Welcome back to the Proje blog! Last week, we focused on getting that beautiful shiny paintwork of yours protected from the element, so this week, it’s time to go downstairs and work on your wheels.

Now, as we’ve mentioned many times before, your wheels and the underside of your vehicle are the main areas of punishment. That direct contact with the ground at high speeds or over uneven terrain, combined with brake dust, oil, grease and all the other good stuff that gets caught up under there, really come together into a hot mess of problems. Add that to the rain, snow and salted roads that come with winter, and you’ve got 99 problems right there. Of course, the heat and speed at which these residues are spat out by modern-day powerful brakes means embedding takes place, rendering everyday cleaning techniques useless, and some parts of your car – like your wheel wells, for example – can be really hard to reach. In fact, you often can’t see any issues as they arise, which can make for nasty surprises down the line.

So, you need to reach for a powerful wheel cleaner that not only does the trick, but it tells you when it has. This is something that home and professional detailers really love – that all-important color change. Read on for a bit more about it!

Wheel Cleaners Give You the All Clear

Obviously, a wheel cleaner needs to be powerful to break down all that embedded brake dust, grease, and grime. But the real magic is in the signals it gives you. You see, as the active ingredients in the cleaner neutralize any acidic presence, this is not only paving the way for you to have a smooth wipe clean at the end, but it is also causing the sodium in the formula to change color. In the case of our own Redline Wheel Cleaner, it turns red when it’s time to wipe it away, letting you know that it’s worked to the point at which you don’t need to make any undue effort. So much of the work it has done is invisible to our eyes, but the long-term effect of having done it is super important to the well being of your wheels.

How To Use Redline Wheel Cleaner

Here are the five easy steps you need to follow to ensure you get the best out of our Wheel Cleaner!

• Apply

Really saturate the area you want to clean – Redline Wheel Cleaner works best when a full covering has been established, and you can’t overdo it. Remember to work out of direct sunlight and wear gloves during the entire process.

• Agitate

Once you are happy with coverage, wait a minute or so for the liquid to settle. At this stage, redline wheel cleaner will need a bit of agitation to really get to work on the toughest areas, so use our synthetic fiber Inner Barrel Rim Brush to create a bit of friction. Our wheel brush is specially designed for maximum grip and is completely metal-free, so you can exert force on to the nastiest stains without fear of any scratching. As you get going, you’ll see the wheel cleaner start to lather; keep going until you have thickened that lather over every part of the area you’re cleaning.

• Wait

As you wait, you should see the lather bubbling slightly. This is the active chemical in our cleaner neutralizing any acidic build-ups, so they strip away without any problems. As the cleaner really starts to take effect, it will start to turn red. This is the active sodium reacting, showing that Redline is getting to workmon your vehicle.

• Rinse

After a few minutes, the whole area should have turned red. Now it’s time to rinse. As you rinse, use your Inner Barrel Rim Brush to get into the nooks and crannies, so everything is washed away and all the layers of dirt have gone. You should immediately notice a much shinier wheel, which is great. If it’s been a while since you’ve given your wheel a proper clean, or you have been using your vehicle at high speeds, there may be some areas where you can repeat these four steps once or twice more. A couple more goes and your wheel will be completely free of any debris and brake dust!

• Dry

Once everything is really clean, it’s time to dry everything so you don’t get any water stain effects. Using a regular towel with the wrong GSM could make the stain worse or even create minor scratching on your rims. Use our Black Mamba Wheel & Trim Towel – it’s been designed to clean and dry tires and rims without any staining or scratching. Its color will allow for multiple uses, meaning you don’t go through hundreds of towels a year.

Now, take a step back and admire your handiwork! Redline Wheel Cleaner really is the best wheel cleaner out there, guaranteeing you clean wheels to match the standard of your ceramic coating up top. Your vehicle couldn’t be better prepared for winter!

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this week’s blog – stay tuned for more tips and tricks next week. We’re going to feature more of our kits each month too, so keep an eye out for more great all-in-one deals and some incredible discounts!

If you have any questions about any of the techniques or products that we’ve mentioned in this post, just add a comment below and we’ll post a reply! Remember that we stock only the best auto detailing supplies, so why not click some of the links in this blog post, or visit our products page to find out more? From all of us at Proje’, Enjoy the Process!