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Rim cleaning--how i'm doing it

Iroc2Vette

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
Messages
95
Location
America
Corvette
2013 Z06 1LZ
Ok..So I don't feel like dragging out the hose and the bucket to clean my rims. I have those huge spider 18" & 19" rims that one can see into the next century through. And my brakes make a TON of dust. I use a splitting wheel duster that works well on the outside and the spokes, but, won't fit in between the spokes to get to the inner rim.

My solution is to use a common household product called a 'Swiffer.' The dusting pads are on a long handle that allows me to get all the way through a 12" wide rim. For those who have even wider rims, no problem. There's plenty of reach available. The pad does a amazing job lifting up most of the dust and even slips between the front brake caliper and inner rim. So no need to roll the car to get to that area.

If you try this, expect to use 1 duster for every time your Corvette is out. If you have a week of dust on your rims, expect to use probably 1 duster pad per wheel.

I've been doing this for the past few weeks now and as long as there is 'dry' dirt, the rims come away clean enough where they don't really need any extra wiping. Except for stubborn types of 'sticky' dirt or stains. But, for brake dust, this may just be the answer to that dreaded chore of 'gotta clean the rims...'

Let me know how this works for you. It's been working great for me. Sometimes the simplest things are the best...
 
I use the Daytona Speed Master Wheel brush available through the NCM:

National Corvette Museum Store - Detail

Simple Green in a bucket and this brush and the wheels come pretty clean and the brush is reusable.
The have a smaller version also.
 
Ok..So I don't feel like dragging out the hose and the bucket to clean my rims. I have those huge spider 18" & 19" rims that one can see into the next century through. And my brakes make a TON of dust. I use a splitting wheel duster that works well on the outside and the spokes, but, won't fit in between the spokes to get to the inner rim.

My solution is to use a common household product called a 'Swiffer.' The dusting pads are on a long handle that allows me to get all the way through a 12" wide rim. For those who have even wider rims, no problem. There's plenty of reach available. The pad does a amazing job lifting up most of the dust and even slips between the front brake caliper and inner rim. So no need to roll the car to get to that area.

If you try this, expect to use 1 duster for every time your Corvette is out. If you have a week of dust on your rims, expect to use probably 1 duster pad per wheel.

I've been doing this for the past few weeks now and as long as there is 'dry' dirt, the rims come away clean enough where they don't really need any extra wiping. Except for stubborn types of 'sticky' dirt or stains. But, for brake dust, this may just be the answer to that dreaded chore of 'gotta clean the rims...'

Let me know how this works for you. It's been working great for me. Sometimes the simplest things are the best...



I have been using the Swiffer duster for years on my wheels and it works great. I have modified mine a bit lately though, since I felt that the dusting end moved too much when using it, and I needed a more solid cleaning surface. I glued the rotating plastic gear end in place at a 90* angle so it doesn't move any more, and I have wrapped a micro fiber cloth around the cleaning end of it and tie wrapped it in place so that it can be easily removed and cleaned. No more bending over to clean, and it does a real good job of cleaning. :)
 
LLC5:
So far, I haven't had any problem with the head rotating on me. It stays locked in position. But, I think the idea of tie wrapping a MF cloth around it is interesting. I might try that next time. Because can just be tossed into the washer rather than being tossed into the trash. And that's what I like best. No getting on my knees to do the rims.

Tuna:
That cleaning brush looks great when one must wash the rims. Right now, I'm using a polyester scrubber on a long handle I got from Griot's Garage. It's nice because it can scrub off the sticky stuff that builds up on the inside rim. But, it's not flexible like that brush. Hmmm...when my scrubbers wear out, I may just get one of those brushes.
 
LLC5:
So far, I haven't had any problem with the head rotating on me. It stays locked in position. But, I think the idea of tie wrapping a MF cloth around it is interesting. I might try that next time. Because can just be tossed into the washer rather than being tossed into the trash. And that's what I like best. No getting on my knees to do the rims.



It stays locked into position ok, but it does move around when using it. I found that epoxying the ratcheting mechanism in place at a 90* angle allows you to apply a little more pressure when needed. Either way, it cleans well. :)
 
It stays locked into position ok, but it does move around when using it. I found that epoxying the ratcheting mechanism in place at a 90* angle allows you to apply a little more pressure when needed. Either way, it cleans well. :)

I just came back from BJ's with a 24 box of the feathered swiffer dusters. I also remembered I have their floor sweeper cloths, too. I wonder how those would work. The work great on the outside of the rims. Perhaps tied to the handle, they'll work well on the insides, too...
 

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