Alloy wheel Stain removal
Discussion
Couldn’t see a detailing section in PH so I stuck this here.
I have white compomotives on the car, I cleaned them for the first time in months yesterday. I got most of the usual dirt and brake dust away but I think the salt has stained my white wheels a lovely nicotine yellow. It feels quite coarse to the touch at the offending stained areas.
Is there anything I can do to get these wheels looking new again without damaging them, or am I stuck with them looking crap forever.
I have white compomotives on the car, I cleaned them for the first time in months yesterday. I got most of the usual dirt and brake dust away but I think the salt has stained my white wheels a lovely nicotine yellow. It feels quite coarse to the touch at the offending stained areas.
Is there anything I can do to get these wheels looking new again without damaging them, or am I stuck with them looking crap forever.
BoostMonkey said:
Stage 1 - Bilberry wheel cleaner
Stage 2 - Iron X
Stage 3 - Autosmart Tardis
Stage 4 - Clay
If that lot does not work, your going to need a refurb.
I'm sure that lot is very impressive, but is there not a product that does more or less the same in one go? I imagine detailing geeks really must have a tough time just trying to have a normal day. Merely having a bath must take a Bootsful of apparatus:Stage 2 - Iron X
Stage 3 - Autosmart Tardis
Stage 4 - Clay
If that lot does not work, your going to need a refurb.
Stage 1.1 - Deep pre clean at 50 degrees
Stage 1.2 - Repeat stage one with new tank of solution
Stage 2 - Tea Tree AmpleMax Sudonizer (blue)
Stage 3 - Dove Plus applied with FuryTex sponge (mauve)
Stage 4 - UltraNit hair prep and decontaminator, scalp, pits n groin.
Stage 5 - MrProtein nail conditioner
Stage 6 - Detail Bros. Mega Shaft Oscillator and Lube dispenser
Stage 7.1 - Pre-rinse at 40 degrees
Stage 7.2 - Post-rinse at 37 degrees
Stage 8 - Gobi 'No-bead' Towelling Mitt
Stage 9 - MaxiAir Hot Balloon wind puffer
Stage etc.
Stage 21 - Profit
moanthebairns said:
Efbe said:
acid.
just rinse it off very thoroughly. and I mean very very thoroughly!!!
nitric, acetic, hydrochloric? whats best???just rinse it off very thoroughly. and I mean very very thoroughly!!!
hydrochrloric. get some really strong stuff, not halfords rubbish, but decent strength.
apply lightly to the whole wheel (NOT TYRE!!!), leave for 30 seconds and rinse very thoroughly. (oh and wear gloves!)
if that doesn't do it, then leave it on for 1 min, etc etc.
your other cleaning products are doing exactly the same thing, just very slowly.
I cannot describe how important it is to clean them very very well after though. any acid left on there, no matter how weak will corrode you alloys beyond repair.
Efbe said:
moanthebairns said:
Efbe said:
acid.
just rinse it off very thoroughly. and I mean very very thoroughly!!!
nitric, acetic, hydrochloric? whats best???just rinse it off very thoroughly. and I mean very very thoroughly!!!
hydrochrloric. get some really strong stuff, not halfords rubbish, but decent strength.
apply lightly to the whole wheel (NOT TYRE!!!), leave for 30 seconds and rinse very thoroughly. (oh and wear gloves!)
if that doesn't do it, then leave it on for 1 min, etc etc.
your other cleaning products are doing exactly the same thing, just very slowly.
I cannot describe how important it is to clean them very very well after though. any acid left on there, no matter how weak will corrode you alloys beyond repair.
I guess your taking the piss, I always hated working with hydrochloric acid, it was quite awesome though the effect it had on metals/lime stone/plastics when playing about with it as a lab tech fully suited and booted with chemical suits and Breathing apparatus on… I think I’d look a ticket on my driveway like that though.
Back as an apprentice I once put a half eaten square sausage into nitric acid to see what would happen, I couldn’t find it when we went to look for it later. Just a brown beaker full of nitric acid.
moanthebairns said:
Where’s that no sure if serious picture.
I guess your taking the piss, I always hated working with hydrochloric acid, it was quite awesome though the effect it had on metals/lime stone/plastics when playing about with it as a lab tech fully suited and booted with chemical suits and Breathing apparatus on… I think I’d look a ticket on my driveway like that though.
Back as an apprentice I once put a half eaten square sausage into nitric acid to see what would happen, I couldn’t find it when we went to look for it later. Just a brown beaker full of nitric acid.
actually no, completely serious.I guess your taking the piss, I always hated working with hydrochloric acid, it was quite awesome though the effect it had on metals/lime stone/plastics when playing about with it as a lab tech fully suited and booted with chemical suits and Breathing apparatus on… I think I’d look a ticket on my driveway like that though.
Back as an apprentice I once put a half eaten square sausage into nitric acid to see what would happen, I couldn’t find it when we went to look for it later. Just a brown beaker full of nitric acid.
problem is I don't know what strength I used, was given some by a mate... in a lemonade bottle... I know, could have been anything!
worked perfectly on my old skyline rims, which had been damaged by gritters coming down our road, and not being able to get the car up the driveway out of the way in time for the snow!
are you actually being serious! I assume the acid you were working with was very weak, what did it smell like?
In all serious if you still have this in a plastic bottle of irn bru with acid in it get rid of it safely right now. Dilute with more water than you think you need and then some. Unless its sulphuric acid
Acid eats away at plastic through months and years and the bottle could potentially leak or shatter in your hands without ppe on.
Not to mention where its stored temperature change could build gas up inside and shoot out causing chemical burn.
Maybe its just because Ive worked with deadly concentrations and have had health and safety drilled into me through the years but this is the maddest thing ive read on ph in a long time
moanthebairns said:
are you actually being serious! I assume the acid you were working with was very weak, what did it smell like?
In all serious if you still have this in a plastic bottle of irn bru with acid in it get rid of it safely right now. Dilute with more water than you think you need and then some. Unless its sulphuric acid
Acid eats away at plastic through months and years and the bottle could potentially leak or shatter in your hands without ppe on.
Not to mention where its stored temperature change could build gas up inside and shoot out causing chemical burn.
Maybe its just because Ive worked with deadly concentrations and have had health and safety drilled into me through the years but this is the maddest thing ive read on ph in a long time
it was no-where full fat Hydrochloric Acid, and even then I still diluted it 1:1 before using. Stayed in the bottle for a year before I chucked it recently, and didn't eat it's way out, so can't have been all that strong!In all serious if you still have this in a plastic bottle of irn bru with acid in it get rid of it safely right now. Dilute with more water than you think you need and then some. Unless its sulphuric acid
Acid eats away at plastic through months and years and the bottle could potentially leak or shatter in your hands without ppe on.
Not to mention where its stored temperature change could build gas up inside and shoot out causing chemical burn.
Maybe its just because Ive worked with deadly concentrations and have had health and safety drilled into me through the years but this is the maddest thing ive read on ph in a long time
The only way I can describe the strength is that without gloves it did tingle after 30 seconds and started to burn more than that. I got some on my wrist
I remember the smell from school, definately hydrochloric acid in there.
if you say its hydrochloric acid, the concentration that guy would have been able to get a hold of, unless he worked in the petrochemical industry would have just been the over the counter 10 per cent or less stuff.
If it was 1:1 Diluted then not really going to cause much damage unless you have a bath in it or drink it.
some of the alloy wheel clearners contain acid so i guess its most likely on a par with them, maybe a bit more concentrated.
If it was 1:1 Diluted then not really going to cause much damage unless you have a bath in it or drink it.
some of the alloy wheel clearners contain acid so i guess its most likely on a par with them, maybe a bit more concentrated.
moanthebairns said:
if you say its hydrochloric acid, the concentration that guy would have been able to get a hold of, unless he worked in the petrochemical industry would have just been the over the counter 10 per cent or less stuff.
If it was 1:1 Diluted then not really going to cause much damage unless you have a bath in it or drink it.
some of the alloy wheel clearners contain acid so i guess its most likely on a par with them, maybe a bit more concentrated.
sounds likely.If it was 1:1 Diluted then not really going to cause much damage unless you have a bath in it or drink it.
some of the alloy wheel clearners contain acid so i guess its most likely on a par with them, maybe a bit more concentrated.
He is/was in the automotive trade, but not petrochemical.
worked well anyhow, but do be careful have heard of bad results with such techniques.
Detailers may be geeks but the products are wheel safe and get the job done!
Bilberry plus a decent wheel polish might do the trick - you won't damage the wheels for a start.
Plus bilberry is a good wheel cleaner in its own right and last for ages as you can adjust the dilution levels.
I won't use anything else and find it better when neat than wonder wheels etc etc.
Just because someone likes detailing doesn't mean we all do it to the nth degree
A good product does the work for you safely!
Bilberry plus a decent wheel polish might do the trick - you won't damage the wheels for a start.
Plus bilberry is a good wheel cleaner in its own right and last for ages as you can adjust the dilution levels.
I won't use anything else and find it better when neat than wonder wheels etc etc.
Just because someone likes detailing doesn't mean we all do it to the nth degree
A good product does the work for you safely!
TheInternet said:
BoostMonkey said:
Stage 1 - Bilberry wheel cleaner
Stage 2 - Iron X
Stage 3 - Autosmart Tardis
Stage 4 - Clay
If that lot does not work, your going to need a refurb.
I'm sure that lot is very impressive, but is there not a product that does more or less the same in one go? I imagine detailing geeks really must have a tough time just trying to have a normal day. Merely having a bath must take a Bootsful of apparatus:Stage 2 - Iron X
Stage 3 - Autosmart Tardis
Stage 4 - Clay
If that lot does not work, your going to need a refurb.
Stage 1.1 - Deep pre clean at 50 degrees
Stage 1.2 - Repeat stage one with new tank of solution
Stage 2 - Tea Tree AmpleMax Sudonizer (blue)
Stage 3 - Dove Plus applied with FuryTex sponge (mauve)
Stage 4 - UltraNit hair prep and decontaminator, scalp, pits n groin.
Stage 5 - MrProtein nail conditioner
Stage 6 - Detail Bros. Mega Shaft Oscillator and Lube dispenser
Stage 7.1 - Pre-rinse at 40 degrees
Stage 7.2 - Post-rinse at 37 degrees
Stage 8 - Gobi 'No-bead' Towelling Mitt
Stage 9 - MaxiAir Hot Balloon wind puffer
Stage etc.
Stage 21 - Profit
moanthebairns said:
i think ill give some of these a try, ran out of Meguiar's alloy wheel cleaner.
whats the deal with the clay though? how does that work?
If there are any bits stuck on the paint of the alloys this will pull them off safely but you need to use a lube (fnar).whats the deal with the clay though? how does that work?
I haven't yet clayed an alloy - I find a decent cleaner and wheel polish normally does the trick.
You can use super resin polish by the way it's really good for stuff like that.
If you use bilberry let it soak then agitate it into a foam with a brush
moanthebairns said:
is there a alloy wheel wax out there?
by that i mean something I could apply once they are cleaned to stop them becoming dirty so quick and easier to clean.
Yes there are quite a few products out there - I used to use poorboys stuff but now use a sealant from werkstatt.by that i mean something I could apply once they are cleaned to stop them becoming dirty so quick and easier to clean.
Have a search on the net as different products suit different people and how much time you have to spend on the car.
It is much easier to remove dirt once applied, but some last longer than others and being honest its a pain to apply.
I switched to the sealant then just apply a decent car wax over the top and it does the same trick for me.
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