How do your clean you wheel wells?

[hlh1]

I greatly dislike how the black wheel well liners turn grayish over time. I'll spray Simple Green onto the liners and wash it out with a hose and it helps some, but if I can get my hand in there with a sponge the liners look black again. Anyone find an easier way to do this other than removing the wheels?

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[DFB5.0]

I use Wheel Woolies to clean the wheel arches each time I wash the wheels.

(My Falcon used for illustration in this image.)

Any plastic dressing could then be used to shine it up once dry. Something like 303.

 

[hlh1]

That's exactly what I need! Just bought the 3 brush set.

 

[Deleted member 35644]

I have a wash mitt dedicated to wheels & wheel wells. Haven't found a "brush" that gets all the nooks & crannies, so I do it by hand. Also clean it & apply trim restorer gel to the fender liner when I have the wheels off, which keeps the crud from sticking.

 

[Lerxst]

I greatly dislike how the black wheel well liners turn grayish over time. I'll spray Simple Green onto the liners and wash it out with a hose and it helps some, but if I can get my hand in there with a sponge the liners look black again. Anyone find an easier way to do this other than removing the wheels?

Simple Green is bad for aluminum, and in general, is NOT a safe car cleaning product. There are many automotive-specific all-purpose-cleansers that will do a better job, while being safer.

But yeah, having said that, the fuzzy inserts in the wheel wells are a pain to keep nice. The trick is to keep them from staying dirty for too long so that they don't stain. +1 on the wheel woolies - that's basically the ticket if you're not doing a full wheels off detail.

 

[hlh1]

Simple Green is bad for aluminum, and in general, is NOT a safe car cleaning product. There are many automotive-specific all-purpose-cleansers that will do a better job, while being safer.

But yeah, having said that, the fuzzy inserts in the wheel wells are a pain to keep nice. The trick is to keep them from staying dirty for too long so that they don't stain. +1 on the wheel woolies - that's basically the ticket if you're not doing a full wheels off detail.

I only use Simple Green on the wheels and in the wheel wells, and I cut it in half with water. Guess I need to find a dedicated wheel cleaner. What would I use inside the wheel wells if not Simple Green to cut the grime?

 

[Timeless]

I only use Simple Green on the wheels and in the wheel wells, and I cut it in half with water. Guess I need to find a dedicated wheel cleaner. What would I use inside the wheel wells if not Simple Green to cut the grime?

 

[GMB Racing]

they make a simple green extreme which is made to clean aircraft and is safe for aluminum and plastic parts.

 

[Lerxst]

I only use Simple Green on the wheels and in the wheel wells, and I cut it in half with water. Guess I need to find a dedicated wheel cleaner. What would I use inside the wheel wells if not Simple Green to cut the grime?

There’s so many. I use BIO APC by Poorboys World. Or, Look on Amazon for Meguires APC (All Purpose Cleaner) or 3D APC. It’s very economical.

BTW a dedicated wheel cleaner is one thing, but cleaning wheel wells (the OPs subject) is a different task, needing a stronger degreaser as opposed to fancy iron disolvers found in wheel cleaners. Don’t waste your money! APC is dirt cheap because you dilute it. One gallon makes like 5.

 

[hlh1]

There’s so many. I use BIO APC by Poorboys World. Or, Look on Amazon for Meguires APC (All Purpose Cleaner) or 3D APC. It’s very economical.

BTW a dedicated wheel cleaner is one thing, but cleaning wheel wells (the OPs subject) is a different task, needing a stronger degreaser as opposed to fancy iron disolvers found in wheel cleaners. Don’t waste your money! APC is dirt cheap because you dilute it. One gallon makes like 5.

Guess I'll keep using watered down Simple Green for the wheel wells and find a dedicated wheel cleaner for the wheels.

Just got through pulling the wheels and cleaning out the wheel wells with Simple Green and a soft brush. They were a mess and now look great. Going forward I'll use the Wheel Woolies to reach in there and clean things out each time I wash the car.

 

[Lerxst]

Guess I'll keep using watered down Simple Green for the wheel wells and find a dedicated wheel cleaner for the wheels.

Just got through pulling the wheels and cleaning out the wheels wells with Simple Green and a soft brush. They were a mess and now look great. Going forward I'll use the Wheel Woolies to reach in there and clean things out each time I wash the car.

Diluted Simple Green is just as bad or worse than full strength on aluminum and hard plastic. Look it up!

 

[Cobra Jet]

I think the OP’s reference was for the rear wheel well liners, which have a cloth/felt surface.... and those sumbitches attract any and everything from the road onto them, and that debris gets embedded into the felt...

There was another thread somewhere on here where another member was going to plasti-coat the rear liners so the felt would be coated like “plastic” and appear like the front liners. Good idea, but not sure how that did (or would) turn out.

When I wash my car, I wash the liners last using an extended handle soft bristle brush and dip it in the soap wash, then scrub the rear liners... repeat until all debris is removed and rinse. The brush can be purchased at any auto parts store, it’s about a 24” handle with brush end. Works great on the front wheel well liners, as well as the entire length of the rocker panels (under the car).

 

[hlh1]

Thanks Cobra Jet: I've since bought the Wheel Woolies that will help clean the wheel well liners, but what should I spray onto theses liners to loosen up the nasty dirt? I've been using 50% Simple Green, but I've been chastised for it.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Thanks Cobra Jet: I've since bought the Wheel Woolies that will help clean the wheel well liners, but what should I spray onto theses liners to loosen up the nasty dirt? I've been using 50% Simple Green, but I've been chastised for it.

Simple Green works quite well, for many applications, it is 100% biodegradable and is safe for many surfaces.

In fact, it will also remove light oxidation from engine components without etching the metal surface or marring.

If using near the exterior body (clear coat/painted surfaces), just be sure you are using a diluted solution as it can strip wax and if used in direct sunlight on dry surfaces it could leave a stain (again if NOT diluted).

The brush scrub method with any wash solution and then using a hose to thoroughly rinse is the only real way to get those cloth liners clean.

 

[jasonstang]

Never had issues win simple green. I had some issues with certain wheel cleaner actually.

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