How To Clean Chrome Rims

This Post may contain Affiliate Links. Please read our Disclosure for legal jargon.

If you have searched for this article, I am assuming you luv sum bling on your ride. Chrome rims are
always a subtle but classy addition that enhances your car’s style like no other modifications.

But, if you’ve just stumbled across this article, I’d like to suggest you consider making use of chrome rims to accessorize your car and come back to learn how to take good care of them. Go ahead, Google is your friend. You’ll know where I’m coming from.

Anyway, on to the main matter. While chrome rims can make your car as pretty as a young Winona Ryder, they call for an equal amount of maintenance and care to ensure a long run as they
get caked with dirt fast.

Cleaning Chrome Rims

Before we talk about anything else, let’s get to the main thing—cleaning your chrome rims so
that they stay as good as new. Now, this does not call for a lot of hard work if you know what you are doing.

Worry not, that’s what we are here for. Let’s break the process down into steps:

Step 1: Rinse and Rinse

Take a hose, and aim the water with high pressure at the wheels to and make sure you get to the
untouched surfaces as well. Rinse it well, for it will loosen all kinds of dirt stuck on them, including
the brake dust.

Step 2: Apply Chrome Wheel Cleaner

We’d suggest you get a chrome cleaner to help you clean better. Spray on the wheels and start
cleaning. Keep in mind to have the right tools – the ones that will ensure your cleaner reaches
everywhere; a wheel brush, a small cloth, and a sponge will do the job just fine.

Get at it one wheel at a time, do not do it in a hurry. Clean the wheels thoroughly, poke in through the wheel spokes, and rub between the nooks and crannies. Get to the wheel wells, and around the lug nuts of the wheels too.

Step 3: Rinse Pt. 2

Rinse again with water using a hose and aiming it at all the parts with high pressure.

Step 4: Wipe and Let Dry

Wipe well and reach every part of the rim, let dry.

To kick your chrome rim cleaning up a notch, we suggest you polish the wheels after you are done
cleaning them so that your hard work just doesn’t go to waste. Here is how to polish them:

Polishing Chrome Rims

Step 1: Wipe

Buy a chrome rim polish and wipe it on the wheels, one at a time.

Step 2: Polishing Tool

To get the best results, you can consider investing in a polishing tool that will help spread the polish
evenly and smoothly and give a great finish. Start the tool, and gradually increase the speed. Do this
on all four rims.

Step 3: Use a Soft Towel to Wipe the Wheels Clean

To kick it up further another notch, you can consider waxing the rims. This will lock in the shine,
prevent brake dust adhesion, and sustain the cleansing that you’ve worked so patiently on.

(We promise, we are not trying to rob you of your money. Just giving you the best advice possible!)

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

To obtain the best possible results out of chrome polish, make sure that it does not contain smelling
salts, anhydrous chemicals, or acids that can lead to a deterioration in the shine due to discoloring
and oxidation.
Polishing involves reactions because it is a chemical process, thus can produce dangerous gases
which upon inhalation cause health and respiratory problems. Hence it is advisable to take
preventive measures like:

• Always polish your chrome rims in an open space.
• Wear gloves to protect your skin from any possible chemical reactions. Wear cotton clothes
  and avoid synthetic clothes.
• Wear protective goggles or glasses for eye protection.
• Make sure that the area you work in is non-cluttered and allows proper ventilation.

Waxing Chrome Rims

Step 1: Buy a wheel protectant

You can buy a quality wheel protecting to wax your rims and seal the wheel surface. These work just
like car wax.

Step 2: Apply

Apply the product with an applicator pad and then buff the wheel. You will have to use this product
twice weekly, but using this is much better than cleaning your rims every two days.

Why Chrome Rims Need To Be Taken Care Of Well:

You must know how to clean them, or the quality will start to deteriorate and they will lose their shine. Now let us tell you what makes them vulnerable to damage.

Chrome rims are delicate as compared to other metals

Chrome rims are made from steel or aluminum and then plated with chrome, which is a very soft and delicate metal. You will never come across something made entirely out of chrome because of its delicate nature. That is why it is used as a coating over other metals because of the smooth finish it possesses.

Think of your chrome rims like gold jewelry—they need to be polished from time to time, just cleaning won’t cut it. Chrome responds well to polishing because of the same qualities; if you work smart and clean it well, the results are going to be flawless.

Brake dust causes damage to chrome rims

Brake dust is a result of friction material from the brake pads and iron from the brake rotors. It builds up over time. Don’t freak out—brake dust is a natural by-product of the brake pads and does not mean there is something wrong with your beloved car.

Neither is it dangerous, but it does affect the quality of your ride’s wheels. The intensive heat generated by the wheels turns this mixture highly corrosive and hence increases the risk of your wheels getting damaged.

If you use the car often, brake dust creation is always in process. Because chrome rims are soft, the chances of them getting penetrated and pitted by brake dust are even higher than they are for
regular wheels.

This is why cleaning the chrome rims regularly to preserve their quality and shine is a must. Getting chrome rims is like having a child: You need to be prepared for the responsibilities that come with it, or it will end up getting spoilt (just a comparison, I am not reducing children to chrome rims).

FAQs

How can I clean oxidation/rust off my chrome rims?

First, remove whatever rust you can with steel wool and water. Then spray a household cleaner mixed with water on the rims and scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse everything away with clean water.

If this doesn’t work, you will need to take your rims to a professional to get them rechromed.

Can I use vinegar to clean chrome rims?

Yes, you can! Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water, pour it into a spray bottle and get to work. This will rid the rims of streaks and tarnish.

For the best results, always use the combination of all three: Clean, Polish, and wax the rims. This will save you time and money (in the long run).

Now that you know it all, what are you waiting for? Tell them rims who’s the boss!