What is the best way to spiffy up alloy wheels that have an accumulation of brake dust? I’m thinking of wheels that have been ignored for a bit, and for whom the spray wash and scrub brush at the coin-op car wash just aren’t doing the trick.
What do the auto detailers do?
A secondary question occurs. While the original advent of disc brakes on production model cars saw them installed on the front, with drums on the back, now they are commonly found on all four wheels.
In the initial period, it was understandable why the front wheels got dirty while the back wheels didn’t, but in this age of four wheel disc brakes, why is it that the front wheels still get dirtier? Differential loading? The front wheels do most of the braking work?
Most auto parts stores sell specialized aluminum wheel cleaner, but I’ve heard it is not safe to use on clear-coated wheels, which have a layer of transparent paint. I have never had any problem with brake dust that couldn’t be removed with car wash soap, rags, and a lot of elbow grease.
You’ve already answered your second question: The front wheels do most of the brake work anyway.
At the detail shop where I worked, a good industrial detergent (designed to cut grease), an array of brushes and as MSMatt says, elbow grease, although with a good soap, most of the work is done by the chemicals. If the problem is really bad, an alloy rim acid was used, but its hell on the clear coat and not recommended for brake dust, but for road salt damage.