These wheels... look amazing, but cleaning them is a nightmare

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I love how these wheels look on my Mustang, but man, they are a pain to clean! The brake dust builds up so fast, and getting in between all the spokes is just exhausting. Anyone have tips for making wheel cleaning easier? I’m considering ceramic coating them, but IDK if that’ll help enough.

Yeah, these multi-spoke wheels are brutal to clean. The fewer spokes, the easier it is. If you’re up for it, try switching to PP2 wheels—they’re much easier to deal with. Add a decon and SiO2 coat, and it’ll make your life so much simpler.

@Graydon
Even with my wheels, cleaning is still no fun. But I guess that’s the price we pay for good looks!

@Graydon
The worst part is the little recess on the back of each spoke. After a track day, it’s full of brake dust and turns into cement. Really throws off the balance.

I take my wheels off to clean them, spray wheel cleaner inside and out, then use a rag for the tough spots.

Finnley said:
I take my wheels off to clean them, spray wheel cleaner inside and out, then use a rag for the tough spots.

You’re committed! I just use a brush and hope for the best.

@Sunny
I don’t wash my car that often, so when I do, I go all out.

@Sunny
Cleaning the inside of the wheel makes a huge difference, especially if they’re silver.

Ceramic coat them. It’s a game changer. I did mine five years ago and they’re still pretty easy to clean. I just hit them with a blower after washing—no touching with a rag.

Derek said:
Ceramic coat them. It’s a game changer. I did mine five years ago and they’re still pretty easy to clean. I just hit them with a blower after washing—no touching with a rag.

Agreed. Ceramic coating is the way to go. We got our wheels coated almost right away and it’s made cleaning so much easier.

Am I the only one freaking out about the rags and brush sitting on the ground? That’s how you get scratches!

Clark said:
Am I the only one freaking out about the rags and brush sitting on the ground? That’s how you get scratches!

I saw that too… if my microfiber cloth touches the ground, it’s straight to the trash. Not worth the risk.

Clark said:
Am I the only one freaking out about the rags and brush sitting on the ground? That’s how you get scratches!

Haha, yeah, I cringed when I saw that. :grimacing:

Cleaning the wheels takes up about half the time I spend washing my car. I’ve thought about switching to ceramic brake pads because the dust is insane.

Hart said:
Cleaning the wheels takes up about half the time I spend washing my car. I’ve thought about switching to ceramic brake pads because the dust is insane.

Try Powerstop Z26 pads. They’re very close to OEM in terms of feel but produce way less dust.

@Wei
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely look into those. My wheels are covered in dust within 20 miles of driving.

I love my Mustang, but cleaning these wheels… it’s like a full-time job.

Erie said:
I love my Mustang, but cleaning these wheels… it’s like a full-time job.

Same here. I only do a deep clean every other wash now. The high-pressure rinse at the self-wash gets most of the dust off.

I used a Mother’s Power Cone with a rag to get in the tight spots. But honestly, I’m shopping for a pressure washer and foam cannon before my next wash.

Ever thought about going all-out and throwing some gold lowrider spoke rims on there?