Alloy wheels make a car. They’re capable of transforming the most humdrum of hatchbacks and can give a vehicle a whole new presence for added street appeal. Add a new set of alloys to your car and it can also improve the handling, so this can often be a very shrewd investment, making your car safer, whilst improving the look of the vehicle at the same time. Take care with a new set of alloys though, it’s a good idea to protect them as best you can from day one, and we recommend you take this advice to prevent anything unfortunate happening to them.
Add a layer of protection
Before you hit the road in your car to show off your shiny new alloys, coat the surface of the alloys with a special sealant, available from all good motoring stores. This provides the wheels with an invisible barrier and adds a layer of protection, helping to safeguard against dust, grime and general dirt from the road, as well as problem brake dust. After the sealant is applied, it produces an anti-repellent film and when it rains or you spray water on the wheels, they clean themselves.
Wax the wheels
If you don’t want to use a specialist sealant on the wheels, you can also wax them using any good liquid or paste-based product, and add a layer of protection this way. Apply the wax and buff it off to leave a clean, sparkling and well-protected surface area that looks amazing. Most waxes will provide a suitable barrier from harmful contaminants and if you apply it to new alloy wheels, or a freshly cleaned set of alloys, it gives really good protection.
Regularly wash the wheels
To get the maximum benefit from a set of alloys you need to clean them regularly as a dirty set of wheels will make your car look unloved. This doesn’t have to be complicated, tricky or awkward, simply follow these steps for first-class results.
Rinse the wheels with clean water – Give the wheels a general blast with a hose to remove surface dirt and grime. This won’t get rid of all the ingrained dirt that has taken up residency on your wheels, but it’ll remove mud and general dust, at which point you will have a good base to perform other cleaning tasks.
Apply wheel cleaner – Spray-on wheel cleaners are brilliant for removing brake dust and road grime caused by clocking up mile after mile of driving. Simply spray the solution straight onto the wheel from the bottom up, and leave for a few minutes to let the product work. You can then use a soft bristled brush or a cleaning mitt to remove dirt from stubborn areas and finish this off by rinsing the solution with clean, fresh water.
Leave to dry then add wax and dress the tyres –Completely dry the wheels and you can then add another layer of wax to further protect the surface and give it a nice shine. Once you are happy with the finish of the wheels, turn your attention to the tyres on the car, which can often look neglected after the wheels have been cleaned. A quick application of tyre cleaner will leave the rubber with a healthy sheen, and it’ll be the perfect match for your alloys.
Once your wheels have been comprehensively cleaned, you’ll want to keep them looking this way and prevent them from becoming damaged. Read the common causes of wheel damage here, and you’ll understand how to avoid destroying your wheels in the future.
Care for your alloys and they’ll make your car look amazing, just be extra vigilant if you have a set of locking wheel nuts fitted to the car. If you don’t know where the lock nut key is, and have to get the nuts removed, you could damage the alloys if you’re not careful.
We have the ideal solution for this here at Locking Wheelnut Removal Service. Our expert team can remove locking nuts easily with no damage to your car, and we offer a fully mobile service in the West Midlands with the best price guarantee.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us, you can ask for a FREE wheel nut removal quote by calling us on 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.
