derBayerische May/June 2024 - 7

E X T E R I O R
painted surfaces. Let the all-purpose-cleaner dwell
for a minute, then use a microfiber towel to clean the
plastic wheel well liner and the tire. This process
may have to be repeated if the liner is especially dirty
or the tire has silicone build up. Some modern
wheel wells are lined with fabric to reduce road
noise. Unfortunately, there is not a good option for
cleaning fabric wheel well liners. Sand and grit can
be pressure rinsed off, to some extent. If the wheel
has been removed, you can also vacuum some of the
sand and grit from a fabric liner.
The next step is to clean the wheels. I focus my
cleaning efforts on the face of the wheel. I consider
the face of a wheel to be the " finished " or painted and
clear-coated areas of the wheel. You can typically
see where the finished area ends. Normally, the
barrel of the wheel is not finished. If you have the
wheel off of the car, or want to spend the extra time
and effort trying to get a towel or brush between the
spokes to clean the barrel, it can be accomplished
with the same process. I do not use high- or low-pH
cleaners on the wheels, which can damage the finish
over time and quickly remove the wheel protection.
If the wheels are being cleaned and detailed often,
strong chemicals are not necessary.
BMWs and other European makes have brake
systems that produce a lot of dust. Depending on
how often a car is driven, the wheels need to be
cleaned more often, to prevent brake dust from
bonding to the wheels' painted surfaces. I use a
rinseless-wash solution to clean wheels. Rinselesswash
solutions have superior chemistry, which
include surfactants, lubricants, and polymers.
The best products are concentrated and can be
diluted at a 10:1 ratio with water in a spray bottle.
If you prefer, you can mix up some traditional car
wash soap in a bucket with water to clean the wheels
in a similar manner. Either solution is going to be
pH neutral and will be less likely to damage the
painted wheels or the paint around the wheels.
I begin by liberally spraying the wheel with the rinseless
wash solution. I use one side of a microfiber to
clean the face of the wheel. You can use your fingers
behind the microfiber to push the towel into
the recesses of the wheel. I typically go clockwise
around the wheel, working out from the center cap.
Depending on how complicated the wheel design is,
this can be quite tedious, but is necessary to remove
all of the brake dust and road grime from the wheel's
finished surfaces. Once most of the dust and grime
is removed, flip the towel to the other side. I then
spray the towel a few times with the rinseless-wash
solution and clean the wheel face a second time.
This helps to make sure all of the dust and grime is
removed. If the wheel is really dirty, you can use an
additional towel for the second cleaning.
May I June 2024
D E T A I L I N G
I have worked on wheels, such as the ones on
BMW M2 Competition models, where a third cleaning
step is needed to get the wheel completely clean.
Cleaning wheels with a rinseless wash solution will
produce a nice gloss and the wheel's surface will
have some basic protection from the polymers in the
solution. There are a few ways to enhance the
protection of the wheels. Protecting the wheels will
help to repel dust and grime, making cleaning
easier. Ideally, apply wheel wax to the face of the
wheel when new, and every six months after. Wheel
waxes are specially formulated to protect wheels and
they add a really nice gloss. You can also apply a
wheel wax after they are hand polished, with a light
polish. Alternatively, a synthetic spray wax can be
applied during the wheel cleaning process. It is very
easy to add this step during the cleaning process.
I spritz the spray wax directly on the wheel before I
do the second cleaning step. The key is to not over
apply the spray wax. Proceed with the second step
as described, until the wheel is clean and has a nice
gloss. A final wipe of the tire with a dry microfiber
will assure the tire is completely dry, and ready
for a protectant or dressing. I personally do not like
to use glossy dressings. Glossy dressings leave
silicone residue that can build up on the tire over
time. Glossy dressings can also sling onto paint,
which can stain the clear coat. An effective way to
apply a tire dressing, is to spray directly on to a foam
applicator, then apply to the tire. This technique
allows precise application only to the tire sidewall.
Once the wheels, tires, and wheel wells are clean,
detailed, and protected; the next step is to wash the
painted surfaces.
The process of washing a vehicle's painted
surfaces is subject to constant debate. My advice is
to simplify your process, and do it often. The most
important thing that can be done to maintain paint, is
to hand wash regularly. You can expect, however,
that by washing your car with any method, you will
inevitably cause some fine scratches on the paint.
If a good process is used, with quality products and
materials, you can minimize the damage. The most
important part of the wash process is that your wash
materials are new, clean, and uncontaminated.
The wash instrument, whatever it is, is what is
actually coming into contact with your paint.
Agitation is a key part of the washing process.
Removing all dirt is not possible using only foam
and high pressure water. I recommend a new or once
used microfiber towel for washing. It is important
that the towel was only used on a vehicle's painted
surfaces, to avoid cross contamination. If in doubt,
use a new towel. The same concept applies to
drying the paint too. Microfiber towels have a nice
combination of cleaning action, absorbency, and the
■ Spray the tire and plastic wheel well liner with
all-purpose cleaner.
■ Use a microfiber towel to clean the tire and the
wheel well liner.
■ Use a microfiber towel to clean the tire and the
wheel well liner.
■ Use a microfiber towel to clean the wheel after
spraying rinseless wash on the wheel.
7
derBayerische May/June 2024

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