How to clean statesman international rims?

[holdencallous]

Hey guys, I just picked up a set of Calais international rims for ridiculously cheap, and being cheap they’re a bit how ya going. They’re covered in road grime and brake dust on the back side and the fronts are filth. Was wondering what I should use to clean them semi easily as i don’t want to wreck the clear coat that’s on them or scratch them anymore than they already are. Any tips will help
Cheers

 

[mpower]

good luck, clean them as well as you can - they may have this.

if so then the only option is to get them painted.

 

[holdencallous]

good luck, clean them as well as you can - they may have this.

View attachment 205939

if so then the only option is to get them painted.

They’re not etching mate, thank god. But they’re filthy as and I know some wheel acids/cleaners CAN make etching occur, which is why I made this thread.
PS Painted Internationals make baby Jesus cry

 

[greenacc]

I'd do the backside with car wash and steel wool.

 

[1985VK]

Mag wheel cleaner with hydrofluoric acid in it. Follow the instructions.

Or get a non acid formulation. Others use the opposite of acid which is a base ie caustic soda or ammonia.

You can try a little borax dissolved in water to shift dirt.

Other than that just use what car wash detergent you have and use soft bristle brush. Suds it up and let it sit. Then wash off. Some people use a pressure washer.

Your results may vary.

 

[VS 5.0]

I've been using Bowden's Wheely Clean on my Pentagons.

It's PH Neutral and claimed to be safe for all wheel types.

Works well.

Check their Youtube vids.

 

[holdencallous]

I've been using Bowden's Wheely Clean on my Pentagons.

It's PH Neutral and claimed to be safe for all wheel types.

Works well.

Check their Youtube vids.

Bowdens seems grouse, and less horrifyingly skin melty, $25 is steep but i see the results are good. Cheers mate

 

[holdencallous]

Mag wheel cleaner with hydrofluoric acid in it. Follow the instructions.

Or get a non acid formulation. Others use the opposite of acid which is a base ie caustic soda or ammonia.

You can try a little borax dissolved in water to shift dirt.

Other than that just use what car wash detergent you have and use soft bristle brush. Suds it up and let it sit. Then wash off. Some people use a pressure washer.

Your results may vary.

As my crackhead neighbor once yelled at me “you’re not the sharpest shard in the baggie are ya ****!?”, I’d prefer not to use a wheel cleaner that involves high strength acid as I will probably lose the rest of my sight somehow. Cheers mate

 

[1985VK]

As my crackhead neighbor once yelled at me “you’re not the sharpest shard in the baggie are ya ****!?”, I’d prefer not to use a wheel cleaner that involves high strength acid as I will probably lose the rest of my sight somehow. Cheers mate

It's not high strength acid. It is a common ingredient in mag wheel cleaners and obviously not considered unreasonably dangerous to the consumer market. You can use other regular acids like vinegar, oxalic acid or citric acid. Some people use Coca Cola as it has phosphoric acid in it.

There are lots of choices because knowledge is power. You can use mild alkali solutions (opposite of acid) or pH neutral (water is a universal solvent) with detergent or common surfactants. You can pay for an off the shelf product or use what you might have around the house.

The Bowdens Wheely Clean is based on chemistry known since the 1920s (the ferric chloride test) it goes purple in the presence of iron from brake dust. It does not go purple from regular road dirt and grime. In theory we should wear eye protection whatever we use.

 

[1985VK]

It depends what you want to achieve. If a person doesn't want to spend big they might try a squirt of Jiff in a litre or so of water and give it a good mix, scrub the rims with it and then give it a quick rinse off. There are lots of choices.

Mild soapy water is probably the safest option