Best Cleaner For Car Wheels (2024 Update)

Using 1:1 part (50:50) wheel cleaner with water, stubbon water stains wiped off easily and instantly from car body incuding chrome fender and plastic bumper. DO NOT USE ON GLASS! It may cause etching stains. No need to buff. Wash off with tap water and dry with cloth. Wax or polish same day.carlsr53

First of all, don't get freaked out about the acid. That just means its on the acidic side of the pH scale. Guess what? The stuff in your stomach is too! Now, that doesn't mean you should drink this stuff (or even get it on your skin if you can help it), but it does mean it won't hurt your rims AS LONG AS you use the product properly and follow the directions. Pay clear attention to the direction and dilution ratios. Use only on recommended wheels. I believe if you use only on OEM wheels — ones with a clear coat — and avoid aluminum, you SHOULD be fine, but if in doubt, check with your wheel manufacturer. If still in doubt, test this product on a small area of one wheel. If you still can't decide, just use another wheel cleaner. I think even if you used this product on aluminum wheels, you can still polish them after use. So they'll be clean but a little dull. I couldn't believe how quick this product worked on my wheels when I first used it. I knew it was good stuff but I thought my wheels were relatively clean. Turns out, they weren't that clean. At least, this stuff got a lot of gunk off. I would strongly recommend you wear eye protection when using this product (or any chemical for that matter), especially with any brush that might "sling" any part of the product back in your face. I had sunglasses on when I first used this product with a new wheel brush and I'm glad I did. Now, I don't use any chemical without eye protection. Just a friendly tip. Be sure and rinse your wheels prior to applying this product. You want to work on cool wheels when using. Oh, and you might want to grab an acid resistant sprayer. You might want a few. I put this product in a Bona floor cleaner spray bottle (obviously without the Bona product) because I think their sprayer is the most acid/chemical resistant one there is. Sprayers may last a day or they may last a lifetime. Good luck, and again, don't freak out about words like acid that you may not fully understand. Not all of us took chemistry in high school (though I think we all SHOULD have!).s.

I liked that it was acid based because in the detailing world there isn’t much else than acid that cleans rims more effectively and efficiently. However this is not strong enough and will not clean your rims without physically touching them, which is why I bought this product. It is not worth the risk on your rims considering it won’t clean them completely and you risk being uneven. Consequently, this means it’s good for water spot removal since it’s not so strong as to burn windows during a full on acid bath. Be careful though it is an acid, do not breathe it in when spraying from a spray bottle.D.T.

been using this on my BMW as it does a much more thorough job that genuine BMW product. can leave on whilst washing the rest of the car, though i always agitate with a wheel rim brush before rinsing for maximum effectJonathan V.

I am very new to the Adam's product line. I read reviews. I watched customer YouTube reviews. I called Adam. And I purchased this item, as well as several other Adam's products. I'm used to the products at my local auto parts stores. They have been somewhat lackluster with their performance. This was different, very different. I sprayed it on the tire and some on a tire brush, then I started to work the brush around the tire. I used about 1/5th of the bottle for 4 tires. Wow, this ate the dirt off of the tire with ease. I didn't need to scrub hard at all and it was clean after only one application. I am seriously impressed. I highly recommend this to everyone. I will buy more when I get low. Thanks Adam!AJ G.

Hands down this is the best wheel and tire cleaner out there. I’ve been using brake buster for years and it’s so amazing it’s hard to replace, but Adams wheel and tire cleaner has even more cleaning power than brake buster. Even when if you were to just spray on tires you can see go to work right away without scrubbing (even though you should still scrub.) I have tried other big name wheel cleaners and they do a good job but this one outshines them for sure specially because it’s for both wheel and tires. The only two problems is that is twice the price of brake buster and other cleaners and it has a little stronger scent to it, nothing too crazy but it is noticeableOQ D.

Since Autozone had this on shelf, I decided to give it a try. Tested it fully on one of my F-150's wheel and tire. The wheels are matte black power coated XD, after brushing, thoroughly rinsing, then a leaf blower and hand dry, it left behind A LOT of white staining that took some time to clean up. This is way too strong in full concentrate for delicate finishes! My Mustang also has matte black Project 6GR wheels. I'm not risking using this on them. Otherwise it's a phenomenal tire cleaner. Since I already clean my tires weekly, diluting 1:1 and spraying some directly on a tire brush works well. And I have CG Diablo wheel cleaner which has been good for me. Factory rims typically have very durable glossy clear coating, so I believe this'll be no problem for them, just not with what I have.Joshua

Keeps wheels and tires looking good even through harsh weather. The only problem is the smell – very strong and oily. Hard to get off hands, and you must dedicate a towel to only use this spray.S.

my rims were not overly dirty, but i sprayed this stuff on, let it sit for about 15 seconds and wiped it off. the rim came out great. i cant speak of the rims overly dirty or caked on, but for normal brake dust and road grime, it seemed to work nicely. it was about 800 miles since i last cleaned my rims.M.

Usually when I finish detailing my car (wipe down with Ultimate Quik Detailer), I'll take the towel and wipe off my rims. I thought I'd give this product a try, since it offered being a tire dressing as well. It left my rims clean, shiny, and smooth/slick, and did provide some level of tire dressing as well. If you're looking for the deep shiny gloss you get from gels, this isn't it, but it also did not "spray" over the car after driving nor did it leave residue on my car cover. My rims had a bit of dust and dirt from the recent rains, and the spray cleaned that up fine. My impression is that if you have caked-on mud or dust, you should still wash it off first before using this product, or you'll have to do a second application. Definitely like what it did for my rims, will buy again!m.

The price is reasonable for those on a budget. You really have to spray at a close range as it sprays out as a foam immediately. Product is effective on getting grime off of wheels and tires. Easy to rinse too. This is my second time purchasing and in ease case, the nozzle leaks all over my hand while spraying. Very annoying. Recommend you wash hands before and after using this product.TooFatForMyCar

was using the car guys wheel cleaner for a few years.. found it did an awesome job. But when I compared two rims side-by-side with this turtle wax hybrid, I realized the car guys cleaner is trash! This stuff is impressive.eriq.s

Purchase today! Used it and WOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!!!! Game changer!! I am always scrubbing my tires, when they dry they go back to brown. After this, BLACK. Literally like BRAND NEWWWWWW!!!! 100% recommended. Sick lil product, very effective.Caroleena Gonzalez

So I decided to polish my stainless steel, quarter fenders, tanks, and wheels. Truck washes use an acid to help break up road grime, bugs and brake dust. I've always heard this is a good polish, have seen it demonstrated on already polished metal. I took a gamble and picked up the bigger can, and glad I did. The acid at the wash turns my aluminum white, I used a test patch on my tanks, the whitest of my aluminum, after 2-3 gentle applications my test portion was shiny again. There was no scrubbing, and yes a very little goes along way, the portion in my picture was just from barely scraping the top of the container. The other polish I tried took half a bottle to get my metal shining again.Heather

I happened to see a video online on how to use this for old headlights. All you do is rub it on, & rub it off. Things I’ve used in the past only last for so long, so figured I’d try this since it was easier. It worked & I’m happy with the results. For the low trouble & the cost, if it lasts at least a few months, I’m happy.Misty

Aluminum front motorcycle forks were seriously corroded. Went from 150 – 3000 grit sandpaper to smooth out. Was awesome. Decided to finish off with Mother's and was shocked how much better it looked. Photo showing good/bad forks for comparison.Wade

I bought the Armorall Tire Foam which I have used for many years and the nozzle would not spray normally. It barely sprayed and when it did it went on a 45 degree angle in little spurts. I went to the Armorall website to follow the warranty process and posted the info they requested. All I received back is " It is under review" Under review for what? I explained it all, showed a photo of the can and for $7 purchase I wasted my time and get a response of " under review" Been few months haven't heard back still. Will never use their products again.Bob1234

This is my 6th bottle since I purchased my car and I can’t stop buying it. I’ve enjoyed how easy this tire cleaner helps the tires get clean specially since the brakes release a lot of break dusk which is a bit annoying but I know that when I spray this on it will leave the wheels clean!!Jonatan

So I’ve been using this for years now as it’s a cheap wheel/tire cleaner compared to other brands, especially German ones. I spray my tires all around, wait about 1 minute & I hose the bristles on my tire brush & get to work. It will clean the tires really good. For really baked in brake dust this product is as effective as car shampoo. For some reason brake dust doesn’t break down as easy as when the tires are sprayed. If a wheel brush it will help but also keep in mind the trigger on this product doesn’t spray a mist but rather a chunk of product so expect to go through a bottle after 1-3 washes depending on tire size & how bad the tires are. Hope this helps.Senad

I used it, and thought it was the reason why my clear coat on my aftermarket rims started chipping but after talking to Benjamin Henderson, He said all the solution is, a soupy solution. I wouldn't recommend this. It didn't help any better than water would and made them dim and left behind a dirty residue.Jordan

Went in not knowing what to expect with the Maguire's aluminum rim cleaner, have used others in the past with less than favorable results. But this stuff works GREAT, I tried it on my classic Jag and it cleaned and shined up the rims excellently. I would recommend to everyone. So the next week after getting the Aluminum cleaner went back and got the Chrome wheel cleaner from Maguire's to use on my F150, and it was even more impressive as it took the brake dust and what I thought was pitting out of the chrome and cleaned it to a brilliant shine. Well done Maguire's. Love it. RandyRandy123

I have used many Meguiar's products over the years. Their Gold Class Car Shampoo is still my personal favorite car soap. I was hoping for the same here, but ended up a little disappointed. True story — I hate scrubbing wheels. It's boring, tedious, and I just want to get through it as quickly as possible. I was looking for a spray on, spray off type product, but this one is not that. It did remove grime and brake dust, but only if you scrub the area with a brush or wheel tool. Missed a spot? Too bad, the gunk will still be on there. It's really annoying when you have wheels with a complicated design like mine. Oh well, will keep looking.K.

Meg's Iron Decon works as advertised and getting it in Gallon form makes it even easier. Thank you to the Warehouse for great pricing and fast shipping.Joe F.

A more economical way of keeping your wheels clean. Cleans brake dust better than any other cleaner I've used. I would recommend you give this product a try.xtac2530

I love using P&S brake buster. Very effective and easy to brake through brake dust and road grime. As a professional detailer I highly recommend this product.Ivan V.

works well I normally use in a IK foam sprayer, fantastic for maintenance washes and reasonably dirty ones I find for filthy cars I need to hit them first with a iron wheel cleaner but can't complain works wellChris K.

I painted my rims black well over a year ago and have had no issues until I used this product. It's ate holes THROUGH the paint, and bleached the remaining paint to a baby blue. Other cons include it's IMPOSSIBLE to rinse off, leaves streaks, and based on other reviews eats not only rim paint, but brakes calibers and other things.A disappointed customer

I picked up this bottle in local Walmart store. I keep my car clean most of the time but always washed tires with car soap which dont do much magic. I got this and next day I tried it out. Soak the wheels and tires and be generous with application. Without touching tires you will see dirt coming off. But when I took my tire brush and agitated it, all of the dirt came off from a rinse. The tires looked so fresh and the wheel dust got removed as well. DontNot sure about the break dust removal though. I wanted to experiment with my rubber floor mats and they came out to be brand new. I'm really amazed by this product. Totally recommend it. Dont forget to put tire shine after using this. The tires will be in desperate need for that and probably you need to put two applications.Karteek

Today I faced a ridiculous situation. Your manager was so bad! The product that I purchased was defected so I took it to the store to return it. I applied the product to my tires and wheels and it left many white stains on my wheels. I was so upset with your product because I couldn't remove the stains on wheel. I tried several time to wipe them off but it did not work. I went to your store this morning. I showed her (store manager) the stains on my wheels. I requested for an exchange but she said it is not returnable because it was used. I asked her how could a customer know if the product was defected or not unless he tried it. She kept saying that the product was not resellable. We could not communicate each other. According to your policy the product was purchased less than a month and it was used just once. I feel like a victim of this product. My car is Linclon and it had got white stains instead of shine. I have been a good customer of Auto Advance for many years but through this experience I am so so disappointed with your store employee and the service.Angry...

I bought this Wheel Cleaner with complete confidence in the brand, very disappointed, it removed the original factory shine I had on my wheels, almost like it removed a coating off my wheels or something. Now my wheels look dull. Complete garbage product, save your money, just use mild soap and water.Dontneedtoknow

Foaming action removes all but the most stubborn of staining from aluminium products. For more stubborn stains, agitation with a stiff bristled brush and rinsing with hot water seems to work better.Waz

My favorite wheel cleaner I’ve used. It’s not too expensive in the gallon size, 1 gallon for $25 vs 32oz for more than half the price is good. With this wheel cleaner literally within 5 seconds you can see the chemical working on the dirt on the tire and wheel. The spray turns brown almost as soon as it hits the tire.Seth Colson

I mainly use it heavily for the inside of the wheels (barrel). Product cleans Ok, hasn't caused any damage to my painted clear coated wheels, but it still requires the wheel to be wiped down, and that's on a car that is always garaged and rarely sees rain. So it doesn't completely take the brake dust away. It didn't do much for my tire cleaning either? Tires looked kind of brown afterwards.wsam

This product does what is says it does! I was very impressed with how quickly and easily the years of build-up of brake dust and grease was washed off the inside of my rims on my Mercedes with high powered sprayer at car wash after I let the cleaner sit on them for 30 seconds. It did not take any of the finish off at all!!! They look almost brand new!April

Expensive, would be nice if the price could be lower.And availability,product is hard to find. Most stores do not carry it.Sonax's loss I guess.dski8787

I used this stuff on my motorcycle wheels. It not only cleaned the hubs and rims beautifully, it even put a shine on the spokes. I went on to use it on the frame and engine parts. Does a great job of degreasing, removing dead bugs, and that dingy road grime you get from riding in the rain. I love it because it requires no rubbing or scrubbing. Just spray the foam on – I let it set for maybe five minutes – and then rinse everything clean with a good garden hose sprayer. Takes away the dirt; leaves a shine. I didn't have any problems with it damaging the finish on any painted surfaces. Highly recommend it for use on motorcycles.The fabulous Ahdah

used this to clean some uncoated aluminum wheels and tires. Worked very well! I especially liked cleaning the tires with it. You get this reaction that turns dark brown which seems to only happen with dirty tires. Its like the dirt and grime and oxidation on the rubber is washing away effortlessly! I also used this product on my motorcycle wheels, which are powder coated gloss black. Amazing! I didn't have to touch them with a rag or anything. just spray, wait, rinse and they looked as good as when i picked them up 5 years ago from the powder coater!Shaun

Dont waste your money. I have used many wheel and tire cleaners and this one has a bad design. The customer service number is a joke. You cannot get anyone on the phone . Its all automated and a waste of 10 minutes, designed to make you angry and give up. It does not spray the foam. It plops it out , the design 2 or 3 years ago was very good. The chemical works good on all versions. However the pump spray is a 1 / 10 , it is dog Chiit . Do not buy. Do not waste money on dog ChhitChristopher

Ive always liked meguiers cleaners. Ive used them on the inside and outside of my vehicles. I have a Wrangler with new really nice shiny wheels that are made of polished aluminum. I bought this stuff to clean my wheels that get very dirty and muddy from being off road. It works very good. Took all of the dirt, mud and grime off easily with a scrub brush. My wheels are shiny and reflective afterwards, so much so that I can see myself. Im very impressed.D.A.

I dont know why anyone would put less than a 5 star review on this product by saying it doesnt work. This stuff works GREAT! For best results spray on dry wheels and wait 5 mins then brush and hose off. Took off dried brake dust off of my wheels that other cleaners wouldnt touch, even diluted down Purple Power. Gentle on wheels and does the trick!haulass27

Bought this for cleaning Honda and Porsche wheels and wheel wells, trying to find an economical alternative to Sonax cleaner. Used first on the Honda Pilot. The wheel centers are NOT painted/clear-coated so MUST be removed prior to wheel cleaning. So wheel comes off first, centers come out, and then get to clean the wheels. The cleaner did a great job on outer wheel faces and the outer tire face. The wheel barrel cleaning is OK, and the inner tire face cleaning is less than ideal on my car. Outer faces get regular black tire shine treatment, wheels get regular clean and paint sealant. Use: I used it at 1:1 dilution in a spray bottle, surfaces "agitated" after application with a medium brush. I applied and brushed twice on the insides/barrels. Original brake pads, clear-coated aluminum wheels including barrels. Barrels and faces were sealed using Meguiars sealant at last cleaning. Inside tire faces were still dirty brown after two cleanings. 🙁 I like to keep the Honda Pilot wheel faces, tires, and the inner barrels clean and bright the way I keep the Porsche wheels and tires. Pilot gets the not-summer driving duty so contends with road de-icer slurry. The Sonax does a better/easier job removing pad deposits, but unfortunately costs the same for 16oz as this Meguiars cleaner costs for a gallon. This Meguiars cleaner dilutes 1:1 up to 2:1 per the label, so potentially stretches a lot farther than the Sonax. It ends up with an extra respraying and brushing/rinsing step, plus the wheels MUST be removed for center caps. It's north of a wash (sorry…) just on cost. I still have a few bottles of the Sonax to use on the Porsche wheels. Pilot wheels and undercarriage will get a bath with normal car wash detergent, then get a full paint sealant, before I pass final judgment on this product. So far, cleaning is good but not Sonax great, but overall $ value is better than the the Sonax. The Honda Pilot center caps are raw aluminum face over plastic, with a vinyl H emblem applied. This cleaner darkens the raw aluminum face and demands a manual polish and seal effort if inadvertently applied to the caps. An extra step if you screw up and try to clean the wheels on the car with caps in place. I made that mistake on the first wheel I did, won't again.B.i.C.O.

This wheel cleaner works very well, but you don't get a lot for the money compared to other brands I have tried that do as good of a job. I would like more adjustable spray control so I can get a finer spray, which not only would make more efficient use of the cleaner, but also allow you to get in the nooks and crannies of your wheel. The cleaner being a thicker gel makes it hard to get a good, uniform coating on my wheels as well, meaning I have to spray more of it to get the coverage I need.Nathan Y.

Very effective wheel cleaner!! Color changed fairly quick but i still let it sit for about 3 minutes so it can works its magic. I did not use a lot as it really did cling to the wheels. I personally would say you can get 4 to maybe even 5 cars with a bottle. I will mention the smell isn't the most satisfying but i appreciate Ethos adding the cherry scent to mask the odor. Truth be told, the smell doesn't matter when the product works this great. Very very pleased with the outcome. Ethos is legit!Javier

Ethos wheel cleaner is one of the best we have ever used. It works like a wheel cleaner should work. My partner and I have used 20+ different wheel cleaners the past few years trying to narrow down the best or one that requires little to no agitation. Spray on then Spray off for the most part and to use for a regular routine maintenance. Anything heavily soiled will require agitation via brush, etc. And honestly, that is to be expected with any wheel cleaner (if not the Acid would probably be too strong to ship or handle the product, etc.). Ethos is the closest wheel cleaner we have found that involves little to no touching of the wheels. It really works well and is a good product yet easy on the wallet. A gallon used to be available but I havent seen it in a while. Maybe that will come back soon. Great stuff!!J.P. M.

Worked without agitation on my ceramic coated wheels! Did a great job on the tires as well, I won't be using anything else for my wheel and tire cleaning ever again!Paul Ternahan