How to Clean Up Really Bad Aluminum Wheels

Aluminum wheels are sturdy, and available in many sizes and thousands of designs. The bad thing about aluminum wheels is that they look really bad in a short amount of time if left dirty. Dirt and mud build up to create little pits in the surface of the aluminum, allowing rust onto the wheel. Aluminum wheels become pitted very easily, but can be cleaned up even if they are really bad.

Instructions

1

Wash the wheels with car soap and a wheel brush. Clean all dirt, mud and grime from the surface of the wheel. Rinse the wheels completely. There is no need to dry them.

2

Sand the surface of the aluminum wheels with 220-grit sandpaper to remove the pits, oxidation, rust and other imperfections on the surface. Rinse the wheels with water to view your progress.

3

Use water and 400-grit sandpaper to sand the surface of the wheels again. Keep the sandpaper soaking wet while it is against the surface of the wheel. Rinse to check your progress.

4

Sand the wheels once more using 800-grit sandpaper and water. This smooths the scratches left from the other sandpaper and evens the surface finish. Rinse the wheels and let them dry completely.

5

Place masking tape around the valve stem and around the edges of the wheels to protect the tires. Wipe the wheels with wax and grease remover and a microfiber towel.

6

Spray a total of four coats of clear coat paint on the surface of the wheels to seal them and add a protective coating. Hold the spray can 10 inches from the surface and move it from left to right. Dont spray in a circular pattern. Let each coat dry for 10 minutes before you spray the next coat. Let the final coat dry for three hours.