How to: Clean your filthy polished wheels
 

Tools Needed
Large plastic bags (garbage bags), baking soda, vinegar, a bucket, hose, water, rags

Project Time
1-4 hours depending on how dirty they are and how clean you want them

Project Cost
Free - $5

Materials

Attachment 23295

Attachment 23296

Note: this how-to is for rims that have some major dirt caked on them, or seemingly impossible-to-clean stains on your rims. However, you can still use this method on not-so-dirty wheels. The materials can be used on alloys, aluminum, steel, basically anything.

It is easier to clean with the wheels off the vehicle, but this is not necessary.

1. Pull rims out of storage or off your truck. Lay them on the ground, on some plastic or bags to keep them clean and prevent scratching them. Its easier if you do the inside of the rim first. Do 1 rim at a time.
   
   https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z...irty%25202.jpg
   
2. Pour vinegar into the bucket. Dilute with some water (diluting is not necessary, it just helps increase the amount of solution you have - vinegar ain't free.) Diluting makes the solution less acidic but pure white vinegar isn't acidic enough to damage your rims anyway. Throw a couple rags into the bucket. Don't add too much water or you will lose the purpose of using vinegar.
   
   
3. Spray rim down with hose to dislodge any loose dirt and to get it wet.
   
   http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...e%20rims/4.jpg
   
4. Using a vinegar-soaked rag, scrub interior of wheel. Toss rag back into bucket. Hose rim down again to wash off vinegar. You don't want vinegar sitting on the rim for too long.
   
   After scrubbing with vinegar:
   
   Attachment 23297
   
5. Pour baking soda into hand or onto slightly damp cloth. Use a decent amount. (i found using my hand was easier, but after doing 4 rims with bare hands I had cuts all over my hands).
   
   Attachment 23298
   
   Attachment 23299
   
   Attachment 23300
   
6. Using hand or cloth, scrub rims with the baking soda. This will get rid of rust, surface dirt, or surface stains. Baking soda is a fine powder that acts as an abrasive (kind of like sandpaper). It is not rough enough to damage the rim, its cheap, eco friendly, extrememly effective at cleaning and easy to wash off. It will not tarnish your rims. Dont worry about damaging your rims with it.
   
   Attachment 23301
   
   
7. Rinse rim off. Shake your head in awe at your rim that now looks new!
   
   Attachment 23302
   
   Attachment 23303
   
   
8. Flip rim over. Repeat 3 to 7 for face of rim.
   
   Before:
   Attachment 23304
   
   After vinegar and spray down: (Note there is still stains on the rim)
   Attachment 23305
   
9. Apply baking soda:
   Attachment 23306
   
10. Rinse and marvel at your work!
    Stains all gone:
    
    Attachment 23307
    
11. Dry rim off with cloth, or leave to air dry.
    
12. Repeat for all 4 rims.
    
13. Polish with Mother's rim wax. Polishing is easier with the wheel off the vehicle.
    
14. Reinstall rims
    
    Attachment 23308
    
15. Enjoy as peoples' heads turn, watching your vehicle go down the street.

Attachment 23309


Note: this method is a lot easier and much much cheaper than using chemical cleaners. It is 100% safe for your rims. Some commercial cleaners contain ammmonia or other chemicals that will tarnish your rims over time. This method is failproof and will keep your chrome rims looking great and shiny for a long while. Not recommended for painted or plastidipped rims.

Note: this method is a little time consuming, but it is only necessary when rust has accumulated in your rims or they have dirt caked on the for a long while. After cleaning them, maintain their condition with regular washing and waxing so you don't have to spend this much time later on. I only had to do this because I had stored my rims in a barn through winter without covers. Dirt had accumulated and stains too.

Note: Don't mix the baking soda with vinegar in the bucket. You will get a large frothy reaction.

Keep in mind that mixing the baking soda and vinegar will neutralize both substances - you will lose the acidity that vinegar brings into the equation, therefore wasting your vinegar entirely.

Furthermore, you would need a hell of a lot of baking soda if you would mix the two. Remember, you are using the baking soda as an abrasive, and it needs to be in powder form (even slightly mushy power form) to act as such. Mixing it with water and vinegar will dissolve it and so it wouldn't be able to get rid of those stains and rust.[/QUOTE]

Stole this from the truck forum im on. Note - THIS IS NOT MY TRUCK pictured, NOR MY WRITE UP. Figured it would help over here.

Crap, now I want to do this but my winter wheels are Polished IRL wheels and they look 50x worse than those, brake dust from Brembo's and what not.

Would this work on ss/tc alloys to remove heavy brake dust buildup as well? No matter how much wheel cleaner I use theres always just a little bit of brownish residue remaining...

I'd try it for sure. If either of you guys do it post up pics here!

I'll make it a project for tomorrow.

Let us know how it turns out