Maintenance Wheel Cleaner?

[MattieDSC]

So since I've been detailing my car for a year or so now. I've always used a color change wheel cleaner like 1z color tech or Sonax FE every time I wash. The more I read on forums and try different things I believe this is unnecessary. So my question is what do you guys use for a maintenance wheel cleaning like every week or two?

[chops1sc]

I have a separate bucket, but it's smaller and doesn't have a grit guard.

[Ricky Bobby]

They just have that one piece now. That is on my list. Is the Braun brush something available through Adams? No but the big red wheel brush is available and works well, I have one I use just for engine cleaning.  Eric @ Thompson Racing (Adams dealer) sells the Braun Boars Hair brush on his store.

 

If you were starting over would you just buy the brush kit and a wheel whoolie (angled)?  I use the boars hair brush, and the angled wheel woolie every time I do my wheels.  However, that won't get everything for me, I really wish they would bring the Large and Medium back.  The Large I use on the barrels of my 20's on the X5 every wash, and the medium gets used on my wifes 18" wheel barrels.  The Large by far is the best tool if you have wide open barrels, and the angled woolie sold now doesn't do enough to get into the barrels.  I do NOT like the Turbo Stick at all.  I also use the Lug nut brush every wash.

 

Do you have a separate bucket for tires also?  Yes wheels and tires have their own dedicated bucket, no matter how well you rinse I wouldn't use a bucket for wheels/tires or a tool used on wheels/tires on the paint (Larry Kosilla tip I learned a few years back)

 

 

See above, I look at wheel/tire cleaning as something that you do complete, every time, and since you are doing a full job it becomes easier the next time you do it.  As opposed to just cleaning faces of wheels for 3 months and then spending 20 extra minutes on your wash to scrub those filthy barrels.

 

For me, yes the proper tools (Woolies, brush for wheel faces, lug nut brush, angled wheel woolie) are a large up front cost but considering that if you're like me you will use ALL of them every time you clean the wheels, you get a return on that investment real quick.

[Mazzdog]

Thanks for the detailed response... of course I cancelled the wheel brushes and woolies from my order and put in a microfiber towel bundle along with H20GG, glass cleaner / sealer, and the VRT combo with apc.  I'm going to follow up at the next sale on Adam's for the whole brush kit and the wheel woolie (or even order from Eric at Thompson).  Maybe even throw some americana in there as i'm starting to really like this stuff (Adam's in particular).  I appreciate your detailed response..