How to Remove Baked on Brake Dust From Alloy Wheels
Brake dust is a common occurrence in cars, but it can be difficult to remove. So it’s essential to know how to get rid of this buildup so that your wheels look as good as they possibly can. In this blog post, we’ll explain the best ways on how to remove baked on brake dust from alloy wheels and show you a few tricks for getting them looking like new!
This is a guide for removing baked-on brake dust from alloys, which can be achieved with the help of some vinegar and baking soda. All you’ll need is a bucket, sponge or cloth, water and dish soap, degreaser (optional), white vinegar, and baking soda. Let’s get started!
10 Reasons Why You Should Remove Baked on Brake Dust From Alloy Wheels
- Brake dust contains a variety of corrosive substances that can eat away the protective finish on your wheels.
- Sticky brake dust is tough to clean off with soap and water, if at all.
- Brake dust tends to stick to the wheel far better than oil or gasoline or any other greasy substance you’ve ever experienced.
- Brake dust is very abrasive and can effectively sand down your wheels if left on for an extended time (not to mention the other debris that finds its way onto your wheels).
- Brake dust can cause corrosion of your alloy wheel if it has no protective finish.
- Brake dust is dangerous to your health and all those around you in multiple ways (dust, chemicals).
- Cleaning your wheels takes less time when you remove baked-on brake dust. You will save time when trying to clean off brake dust by removing it beforehand.
- Cleaning your wheels is just part of car care; you should be practicing instead of avoiding it.
- Brake dust makes your rims look ugly, especially after time.
- Baked on brake dust always returns if you don’t eradicate it the first time.
15 Ways on How to Remove Baked on Brake Dust From Alloy Wheels
1. Rubbing Alcohol and Toothpaste:
Keep rubbing alcohol and white toothpaste together. Rubbing alcohol helps remove grease, oil, dirt, and other stains. Toothpaste brightens the surface of the wheels to restore their original shine.
2. Vinegar:
Put some vinegar on a clean towel or sponge and rub it against your alloy wheels until they are shiny again. This is an easy and cheap way to remove grease and oil stains.
3. Cleaner Wax:
Apply a cleaner wax on the alloy wheel and let it remain there for a few minutes, then use a sponge or brush to scrub off the brake dust from your wheels. You can also use clay bars instead of waxes, but this is expensive.
4. Cleaning Sandpaper:
Using medium or fine-grit sandpaper will remove the brake dust off alloy wheels. However, this method may also scratch your wheels and make them look dull and old. To prevent this from happening, you can use a product that contains polishing oils to pad the surface of the metal before rubbing it with dark, abrasive paper.
5. Bleach:
To clean off the brake dust from your wheels, use bleach. Mix a little bit of bleach with water and other cleaning agents to form a blend that will help eradicate the brake dust on alloy wheels. However, make sure not to mix too much bleach, or else it will damage the finish of your wheels. You can also use lemon and baking soda instead of bleach.
6. Windex:
Apply a tiny amount of household cleaner Windex on a cloth and rub it gently against the alloy wheels to remove the brake dust from the surface of your wheels. You can add two tablespoons of baking soda into Windex to make it even more effective in removing grease, oil, dirt, and other stains.
7. WD-40:
WD-40 is another household cleaner that you can use to remove the brake dust or other dirt marks on your alloy wheels. Spray it on the surface of your wheels and wait for a few minutes before using a soft cloth to rub away the stains. Just make sure not to use too much WD-40, or it will make your alloy wheels too wet.
8. Nail Polish Remover:
Nail polish remover can help remove grease and oil stains off the surface of your alloy wheels. Just put on some cotton balls on the tip of your finger and dip it into nail polish remover, then rub it gently against the surface of your wheels. Use a clean cloth to wipe the remnants of nail polish remover off your wheels, and they should be shiny again. You can alternately use alcohol instead of nail polish remover.
9. Lime Away:
Lime Away is a product that you can find in most local hardware stores. It’s an effective product for removing grease, oil stains, and other dirt from the surface of your alloy wheels.
10. Car Wax:
Applying car wax on a soft cloth and rubbing it gently against the surface of your alloy wheels is another effective way to remove brake dust from your wheels. Just make sure not to use too much wax, or else they will be too slippery.
11. Scrubbing:
Scrub your alloy wheels with a sponge or brush to remove the brake dust on them. You can rub them gently against abrasive materials like sandpaper, steel wool, and emery cloths to completely clean off grease and oil stains. Just make sure that you don’t scratch the surface of your wheels while doing this.
12. Water and Bleach:
Get a bowl of water and add some bleach to it. Soak your wheels in the mixture for about an hour or two (or more if necessary) to clean off brake dust on alloy wheels. After soaking them, take them out of the mixture and wipe them dry with paper towels. This method is only recommended for light brake dust stains on wheels.
13. Automotive Degreaser:
Degreasing your alloy wheels with automotive degreasers will make them look shiny again. Just spray some on the wheel, let it dry and wipe off the excess solution with a clean cloth or brush. You can also use dish soap instead.
14. Baking Soda Paste:
Mix baking soda with some water to form a paste, then apply it on your alloy wheels using a soft cloth or brush. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe away the paste with paper towels. This method will not only remove brake dust from alloy wheels but also rust and any other stains.
15. Baby Wipes:
Use baby wipes to clean off dirt and oil from the surface of your alloy wheels. Just make sure not to use too many baby wipes, or they will be too wet and slippery. Scrubbing is necessary for this method for removing stubborn stains on alloy wheels.
You Can Check It Out to Remove Dust From Cured Epoxy Resin
Some Tips and Suggestions
- Mixing liquid dish detergent with water works very well. Be sure to use lots of suds, and scrub it on your wheel.
- Afterwards, rinse the area off with some warm water, then dry off with a clean towel or low nap cloths.
- If you’re not happy with the results after using soap & water on your wheel, consider using some toothpaste on it.
- Use a sponge to scrub off the dead skin cells and dirt that came off with the paste.
- Toothpaste contains mild abrasives that help remove stains on your car’s body, so they work very well for this purpose too.
- If you can’t get the stains off after trying toothpaste and dish detergent, and water, then try using car polish.
- Car polish contains mild abrasives to help remove stubborn marks that regular soap cannot eliminate.
- If you choose to use a cleaner that has heavy solvents, rubber gloves must be worn because these chemicals can be hazardous to your health. Also, avoid getting the chemicals in your eyes.
Will Vinegar Remove Brake Dust?
Many people think that vinegar removes brake dust, so let’s examine this myth and see if it works. Brake dust comprises iron oxide and aluminum oxide, which can be removed from wheels with a suitable rubbing compound. Unfortunately, the grease in the brake pad compounds the problem by leaving residue on your wheels. To remove those unsightly spots, you need a good quality cleaner formulated to remove brake dust.
The problem with this myth is that vinegar contains acetic acid, which will strip away the protective coating on your wheels unless it is first neutralized. The other problem is that vinegar does not clean very well; in fact, you can do better by simply leaving the brake dust alone!
Conclusion
When it comes to keeping chrome and stainless steel looking shiny, a few things are as important as removing baked-on brake dust. Brake dust can be a severe problem for alloy wheels and other chrome surfaces because iron oxide particles will scratch metal if they’re not removed quickly.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to remove these pesky bits of rust from your car, but you’ll need some supplies first. We have already discussed some techniques on how to remove baked on brake dust from alloy wheels in this article. So be sure to check them out! We would be happy to answer any questions or provide additional assistance with your car needs.
Louis Wein
Louis has always been fascinated by cars. He loves the way they look, the sound of the engine, and how they make him feel when he's driving. He is always keen to learn more about different mechanics of cars and how the engine contributes to other aspects of the car. As an automotive technician with over 10 years of experience, he knew how they worked and loved taking them apart to see how they went back together. He was especially interested in the mechanics of combustion engines and loved finding ways to make them more efficient. He loves to work on cars and help people keep their vehicles running smoothly. As a senior editor, he enjoys contributing to Diy quickly because it allows him to share his knowledge and expertise with others.
