Those of us who love our cars usually wash our own cars, if we can afford to spare the one hour or so to do it. Those of us in that position will probably understand how it can sometimes be difficult to remove brake dust from your wheels.
In today’s article, I would like to recommend a product which I personally use to clean brake dust and road grime off my tyre wheels.
I have used a number of other products in the past specifically marketed as wheel cleaners, and some, if you’re not careful with what you buy or if you’re not one who read directions on the bottle, could actually do damage to your wheels.
I have used wheel cleaners advertised as suitable for my wheel type, and despite keeping the cleaner on for less than 20 seconds before washing off, I still ended up with a hazed wheel – something that normally happens if you leave these compounds on for too long.
Following directions is not necessarily a sure way to be safe. Plus, they are quite harmful to the hands, causing an uncomfortable sensation and burning feel to the skin, making them rather difficult to work with. Just to finish the story, I ultimately had to use a rubbing compound to restore the original lustre and finish on the wheels.
CarPlan EcoCar Wheel Cleaner
These days I use something much safer for wheel cleaning – the biodegradable environment-friendly CarPlan EcoCar Wheel Cleaner. It is normal for one to assume that brake dust requires only water, soap and a brush to remove – no need for complicated chemicals. Yes, that’s partly true.
My dad used to wash his car religiously everyday without fail, and certainly without wheel cleaners. But there was soap, and lots of water, and with that kind of frequency (and driving style typical of a dad), brake dust probably doesn’t accumulate enough to make their removal tough.
In my case I wash my car once a week or two, and I don’t use soap as my car has a special acrylic coating which doesn’t require me to use any detergents. So, to prepare soap or detergents just for the wheel can be a hassle, and not to mention, messy.
From my experience, wheels are more difficult to clean without detergents, because on top of brake dust, there’s road grime and tar to deal with as well.
From the CarPlan website, we learn that this product and those under the EcoCar series feature the following:
- Cleaning agents derived from vegetable & plant extracts
- Ingredients from carefully selected renewable & sustainable resources
- The most minimal impact on the environment possible
- Optimum level of biodegradability
- Fully Recyclable packaging
- Naturally coloured with extracts from grass
Applying the CarPlan EcoCar Wheel Cleaner
but I have found 15 – 20 seconds is often long enough)…
Putting the first and the last photos above side by side for comparison…
Before and After
– an even layer of brake dust of dull grey-brown…
– an unmistakable bright lustre and finish!
In Conclusion
The CarPlan EcoCar Wheel Cleaner is easy to apply, effective at removing brake dust and road grime, and gives very favourable results without harming the environment. For a highly recommended wheel cleaner that is safe on the hands and doesn’t harm the finish on your wheels, consider giving the CarPlan EcoCar Wheel Cleaner a try.
Click here or the link below to purchase, or get one from your favourite shop today!