Ultimate Summer Wheel and Tire Restoration

Ensure the wheels and brake rotors are cool to the touch. In Australian summer, this usually means working early in the morning or in a shaded garage. Touching a hot rotor with cold water can cause warping, and chemicals will flash-dry on hot alloys, causing permanent chemical etching.

Use a low-pressure hose or pressure washer to rinse the wheel arches and tires first. Focus on removing heavy clumps of red dust or mud from the inner liners. This prevents large particles from falling onto your cleaning tools and scratching the wheel face during the contact wash.

Prepare your APC at a 5:1 ratio for tires and 10:1 for lighter duties. Fill your dedicated wheel bucket with 15L of water and a high-lubricity car soap. Submerge all your brushes in the bucket to soften the bristles and ensure they are fully lubricated before touching any surfaces.

Don nitrile gloves and eye protection. Professional wheel cleaners are often alkaline or contain iron-reactive chemicals (mercaptoacetates) that can irritate skin and eyes, especially in the wind where overspray is common.

Apply your APC or dedicated tire cleaner liberally to the dry tire sidewall. Allow it to dwell for 60 seconds but do not let it dry. You will see the foam turn brown as it pulls out oxidized antiozonants and old dressings. This 'bleeding' is essential for a clean bond for the new dressing.

Using the stiff-bristled tire brush, scrub the sidewall in a circular motion. Use significant pressure to work the cleaner into the grain of the rubber. Rinse thoroughly with water until the suds run white; if they are still brown, repeat the process. Clean tires are the foundation of a lasting finish.

Insert the long-reach barrel brush into the wheel bucket, then thread it between the spokes to reach the back of the rim. Use a back-and-forth scrubbing motion to remove the thick layer of brake dust that accumulates there. This prevents the heat-cycling of dust into the metal, which leads to corrosion.

Spray a pH-neutral iron remover across the entire wheel face and barrel. In 2-3 minutes, the chemical will turn purple as it reacts with sintered iron particles from the brakes. This is crucial for Australian performance cars. Do not let this dry; rinse thoroughly after the color change is complete.

Use a soft boar's hair detailing brush to clean the lug nut recesses, valve stems, and the 'nooks' where spokes meet the rim. These areas are salt traps in coastal environments. Agitating with a brush ensures that the chemical cleaners reach into these tight tolerances.

Using a dedicated microfiber wash mitt or a very soft wheel brush, gently wash the face of the wheel using the lubricated soap from your bucket. Work from top to bottom. This removes the remaining film that chemical cleaners might have missed without risking scratches.

Rinse the entire wheel, tire, and wheel arch thoroughly. Ensure you spray inside the lug nut holes and behind the spokes to flush out any remaining chemicals. Residual cleaner left in these areas can cause white spotting or 'streaking' once the car is driven.

Dry the wheel completely using a dedicated microfiber towel or a portable car blower. Removing all water is critical because Australian tap water is often 'hard' and will leave calcium spots on the alloy. Drying the tire also ensures the dressing bonds correctly rather than sitting on top of water.

Apply a high-temp wheel sealant or a spray-on ceramic coating (like Gyeon CanCoat or Bowden's Bead Machine) to the wheel face. This creates a hydrophobic barrier that makes future cleaning 80% easier and protects the finish from UV-induced clear coat failure.

Apply a thin, even coat of water-based tire dressing using a foam applicator. For Australian conditions, a 'satin' finish is often better than 'high gloss,' as high-gloss silicone products tend to attract more red dust. Allow the dressing to cure for at least 20 minutes before driving to prevent 'sling' onto the paintwork.