Wheel cleaning

[Paul Wildsmith]

On my S90 I decided to stay with the standard 18 inch wheels with the 10 spokes.
In practise, keeping these clean is a bit of a nightmare as the spokes have a gap behind them where they meet the rim (if that makes sense), so you need to use a small brush or stick your gingers along the rim behind the spokes to get clean.
Anybody with these wheels and found the ideal method/tool to use?

[Quacker]

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The 20" standard Inscription wheels have a similar gap behind the spokes. I use a diluted sulphuric acid base commercial wheel cleaner sprayed on and the wheel brushed using a round 1.5" [approx] paint brush. The bristles are poked behind the spokes and indeed between them to clean the inner wheels well as far as is practical. Solution is thoroughly power-washed off before it gets a chance to dry.

The Volvo brake pads are quite dusty and after washing the wheels are quite dirty again within a hundred miles.

[pagan8c]

I use Showroom Shine wheel cleaner as it is non acidic but really cleans the wheels well but you have to use the brush techniques behind the spokes but this cleaner makes it easy.This is the best stuff I have used.

[Paul Wildsmith]

thanks for advice and suggestions.

Almost makes me wish for the good old days with my 244DL steel wheels and a simple plastic trim - quick wash with the sponge and it was done!

[Quacker]

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If you washed them every 500 miles or so, a bit of warm water with washing up liquid applied by a sponge would do the job as long as a little brush was used for the nooks and crannies. Trouble is that brake dust gets wet in the rain and when it dries, the dust sort of bakes on.

[Paul Wildsmith]

what do you mean every 500 miles! I wash the car more often than that!!

[Quacker]

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Mine gets a quick wash every 1000 to 3000 miles. The older they get, the further apart the washes. The Land Cruiser gets washed about four times a year on a good year.

[John Laidlaw]

I use Sonax xtreme wheel cleaner on my E63 , which is excellent, non corrosive with a nice lemon smell too! It goes purple where the worst grime is.
Wet wheel, spray on, hose off - simples
I haven't used on the XC90 yet but will be this weekend ....

[nu11eaf]

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Life's too short so spend time washing cars, they only get dirty again, once every couple of months is enough.

[nu11eaf]

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I do not wash mine very often but like you found a strong solution of washing up liquid and water works a treat, several people on YouTube say distilled white vinegar works very well too.