How to Keep Your Alloys Gleaming Through Winter

Alloy wheels can add a finishing touch to your project or daily driver that can take it from drab to dope.

Fitting a decent set of custom wheels can totally transform the look of your vehicle, with many sources claiming them to be the most important factor in a car's general appearance. Imagine the heartbreak upon realising that your shiny rims are no longer quite so beautiful to behold.

Whether your alloys are factory fitted or a set of our custom offerings, constant care and attention is always necessary. Fear not, for the key to preserving that shine lies in short and simple regular cleaning. Follow this guide and your wheels shall remain gleaming for many moons more.

Cleaning

This tip will take very little time and should be done whilst washing your car. Firstly rinse the rims with a hose, preferably with a fine spray. After which, rub the surface with a wet sponge to remove any remaining dust. Then use a form of specialist alloy wheel cleaning product, available at your local motor specialist, using a tooth brush for hard to reach spots. Finally, rinse and dry with a microfibre cloth, using household items for any remaining blemishes. Sometimes it helps to add some wax to help preserve the shine, experts recommend roughly every three months.

Careful Driving

The best preventative measure to scuffing and scraping is to adjust your driving style accordingly. A kerbed wheel implies a life of neglect at the point of resale and looks rather unsightly throughout the rest of the course of the vehicle's lifetime. Be sure to take special care when parking to prevent any damage. Wherever possible, also try to avoid potholes. Unfortunately Britain's roads are often ripe with road blemishes, which in some cases have led to buckling and severe suspension damage.

Repair Blemishes

Inevitably, the above will happen to most drivers throughout the course of their driving careers. Should you be unfortunate enough to scuff your shiny wheels, be sure to take them to a specialist to carry out repair work. Shop around for the best deals and repairs need not break the bank. The more skilled individuals could even perform a DIY job themselves to save a few Benjamins. Should you opt for the latter, be sure to prep the surface well with sandpaper and paint thinner prior to adding filler and painting; remember to wear gloves too!

Hibernation

Like many mammals, alloy wheels can hibernate over the winter too. This doesn’t mean that they will religiously gather acorns and snuggle up inside a tree until the spring though. Some owners tend to remove expensive alloy wheels over the winter in favour of a cheaper pair, often with winter tyres. The added salt, grime and moisture present on our roads during the winter months does significant damage to alloy wheels, especially considering the likelihood of newly born potholes appearing beneath what was previously a shallow puddle. If stored in a moisture free environment, the life of your alloy wheels should extend noticeably.

Take these simple precautions, and you will find that your alloy wheels will remain gleaming for many years to come.