[blm]

Not just talking about Chevelles but cleaning wheels and tires in general. Usually if im just washing one of my cars after im done cleaning the paintwork ill take a dedicated wheel and tire wash mitt and use the remaining car shampoo to clean the wheels and tires. If im going to do any kind of detailing such as waxing or polishing ill clean the tires and wheels with Dawn dish liquid and scrub brushes on tires & washmitt and dawn on wheels. Afterwards ill polish the wheels and put tire dressing on.
My question is what difference is there between cleaning them with Dawn and a dedicated wheel and tire cleaner which is much more costly than Dawn. Its notlike the wheels and tires on any of myvehicles get super dirty and coveredbin brake dust etc.
Is the dedicated wheel and tire cleaner just another non neccessary product or does it do something that Dawn cant? Eventhe times imusing the car shampoo it seems to do what im wanting

 

[DUTCH MAX HEADWORK]

I use your method and I'm not fond of any type of "tire shine". To me, tires should look like rubber, not an oily mess.

 

[shovelrick]

Never shine the tires on a motorcycle LOL it sure looked pretty though 🤣edit I was in my early 20's and had plenty of energy to scrub that crap off after realizing I made my bike slippery lol

 

[swampy 6x6]

hi
Never use dawn dish washing liquid on any car part , Why any protective coatings eg wax is removed and some aluminium wheels discolour and can be etched .
If u use dish wash liquid on paint it stains .

Wheels come in different types
painted only
clear coated over painted or polished
polished raw alloy , On my expensive raw alloy wheels I use specific wheel cleaner.

Generally on my family cars I use Mothers wash and wax or similar [why because it does not strip waxes/ stain paint etc]

Wheel Brush – Mothers® Polish
I use a similar brush ,It depends on how hard the bristles are . A long handle version is available . A good brush makes wheel cleaning easy .

Autoglym | Wheel Cleaners - Wheels - Products for Professionals
Big differences between wheel cleaners . Mainly depends on type of wheel .

 

[blm]

hi
Never use dawn dish washing liquid on any car part

I use Dawn dish liquid to wash my vehicles when im going to do a full detail. I use it on purpose as it is supposed to strip all coatings off which is what I want it to do. After washing with Dawn im clay baring the vehicle, follwed by polish or swirl remover and then sealer etc. I doubt washing any part of a car with Dawn is going to do more than remove any coatings that are on there. Been doing that for years.
When we were kids and didnt know any better we used Dawn all the time. I have what I would call expensive car shampoo that I use every time ( Chemical Guys, Meguires) that is supposed to be nice to the coatings on the paint and that is what I use most of the time to clean the wheels and tires.
Just thinking the dedicated wheel and tire cleaners might be no better than common soaps.
Now I dont have aluminum wheels on my 69 at present but I used to have a set of Weld Pro Stars and to be honest I cant recall what I used to clean them but may have used Dawn a time or two. Shined them up afterwarda with some Buschs Aluminum Polish and they looked
like a million bucks.

 

[shovelrick]

I've heard Dawn will remove clear coat from factory paint ? that's why I stopped using dish soaps in general, I used Meguires car wash soap on my Gsons plastic Cozy Cab a few days since he's out grown it but another Gdaughter fits it perfect, could've used Dawn but already had the car bucket, wash glove and Mags soap out, got a laugh out of my step daughter anyway

 

[blm]

I've heard Dawn will remove clear coat from factory paint ?

Rick, i pretty much guarantee that is a myth. I can see where it is possible using dish liquid could remove waxes etc as that what the stuff is intended to do. Which is clean greasy baked on stuff. But removing clear coat is not likely.i

 

[swampy 6x6]

hi
if u have a white car it noticeablly strips all waxes as expected . But it can also stain/mark paint work [a different shade of the paint colour] . I agree with u when I was a child we always used dish soap ,dawn etc . I suspect if any of the wash was left to dry even partially the shade markings occurred . Keep the car wet all is good .
A mild polish removes markings .

Unless u like waxing alot , washing a car with a quality recommended wash keeps the wax where its suppose to be on the paint . Mothers washwax or similar is inexpensive compared to rewaxing [time and cost ] . The appropriate product ensures good water balance [PH] etc . The product then performs at best . Industrial chemicals are like this ,water quality is every thing .

Some wheels especially raw alloy units are polished /waxed. A dedicated wash such as the one u use for the paint is ok . Any harsh chemicals change the ""polish "" shine and dull machine markings over time on raw alloy . Does not mean you cannot use the acidic chemical Iron remover ,just not often . Brake pad dust is invasive into most surfaces paint and alloy. Not removed and the wheel looses appearance anyway .

 

[DUTCH MAX HEADWORK]

You have to be careful around those clear coated wheels and use the same care you use on painted surfaces. No Comet! Once that clear coat starts to go they get ragged pretty quickly.

 

[shovelrick]

My 1st wife washed my Cutlass with a Scotch Brite in the early 80's, I just about had a heart attack as it WAS a beautiful car, well for yellow anyway and I didn't know it could've been polished & buffed out, maybe

 

[swampy 6x6]

HI
clear coated over paint is not as big of a problem as much as clear over polish alloy. Maybe just more noticable . In saying that all wheels get sand blasted by road debris over time , it depends upon design.
Although recently i purchased a modern 4x4 with clear over paint , I considered this a far better option than a machined/painted combo wheel that is an absolute nightmare to do a home restoration on .

Anyway u look at it the modern paint /alloy/clear wheel are more maintenance if u like a good looking ride .

 

[oldcutlass]

I use dawn on my car in order to remove all the old wax build up to start fresh on occasion. When washing a car I do it as fast as possible and dry in the my garage to prevent water spots. I will never again buy a clear coated wheel, it's not a matter of if it's when will they turn ugly.