CLEANING THE RIMS

The rims on the car are exposed to great stress. As the rims have the closest contact with the road, they are also exposed to a lot of pollutants such as tar, road salt, fly rust and brake dust. This means that the rims corrode faster, especially here in Norway where conditions can be tough.

When cleaning the rims, it is important that you choose the right cleaning agent and use the right methods. In principle, it can be said that the rims should be cleaned according to the same procedure as when washing the car. That is, prewash, iron particle removal, tar removal, hand washing and protection (sealing). There are also cleaning products that contain agents that will remove fly rust. We recommend using suitable products for this.

A thorough cleaning and treatment of the rims is recommended to do at least in spring and autumn when changing tires. This prevents dirt from adhering so easily to the rims. In addition, changing tires becomes much more comfortable when the rims are clean and future washing becomes much easier.

Guide for cleaning rims

Below we go through a general explanation of cleaning and treatment of rims. Always check the instructions for use on the product you are going to use.

1. Place the rims on a surface that does not risk scratching the rims. For example, use some planks or an old mat / rug.

2. Pre-wash the rims carefully! Preferably use a solvent-based cleaning agent with a high-pressure washer, so that dirt and old wax layers come loose from the rim.

3. Spray on iron removal agent and let it work for 5-15 minutes. Do not allow the product to dry on the surface.

4. If necessary, you can increase the effect of iron remover by using a small brush or brush. Choose a soft version to avoid new scratches. Brush / brush gently in all nooks and crannies.

5. Rinse thoroughly so that all remnants of the product are gone. The treatment can be repeated if necessary.

6. Spray on tar remover and let this work as long as possible, approx. 5-15 minutes. Do not allow the product to dry on the surface. If there are glued-on balancing weights, you should avoid contact with these. Tar remover is effective against glue and can result in the balance weights loosening.

7. Rinse thoroughly so that all residues are lost. If not all dirt has loosened at this stage, you can use clay (Clay bar). How to use clay bar you can read here…

8. Hand wash the rims with a solvent-based cleaner or a car shampoo. Make sure you remove all residue from previous steps and get as clean a surface as possible. Then you get a good attachment for coating.

9. Finally, protect the rim! You can use the Onyx Coating series.

10. You can read how to apply coating in Instructions for Application .