In the same way that people say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, wheels are the direct reflection of a vehicle’s personality because their details speak volumes about its character.
Whether you’ve got sporty rims, flashy rims, or low-key rims on your ride, the choice of wheels that you’re sporting is definitely something that took a lot of thinking and comparison before you purchased it. Considering that the parts in question are a significant investment that you made and bring a whole lot more impact to how your car looks, however, chances are that there’s one question that comes to mind:
“How do I take care of my alloy wheels?”
A Step-by-Step Guide to Follow
While it is true that alloy wheels are an excellent choice for any car because they’re sleek, lightweight, and durable, the fact of the matter is that they still need to be maintained.
With a simple clean-and-polish process, you can keep even the most bargain-bought of sets looking like premium options. The problem, however, is that most drivers don’t know how to take care of their wheels. Fortunately, our experts have put together this step-by-step guide on everything that you need to know about keeping your car’s “shoes” in perfect shape:
Step #1: Assess the Condition of Your Rims
When you start taking care of your alloy rims and cleaning them, it’s vital that you start your regular maintenance problems by spotting any form of damage that washing and polishing can’t simply fix. Here’s a list of different forms of damage that you should watch out for when doing a look-over on your tires and rims:
- Corrosive brake dust/residue
- Stone chips (and stones)
- Road rash (curb rash) or kerbing
- Cracks in the wheels
- Nails in the rubber
If you do run into any of the signs mentioned above, it’s recommended that you take your wheels to Wicked Rims so that we can fix the damage and restore your rims and tires to like-new condition!
Step #2: Brush the Dirt off Your Wheels
Now that you’ve looked over your wheels for any signs of damage that need to be sorted out, it’s time to brush the dirt off them before a full wash.
Cleaning—contrary to popular belief—should begin by removing dirt, dust, and residue. Skipping straight to washing can cause muck to harden and damage the finish of your alloy rims. By brushing everything off with a fine brush on every square centimetre of each wheel’s surface, you’ll be able to prime your parts for a thorough scrubbing and soaping that will leave everything sparkling.
Step #3: Soap and Wash
After brushing all the dirt off, the next step you need to take is to soap your wheels up and given them a thorough cleaning.
With the help of a special wheel soap or solutions, you’ll need to gently scrub everything up in a circular motion with a soft sponge, microfibre towel, or soft-bristled wheel brush and get into every crevice. Once you’ve rinsed, soaped, and washed everything, dry your alloy wheel with a clean, dry towel or chamois so that it’s prepped for polishing.
Step #4: Polish and Rinse Everything
To wrap things up and have your wheels look shiny and new again, you’ll need to polish or wax your alloy wheels until they shine beautifully. With a solution that’s formulated for the finish of your wheel (whether it’s glossy, chrome, matte, or coated), apply and buff everything up until you can see everything look nice and new!
Conclusion
As dependable and low-maintenance as the alloy wheels on your car may be, it still pays to give them a regular cleaning every month or fortnight so that they look as immaculate as possible. By following the four key steps mentioned above, you’ll be able to ensure that your investments stay in perfect condition all year round!
Welcome to Wicked Rims. We are a friendly professional wheel refurbishment company based close to the old town in Stevenage.
We want your wheels to look wicked. Maybe you would like to refresh the paint on your scuffed wheels, fancy a change of wheel colour, want to refresh your diamond cut wheels, or need a wheel repair.
Whatever your needs we offer a full range of services at competitive prices. We listen to you and use only high-quality equipment and professional materials to get your wheels looking wicked.