Jerry seeks advice on wheel cleaning for his Corvette:

Hi,

I have an 09 Vette w/oem chrome wheels that have accumulated brake dust which won’t come off with wash mitt and soap/water. What product would be best for removal?

Jerry,

Once brake dust has had the opportunity to sit on the wheels for a while, it can become more of a challenge to remove. We’ll help you with some product recommendations and a routine that will keep your wheels looking great.

First of all I would recommend getting an effective, yet gentle wheel cleaning product like P21S Wheel Gel, or Chemical Guys Diablo Wheel Gel. Both of these do a tremendous job, and are safe for all wheel types. You’ll want to spray these onto your wheels (preferrably out of direct sunlight), allow them to dwell for 5 minutes or so, and then use an EZ-Detail brush to clean the barrels of the wheels. If after cleaning you find there is still more brake dust present, you can repeat the process, or try to use some detailing clay to remove any remaining contaminants. Once the heavy stuff is removed, the regular upkeep is much simpler.

After thoroughly cleaning them, you may want to apply a sealant that will help to protect the finish and make it easier for maintenance cleaning. You have a lot of options here, but using a product like Optimum Opti-Seal is nice because you can also use it on the rest of your car.

For a full write-up on wheel cleaning, please check out our Wheel Cleaning Tutorial.

For some Corvette-Specific detailing information, please review the following articles: ‘08 Corvette in Crystal Red Metallic. ‘08 Black Z06 Corvette.

Thanks for submitting your question, and should you or anybody else have additional comments or questions, please submit your reply in the comment box below.