How to keep the sparkle in your chrome, alloy wheels

Dirt, mud, snow, salt, rain, gravel—a vehicle’s wheels get put through a lot. And many may not know that keeping up on their maintenance can prevent problems and hold the value of a vehicle.

According to Mike Pennington, of Meguiars’s car care products, wheel care is a priority for a couple reasons.

“First off, the clean appearance of a wheel [or] tire is extremely important to the overall look of a vehicle,” he said. “For example, if you had a finely detailed vehicle with dirty wheels and tires, that would be like having a new suit with old shoes—just doesn't seem to fit together.”

Not taking care of a vehicle’s wheels can lead to problems as well.

“Lack of care can lead to permanent stains, etching and damage, which can potentially de-value the vehicle when you go to resell it,” Pennington said. “In some cases, extreme neglect of a wheel can lead to corrosion and maybe even an air leak.”

In addition, Pennington said the longer you wait to clean wheels, tires and rims, the more difficult it becomes.

“Frequent care is easy care,” he said.

As for being able to spot a problem, Pennington said many problems can be seen with the naked eye.

“Overall appearance [is a good indication of any problems],” he said. “You should be able to see a dent, ding or scrape from an accidental curb rub.”

So how do drivers keep their wheels in good shape?

“Keep wheels free of brake dust on a regular basis by using the correct wheel cleaner for their specific type of wheel,” Pennington said.

Drivers should be cautious when driving and parking so they do not rub or scrape against anything that could cause damage to the wheel.

“Frequent care is easy care,” Pennington said.

Pennington had the following tips for taking care of a vehicle’s wheels:

• When you are cleaning and detailing your wheels or tires, this is a great opportunity to check tire pressures.

   

• When choosing the right wheel cleaner, always make sure you know what type of wheels you have. If you don’t, contact the wheel manufacturer to confirm.

   

• When cleaning wheels, always work on a cool wheel. Never spray a wheel cleaner onto a hot wheel.

   

• Work on one wheel at a time. For example, spray one wheel with the appropriate cleaner, agitate if necessary, then rinse thoroughly with water before moving onto the next wheel.

   

• If you choose to use a brush when cleaning wheels, make sure it is a soft brush designed for wheel cleaning.

   

• Dry wheels thoroughly with a soft, clean cloth.