If you’re at all serious about keeping your car clean and you enjoy the surprisingly therapeutic process of removing grime, the best alloy wheel cleaner would make a great product to keep your pride and joy sparkling.
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. The stuff that comes off your brakes is mostly iron unless you have fancy carbon-ceramic brakes (these are only on serious performance cars, and even then, it’s often a four-figure optional extra). Iron gains a static charge when heated and clings to the wheels in a more determined fashion than regular dirt.
You guessed it; specialised wheel cleaners are better at ridding your wheels of this determined muck than an all-purpose cleaner. At least, the good ones are. Our favourites below are some of the best wheel cleaners you can get.
The best alloy wheel cleaners at a glance:
Editor’s choice: Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel Cleaner – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best wheel cleaning kit: Autoglym Custom Wheel Cleaner Complete Kit – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best wheel cleaner for deep cleaning: Pro-Kleen Dragon’s Blood – Buy now from Amazon UK
The best alloy wheel cleaners from the Parkers experts:
Editor's pick
Rrp: £18.20
Rrp: £18.20
Pros
- pH-balanced
- Safe for diamond-cut wheels
Cons
- Strong smell
Best wheel cleaning kit
Rrp: £22.99
Rrp: £22.99
Pros
- Great starter kit
- Soft brushes allow access to difficult areas
Cons
- Still requires some effort for best results
Best wheel cleaner for deep cleaning
Pros
- pH neutral
- Large quantity
Cons
- Smells dreadful
Best waterless wheel cleaner
Pros
- No water required
- Quick and easy
Cons
- Not good for heavily soiled alloys
Best wheel cleaner mousse
Rrp: £12.99
Rrp: £12.99
Pros
- Turns red when it's time to agitate
- Easy to apply
Cons
- Spray nozzle can clog
Best wheel cleaner for chrome wheels
www.meguiars.co.uk
Pros
- Gentle on all wheel types
- Great results
Cons
- Not so good for tougher stains
Best simple wheel cleaner
Rrp: £13.82
Rrp: £13.82
Pros
- Easy to use
- Quick results
Cons
- Not suitable for chrome or anodised wheels
Best budget wheel cleaner
Pros
- Good value
- Works on all types of wheels
Cons
- Not as impressive as some others
What to consider when choosing a car alloy wheel cleaner
Budget: Prices vary widely, although you don’t need to spend a lot for good results. You simply need to find the best products. That work has gladly been done for you by us.
Frequency: 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.
Are your wheels chromed or anodised? If so, choose a pH-neutral product that won’t damage their delicate surface. Each cleaner advises what types of wheels they are suitable for.
For heavily soiled wheels: Use a wheel brush to scrub with in order to loosen and remove any particularly stubborn grime.
Don’t neglect the tyres: Sparkling wheels can be ruined by filthy tyres. A dedicated tyre cleaner is one option to keep your tyres black.
To protect your hard work: You can apply a wheel sealant or protector to the wheels after having cleaned them. The best of these products make it harder for brake dust and road grime to stick and accumulate on your wheels. Depending on the product, they can last from a matter of weeks to even a year or more.
Chris Williams is a Commercial Content Writer at Bauer Media and writes across multiple brands such as CAR, Parkers, and Live For The Outdoors.
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