In this article you will find out what you can do after cleaning the wheel to ensure they stay cleaner for longer.
If you have dark coloured wheel we also look at the ways you can keep the shine using the same products used on the car panels.
FINISHING & DRESSING THE WHEEL
Once you have got a clean wheel keeping it clean can be a challenge. After a week, the car can still look clean thanks to wax but the dirty wheels let the overall look down.
Using Autoglym Wheel Protector is the quickest and easiest way to create a super-hydrophobic barrier between the environmental and braking contaminants and the wheel surface. This prevents most of the road dirt from actually gripping or sticking onto the surface with most being flung off with the wheel rotation. However, you need to ensure a couple of things are done first.
WHEN TO APPLY
Wheel Protector should ALWAYS be applied to dry, clean wheels. Drying the wheels doesn’t mean letting them sit for a little while or running a quick cloth over them. If you are spraying Wheel Protector, ensure the wheels have had time to dry and have been given a full wipe with a clean dry cloth. Always focus around the wheel nuts and leading edges as water can get trapped and not seen. It has been known for leaf blowers to be used similar to what touchless car washes do.
If the car is not being driven the same day after washing then spray the wheels the next morning if the car is under cover or garaged.
HOW TO APPLY
Shake the Wheel Protector and lightly spray across the wheel face holding the nozzle around 15cm to 20cm away from the wheel. Don’t overspray or linger on one spot. Once you have finished, do not touch it as this will break the seal. Let it dry naturally for as long as possible – we recommend 1.5 hours before driving to allow the barrier to harden fully.
For those with tricky wheels, angle the can onto the main flat surfaces of the wheel and apply with quick short sprays with medium hand movement across the surface. Try not to spray over the same spots as this just wastes product.
Holding the can 15cm to 20cm away from the wheel will ensure a wide enough spray coverage along with the correct spray angle will ensure minimal contact with the disks.
WHEN NOT TO SPRAY
Wheel Protector is not recommended to be used on dark to black wheels for the only reason the physical barrier may cause a light haze against the dark background. If Wheel Protector is used by accident then it is not permanent and will come off over time.
If you want to remove it quickly then apply a small amount of Intensive Tar Remover to the wheel to remove the Wheel Protector. Ensure the wheel is washed with shampoo and rinsed to remove the Intensive Tar Remover after.
STREAKS APPEAR?
Sometimes a milky streak may appear on the wheel after spraying. This can be because of two reasons. Either too much product was sprayed and excess product has run down the surface of the wheel OR water was still on the wheel and ran down the surface before the Wheel Protector dried.
If this happens then wipe the streak with a clean cloth to remove. A quick light spray will ensure the surface is again protected.
PROTECTING DARK WHEELS
For those with black or dark painted wheels who want to protect them against water and road contaminants but can’t use Wheel Protector there is a solution.
Using the same a wax used on the vehicle is the quickest and safest way to giving a protective coating. Once cleaned apply either HD Wax or for an even quicker and easier coverage use Extra Gloss Protection with a clean cloth.
This liquid wax is applied like water, dries and hazes and is easily buffed off to give a long shine and water barrier to the wheel. HD Wax is applied the same as a body panel however takes a little longer.
If you have any questions on what you have read, just send us a message.
