NoRegrets1

I bought a new 2015 Lexus ES350 a couple months ago and the tires and wheels looked so nice from the dealership. Now that a couple months have passed, the wheels no longer bubble up when washed and the tires have lost their wet shine look.

I hand wash my car every few days and would like to keep both my wheels and tires looking like new as well.

What product is safe on my wheels and will work the best for cleaning and protecting them and which product should I use on my tires?

Many thanks for any help offered!

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

For tires, I like the Tuf Shine TIre cleaner and Tire Brush.

If you wash your vehicle that often, you won't need to use a dedicated wheel cleaner. Soap and water will be just fine.

I recommend the EZ Detail Brush & Wheel Cleaning Brush to help safely clean them.

As far as tire dressing goes, you'll want to use a water-based dressing to help keep your rubber looking good without harming the surface. I personally prefer CarPro PERL for my tire dressing. It can be diluted to your preferred level of gloss.

My Go-To Wheel and Tire Cleaning Products by Zach McGovern

Product Review: CarPro PERL by Zach McGovern

Hope that helps

-Zach

NoRegrets1

Thank you Zach for your advice as well as including the helpful links! Much appreciated!

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

Zach's recommendations are excellent choices. He's an expert on detailing.

I personally use Chemical Guys Diablo Wheel Gel and Sonax Full Effect for very dirty wheels. Since you wash your car often, soap and water should be fine, like zmcgovern4 said.

For tire shine, I prefer to use water based tires shines like Meguairs Hyper Dressing and Chemical Guys Silk Shine. Use a good tire cleaner like the Tuf Shine Tire Cleaner with a good tire brush before putting a dressing on.

NoRegrets1

Thank you Kira for replying to my thread and sharing the products that work well for you. Much appreciated!

rustyd

Croftgate Tire Shine

swoo350

I've got some CG Diablo Wheel cleaner but I feel like it doesn't work good at all. Did you dilute it 3:1? I spray the rims down with water then I spray CG onto them and let it sit for like 10 minutes. I feel like I have to agitate it a lot more with a brush as opposed to what I previously used (meguires hot wheel cleaner)

Zelfiris

Agitating with a brush would get most out of the wheel cleaning process. I find sonax to penetrate brake dust better than diablo wheel gel. I enjoy using both. By cleaning the wheels more often (and sealing the wheels with wax/sealant), there is less time for brake dust to settle so at times a regular car soap would be more than enough to do the job

jv6792

as for the tire dressing, i currently use Perl as i prefer a water based over silicone. Perl is great bit its not as glossy as id like it to be even after a couple coats and using it straight (not diluted).

I plan on using HD Dress next as i hear great things about it and its very cheap as well. Its about $32 for a gallon and can be diluted for a more satin look. I will be purchasing this in the future.

NoRegrets1

Another thought I had in regards to protecting your wheels....

How do you think using the same Wolfgang Fuzion Carnauba Polymer Estate Wax that I use on my car's paint would work on my wheels after cleaning them with the Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus?

Best wishes,
No Regrets

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

You can certainly use a traditional wax on your wheels, it just won't likely live as long on them as it does on your paint. Your wheels take a beating in terms of dirt and debris which takes its toll on the wax.

I highly recommend CarPro HydrO2 as the quickest and easiest way to seal your wheels.

CarPro HydrO2: Seal Your Wheels in Less than 1 Minute by Zach McGovern

-Zach

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

My alternative to using Iron-X on wheels (gets expensive after a while!) is Meguiars DUBS cleaner. It works 95% as well, but cost only $9 and you can get it from your local Walmart. I just wish the spray pattern was better. It doesn't mist as well as Iron-X.

NoRegrets1

Hi Zach,

Thanks for the reply. I ordered a bunch of stuff from Detailed Image that should be arriving today via FedEx....Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus, Optimum Car Wash, DI EZ Detail Brush, CarPro PERL, Tuf Shine Tire Cleaner, etc but forgot to order the HydrO2 that you had recommended to me earlier That's why I was wondering if the Wolfgang Estate Wax would work well or not. I'll get some HydrO2 on my next order.

Thanks again for the tips and advice in helping me keep my new car looking sharp!

Best Wishes,
No Regrets

FatherTo1

Just wanted to say thanks, Zach. I tried your Tuf Shine recommendation and love it! I had to use the cleaner and brush 8x per tire to get it properly prepped and clean. I must have had a lot of residue from past tire dressing products. Tuf Shine does an incredible job of keeping the tires looking clean and semi-glossy. It was three full weeks before I noticed any dulling of tire shine. Every previous tire shine product I tried over the years would wear off after 3-5 days.

3nergiz3d

I also agree with the recommended products. I use Car Pro Perl for the dressing and Adam's Tire and Rubber Cleaner.