubles.
Review by Ryan Gilmore
Pros
- Exceptional value for money
- Loads of cleaner for your cash, and it works exceptionally well too
- Free UK shipping
Cons
- Trigger needs some work
- Lacks the final 5% of cleaning power
| Volume | 750ml |
| pH level | 7 |
| Recommended dwell time | N/A |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best wheel cleaner for wheel coverage
It lifted the detritus just as well as premium examples and left a gorgeous shiny finish by the time the wheel was rinsed. As ever, you have to leave it to set in for around five minutes before agitating, and seeing the results in the process was comparable to the top-end manufacturers. The citrus smell masked the worst of the iron remover, making this even more pleasant to use.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Very effective wheel cleaner
- The spray nozzle was the easiest to use and gave a wide spray
- Citrus smell masks the iron fallout remover
Cons
- Only 500ml
- Non-gel base didn't cling as well to the wheel
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH level | 7 |
| Recommended dwell time | Up to five minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Liquid |
The most versatile wheel cleaner
It's pH-neutral which makes the process a little less risky towards sensitive materials. It also reacts well to brake dust and iron fallout, although it struggled slightly to remove the baked in stains on the Volvo wheels - but the same goes to literally everything I tried, so a refurbishment may be needed.
Nevertheless, dirt had built up on those alloys for the best part of two months, so it was really a proper test here. I can gladly say that after some bleeding and agitation, the solution worked wonders in making the wheels immaculate again. It was such an effortless process with a much shorter dwell time than most of the others.
Perhaps a slight downside was that I needed to use a fair amount of the product to get the wheels properly immaculate, so efficiency isn't quite there as much as some others. But as for the results? I can't really fault it.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Very quick dwelling time, allowing you to get the job done quicker
- Instantly removes grime and dirt with a bit of agitation
- Pretty good value for money at a little under £14
Cons
- I had to use a fair amount to get the wheels looking immaculate
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH-level | Neutral |
| Recommended dwell time | No stated time |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best wheel cleaner for a contactless rinse
I tried it on two different cars and found that even without agitation, just a spray from the hosepipe, it was able to clear off the road dirt and grime like it was dust. And once you add in a couple of barrel brushes and a soft wheel brush, the result is reassuringly shiny. It wasn’t our best performer, as little freckles were still visible, and it didn't do the best at lifting heavy, embedded dirt. But for a quick rinse of salt, it’s perfectly suited for the job.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Lifts dirt off with minimal agitation
- Quick and easy to use
- The safety catch is a great feature
Cons
- Not good for heavily soiled alloys
- Bottle shape isn't the nicest to hold
| Volume | 1000ml |
| pH level | N/A |
| Recommended dwell time | Up to 5 minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best dedicated fallout remover
There was something almost ceramic-like about the way the wheels felt after applying a brush to the rims. They felt smooth and spotlessly clean, but fallout remover is stronger than purpose-built wheel cleaners and will struggle on mud. W6 gets a big bonus point for being sealant and wax-safe, making it the perfect choice for a more serious car detailer or anyone with a recently applied layer of protection.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Clear bleeding, great on baked-on brake dust
- Designed not to break down applied protection
- Particularly nasty smell
Cons
- Smaller bottle for your money
- Not designed for mud
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH level | 8 |
| Recommended dwell time | 3-5 minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best wheel cleaner for suds
Once rinsed off with a pressure washer, it left a sparkling-enough finish. But at the price point, the Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel is undoubtedly the more effective option. But the caveat is this was never designed on the same page as a regular wheel cleaner but rather a very strong iron fallout remover. As a fallout remover alone, it performed very well indeed and left the test car’s wheels almost detritus-free.
Review by Aaron Hussain
Pros
- Gentle on all wheel types
- Great brake dust removal properties
- Produces lots of suds
Cons
- Didn't beat the toughest dirt marks
- Smaller volume than others
| Volume | 500ml |
| pH level | N/A |
| Recommended dwell time | Up to five minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | Yes |
| Consistency | Gel |
The best waterless wheel cleaner
It was useless on an older car with baked-on brake dust. Easily outclassed, it served little purpose other than filling the air with a rather nice lemon scent. I tried it on a newer car with lighter dirt, and it worked rather well. It wasn't flawless. The wheel nuts would bleed mud but wouldn't shift the serious muck, but for something so gentle, it wasn't half bad. The big plus was the fact that it didn't require any water whatsoever.
The nozzle lock was awkward to use, but it sprayed nicely and misted the entire wheel with a few pulls of the trigger. Its dual use as a tyre dressing is commendable and it certainly refreshed the rubber.
Review by Ryan Gilmore
Pros
- No water required makes it versatile
- Dual purpose means it cleans wheels and shines tyres
- Lemon scent was lovely to work with
Cons
- No use on baked-on dirty wheels
- Awful nozzle lock makes first-time use annoying
| Volume | 710ml |
| pH level | 7 |
| Recommended dwell time | N/A |
| Reactive to brake dust? | No |
| Consistency | Liquid |
The best wheel cleaner for sensitive surfaces
I had to spray it multiple times in order to get any effect, but layers of dirt were still remaining in the sports directly sprayed. This is a bit of a letdown, but on the flip side, it does have a nice fruity scent, and the sprays themselves are very efficient and direct compared to the others.
Pros
- Has a nice, fruity smell
- The gel really does stick well to wheels
- It can be used on all wheels without fear of damage
Cons
- Didn't lift up as much dirt as the others
- You do have to spray a lot to get any effect
| Volume | 473ml |
| pH level | 7 |
| Recommended dwell time | Up to five minutes |
| Reactive to brake dust? | No |
| Consistency | Gel |
FAQs
What are the best wheel cleaners?
Prices vary in this field, although you don’t need to spend a lot for good results. As we’ve discovered with our test, wheel cleaners produce very similar results, only with minor differences. That being said, Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel did the best job out of the lot, followed by Gyeon’s Q2M Iron Wheel Cleaner, Autoglym’s Custom Wheel Cleaner, and Liqui Moly’s Rim Cleaner.
Is wheel cleaner safe on paint?
Most wheel cleaners are pH neutral or fall slightly on the alkaline side of the pH scale – meaning they’re non-acidic. So, should you get a bit of spray onto the bodywork while applying it to your wheels, you should be absolutely fine.
It is good practice to avoid the paintwork, but as long as you rinse it off quickly, you shouldn’t have a stain on your vehicle to worry about. It also helps if your paintwork is coated in a layer of car wax, thus protecting it even more.
Is wheel cleaner bad for brakes?
You will obviously notice that wheel cleaners will end up on the brake discs while applying it. But is that harmful to them? Absolutely not; steel brakes take all kinds of stains, and alloy wheel cleaner is specifically designed not to cause any damage to them.
The story is slightly different with more specialist carbon ceramic brakes. The trick there is to use products that are pH neutral and ensure that it’s rinsed off as quickly as you can – that way, you lose the risk of causing any nasty stains to the discs.
Are wheel cleaners and fallout removers the same?
In short, the answer is both yes and no. Fallout removers tend to use more alkaline in their formula to tackle brake dust and deep grime in the form of iron fallout. If you address the cleanliness of your wheels every once in a while, you may need a more intensive cleaner. A dedicated fallout remover may be extreme and smell appalling, but it cannot be beaten for deep-cleaning alloys.
And because wheels come in all shapes and materials, it’s always the safest best to opt for a pH-neutral wheel cleaner which won’t damage the delicate surface or anything within. This is what most wheel cleaners are on the market today. If your tyres could do with a freshening up, some tyre cleaner might be a great idea as well in order to keep them black.
Are wheel cleaners necessary?
You may be tempted to quickly scrub off dirt on your wheels with a mitt or sponge as part of your car cleaning routine. Anyone fastidious about car detailing simply won’t do that, though. Wheel cleaners are on another level when it comes to alloy immaculacy.
They take a mucky-looking wheel rim and pretty much bring it back to a factory standard, if you use the right equipment. Spending more time with your wheels with a barrel brush, detailing brush, and even a wheel mitt can make a world of difference. It also helps to start with the wheels when cleaning your car because then at least you have the most time-consuming and fiddly bit out the way first.
Are wheel cleaners degreasers?
Wheel cleaners aren’t primarily designed as degreasers – that sort-of thing applies more to pre-wash if anything. But one thing is for sure, and that is wheel cleaners do a properly good job of degreasing your wheels and lifting up all the dirt, brake dust and iron fallout.
Some people prefer to pre-wash their wheels first before applying the wheel cleaner. During our testing, we’ve never needed to do that, but it is a handy tip if you have extra filthy rims which haven’t been cleaned in months.
How to clean your wheels
For heavily soiled wheels, use a wheel brush and a barrel brush to scrub with in order to loosen and remove any particularly stubborn grime. We used a small Bilt Hamber wheel brush and a set of microfibre barrel brushes to scrub the alloys with.
Though not necessary, we do recommend using a car dryer to blow away the water after your hard work afterwards. To protect your hard work, you can apply a wheel sealant or protector to the wheels after having cleaned them.
Recent updates
January 15th 2025: Aaron Hussain added Liqui Moly Rim Cleaner following testing.
August 15th 2024: Ryan Gilmore added the Turtle Wax Colour Shift Wheel Cleaner following testing. Checked availability and updated.
June 21st 2024: Ryan Gilmore added Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wheel & Tire following testing. Checked availability and updated prices.
April 30th 2024: Aaron Hussain added Chemical Guys Sticky Citrus Wheel Cleaner following testing.
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