Best wheel cleaner for stock '05 Elise seven "twin-spoke" wheels?

[NorCal]

I believe the wheels are aluminum, right?

If this is true I hear you have to be careful which products to use to avoid damaging the finish. The brake dust accumulates so quickly, so I'd love to get a good spray on solution to the problem.

What wheel cleaner do you use?

[ItsThaMonsta]

I just use the car wash. Work better than all the "de-clawed" sprays that you have to used because of my powdercoat.

[shadowhusky]

Those pictures look like the painted version. All I would do is wash them very good and keep them clean. A coat of wax helps out also.

[mikester]

I've used Griot's Garage wheel cleaner for all my wheels for the past 10 or so years, never had any problems and it works just fine. I've used it on my 05's standard (non-sport) wheels for the past 4 years now and they're good. It's not super-aggressive so as long as you don't leave it on for long I wouldn't worry.

I spray with water first (never spray your wheels with anything unless they are cool first though), spray on the wheel cleaner, use their boar's hair brush (and foam pad on a stick for the trouble areas and along the inner portions of the rim) to agitate the dirt, then spray off. If necessary, repeat.

[rcollum]

I use P21S, a foam paintbrush (thanks, Chili Red!) and a soft-bristle toothbrush. Rinse very thoroughly. I use Rejex once a year to help keep them clean.

Some day, I'll make the whole job much simpler by buying the old 5-spoke Cup-Car wheels.

[TimMullen]

Don't know if this works for all wheels, but...

I was working on my Miata, and had it up in the air with all the wheels off. The wheels have been neglected for the last couple of years, and they were pretty nasty. My wife decided tot try to clean them up. She took some oven cleaner and sprayed them (be careful not to get any on the plastic center caps), and scrubbed them with a brush and here fingers in the corners (in gloves). The wheels came out looking like new - perfect and they were far from perfect before that. I'm not sure if it's a good product to use or not, but it sure worked great on my (actually now it's hers) Miata.

The stuff is meant to clean baked on gunk in the oven without damaging the porcelain coatings of the metal and the metal racks in the oven.

Oh yea, years ago, I found that the only way to keep the rims of my motorcycle clean from the chain grease and road grime was to spay it with Pam - the non-stick stuff you use for cooking. It worked great and the grease/grime would just wash off with a spray of water.

[jlj3394]

I have pretty good luck getting real close with the sprayer at a wand wash. I just use the soapy setting and accept the fact that I'm going to get a lot of backsplash.

[Noizemaker]

I'm with Tim here. Matter of fact that's exactly what I did last night. Lotus hasn't seen a bath since the beginning of June (working way too much) and so last night, when i realized my TIRES were the same color as my wheels, and they were both bronze, pulled the hose out.

First step was oven cleaner, let sit for 5, reapplied, rinsed. Then i took a microfiber rag to the wheels like normal and they're just fine today. Oven cleaner is for the win.

[tmr]

I've used this stuff on my anodized wheels with no problems, as it is very mild and gets rid of brake dust better than my car wash soap:

Turtle Wax - Spray On Wheel Cleaner

Don't keep it on very long, though. Wash one wheel at a time.