How to remove corrosion from aluminum wheels. Corroded aluminum wheels can mean anything from a bit of road grime and brake dust to severe pitting. How much time and effort it will take to clean your corroded rims depends totally on how badly corroded they are and what type of corrosion is present.
Oxygen is one of the enemies of aluminum. Simply leaving your rims exposed to the air will cause them to turn dull and look shabby.
Add in road salts and grime, brake dust, and other contaminants and your bright, shiny aluminum rims can start looking really nasty.
Once your wheels are looking good, they need to be protected from the air by using some sealant which will make them shine like new after each cleaning as if you’ve just gotten new wheels.
How to remove corrosion from aluminum wheels
Corrosion is the biggest enemy of your car. It can severely harm the smooth, sleek aluminum wheels of your car. It’s crucial that you do regular maintenance.
Because it prevents both grime and dust from settling in the wheels after all if you want to get rid of this corrosive substance from your aluminum wheels you’re going to need to take a few steps:
Use water and soap
To make your new car look great, you need to thoroughly clean the wheels first. Start with checking the wheel wells and removing any dirt or debris which is stuck on them.
Use a power washer to spray off any grime you can’t reach with a hose. If no power washer is available, use a basic garden hose instead equipped with a spray nozzle.
Make sure all parts of the wheel are covered with soap and let soak for half an hour. Rinse the soap later on using the same hose with salt water for about 15 minutes.
After that, check whether there still is dirt somewhere inside it should be totally clean now.
Apply a wheel cleaner
As you clean your car’s wheels with water and soap, don’t forget to apply your wheel cleaner. Even though there is more than one way to apply the solution, the procedure remains the same.
No matter what brand you use, follow carefully the directions on the wheel cleaner. Using a soft brush, work in the solution evenly across all areas. Generally, excessive scrubbing or elbow grease will damage the appearance.
Wheel Clay solution
The process of removing aluminum wheel corrosion can be quite time-consuming and it isn’t required. However, if you feel their current state is unacceptable, consider applying an all-purpose lubricant to the car’s tires. After doing so, take a bar or block of clay and rub it over the flat surface.
Be careful as this process tends to become very laborious; you may want to enlist the help of at least one other person to ensure your safety remember that on average, aluminum corrodes faster than most other common metals.
You’ll have to rinse away all of the grime with water and make sure that you clean any excess lubricant or clay from the wheels before drying them off with a microfiber towel.
Apply some wheel polish
If you’re a DIYer, applying new protective coatings such as specialty polishes and waxes can be tricky the first time around. So we put together a step-by-step instructional guide in order to help you buff your wheels to a shine.
Right now, all you need is 1000 RPM. But that’s no ticket to just begin applying polish to your wheels.
Begin by washing them off with water or clean water and make sure they are as dry as possible before moving forward with the rest of the steps.
Last but not least, don’t forget to sand your rims with at least 3 coarsest grits (roughly 1,000, 2,000, and then 4,000) before switching over to the finer grits necessary for maintaining the protective coatings from here on out (around 5,000). Congratulations.
You’ve made it through the hard part. Now that’s one dazzling finish we’re sure your car will enjoy for years to come.
Using wheel wax on the wheels
While your car’s wheels may be shining brighter than they used to and looking great, that does not mean they are immune to extensive damage. You will save yourself trouble in the long run by using wheel wax.
Wheel polish is often referred to as a corrosion preventative for aluminum wheels, however, it isn’t as durable as wheel wax because it doesn’t repel moisture, oil, dirt, and other harmful elements.
Wheel wax is easy enough to apply without needing to reapply after a few weeks or months because you will know your wheels are safe for this period of time.
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