Maintenance

Wheels are the most exposed parts of the car to dust, mud, molten asphalt and deicing solutions. Here's some advice for keeping them in good shape:

- wax them before mounting them and then wax them periodically
- wash them frequently with soap and water.
- if you go to an automatic car wash, ask the workers about the equipment and the solutions they use. The brushes might be too hard or the solutions too corrosive for alloy wheels.
- When washing your car, start with the wheels to avoid staining the body of the car with the dirt that collected on them. Clean the rims one at the time so the soap won't have time to dry out on them.
- DO NOT use abrasive tools (sponges or metal brushes) or solutions on alloy wheels.
- DO NOT steam clean your alloy rims. They can exfoliate.
- DO NOT clean wheels while hot. Wait for them to cool down.
- DO NOT use the same sponge for cleaning both the wheels and the body of the car. You might scratch the paint with small rocks or particles.