Car rims can have a beautiful, chrome-like shine when cleaned and polished properly. To prevent pitting and corrosion brought on by the buildup of dirt and contaminants like brake dust, it is crucial to brake dust cleaning. Continue reading, you will learn how to brake dust cleaning easily.
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Why Do You Need Brake Dust Cleaning?
There is only one kind of brake pad that works with the brake rotors on your car. You’ll notice a lot of dust if a different type of pad is installed or if a less expensive model of the proper pad is used. There are other reasons behind excessive brake dust, even if you have the right kind of pads on your car
- Heavy brake use
- Sticking caliper piston
- Sticking guide pins
- Scored rotor
The amount of dust you produce can occasionally be influenced by the brake pads you use. The most dust-producing brake pads are organic, and the least dust-producing brake pads are ceramic. So you should brake dust cleaning.
How to Brake Dust Cleaning?
It is a fairly simple process for brake dust cleaning. It’s simple to restore it to its gleaming, brand-new appearance, whether you do it at home or at a conventional drive-through car wash. However, even the best car washes appear to leave residue on your wheels, creating a very noticeable distraction from your freshly cleaned car. The simplest method for cleaning your wheels of unsightly, potentially damaging brake dust is outlined below.
Make Sure Wheels/Brakes Are Cool to Touch & Out of Direct Sunlight
Your wheels can only be cleaned thoroughly after the car has been idle and out of the sun. Once your wheels have cooled, it’s time to begin attacking the damaged areas.
Rinse Wheels to Remove Heavy Dirt/Contaminants
You should rinse off the tough dirt and contaminants from your wheels before attacking them with cleaners and brushes. You can then more easily scrub and clean away the brake dust that is present underneath. Brake dust will be a shade of orange, gray, or black depending on the color of your wheels or rims.
Choose the Correct Brake Dust Cleaner
Typically, soap and water are insufficient to remove brake dust. You should approach the task with the appropriate brake dust cleaning agent for your type of wheel for the best results. Since not all wheels and rims are made of the same material, using the wrong cleaning agent for your car can result in damage to your wheels and rims. Finding the appropriate brake dust remover for your wheel type is important because most wheels are made of steel, alloy, or aluminum (the majority of vehicles come with aluminum alloy wheels). For information on how long to let the cleaner sit on the wheels before rinsing and to make sure it won’t harm your wheels, read the back label of the cleaner.
Spray Your Wheels With Brake Dust Cleaner and Wait
Make sure to diligently spray each of your wheels (one at a time) with the appropriate brake dust cleaner after rinsing your wheels and determining their suitability for brake dust cleaning. This will help all the brake dust start to come off the surface of the wheel. As the product starts to work, removing the brake dust from the surface, you should notice results almost immediately. Wait the recommended time after the cleaner has been sprayed on before removing
Gently Scrub Wheel With Soft-Bristle Brush
You should use a soft-bristle brush and/or micro-fiber wash mitt to gently scrub the brake dust off the wheel after applying the cleaner to it and waiting for it to start sucking up the dust contaminants from the surface.
Spray Your Wheel Off With Hose and Water
After putting in all that effort, rinse the freshly cleaned wheel with a hose and water before checking your brake dust cleaning. On more intricate wheels with nooks and crannies, you might notice places that you previously missed. You should go over any missed spots once more and repeat the cleaning procedure. Moving on to drying is necessary if you were successful in getting rid of all of the brake dust during the initial application.
Dry the Wheel With a Clean Cloth/Rag
Use a clean cloth or microfiber rag to dry your wheel.
What Are the Brake Dust Cleaning Items Household?
If baked-on brake dust is a problem for your car, it’s likely that your kitchen has the necessary brake dust cleaning supplies. Most surfaces can be cleaned with simple household items like soap, vinegar, and baking soda.
Dish Detergent and Baking Soda
Dinner plate grease and grime can be removed with water and dish detergent; the same is true for your rims. These degreasers are non-acidic, making them one of the safer household products to use on your wheels. Nevertheless, not all dirt may be eliminated by detergent-based solutions. The majority of automotive wheel cleaners use stronger compounds for brake dust cleaning.
Dish detergent is a typical household option to try before using stronger cleaning methods, though it is less effective than the majority of wheel cleaners.
Vinegar
Your wheels can be cleaned with a variety of vinegar-based solutions. In this post, we discussed a few of the best techniques. Mixing vinegar and water together is the simplest brake dust cleaning.
We do not advise applying vinegar directly to your wheel due to its potent acidic properties. Diluting it with water or another base is required if you decide to use it. Any acidic cleaner you use needs to be thoroughly rinsed off your car with water. The clear coat that shields your rims will be destroyed by acidic solutions that remain on them.
Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
Lemon juice can be used as a natural cleaner for most surfaces because it is nearly as acidic as vinegar. The pH of the solution is lowered when baking soda is added. The likelihood of paint or other corrosive surfaces being damaged also decreases with this drop in acidity. Additionally, baking soda offers some grit that will facilitate the removal of dirt by mechanical scrubbing.
Even with the addition of baking soda or another base, lemon juice may harm your wheels. You might prefer to use products made specifically for brake dust cleaning instead of common household cleaners as a result of these disadvantages.
Silicone Lubricants
Others advise using silicone lubricants or degreasers to clean car wheels. While lubricants are effective at removing debris, we recommend that you do not use the product to clean your wheels. These contain compounds meant to lubricate – and you certainly do not want brakes that slip. The brakes are harmed by any solution that remains on the wheel. Additionally, overspray from degreasers or silicone lubricants damages your paint over time.
Do you know how to brake dust cleaning? Make sure wheels, direct sunlight, rinse wheels to remove heavy dirt, choose the correct brake dust cleaner, spray wheels, and spray wheels off are seven easy methods for brake dust cleaning.
