How to Polish Aluminum Rim? Clean and Buff Your Aluminum Wheels Like a Pro
Do you have a car with aluminum wheels and you want to clean them? Are you looking for the best way to buff your aluminum rim? Are your car’s aluminum wheels old and dirty for very long? If the answer to any of these questions is a yes, then this blog post is for you since here you’ll get to know how to polish aluminum rim.
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I have a car with aluminum rims in its wheels. This is because I love my car and like to accessorize it with high-end appurtenances. However, I didn’t research on aluminum rims before installing them in my car and when they got dirty, I was a bit puzzled as to how to clean and polish them.
This is when I conducted a comprehensive online research for cleaning and polishing aluminum rims. I found it quite easy to buff up my car’s aluminum wheels. I’ve written the steps to clean and polish aluminum rims in this blog post.
These steps can help you make your aluminum rims shine. But, before you learn the steps to polish your aluminum wheels, learn that why you should do so.
Why Do You Need to Polish Your Car’s Aluminum Rims?
Aluminum wheels or rims can shine like chrome if they are cleaned and polished properly and frequently. This is because aluminum is a soft metal as compared to others and thus it shines when it is buffed up. Therefore, you must clean and polish your aluminum rims if you want to make them look like new always.
Image source: chemicalguys.eu
Bare aluminum can oxidize with time. Generally, OEM aluminum rims come with a top protective coating in order to thwart aluminum oxide. In such a case, you need to use wheel cleaners and polishes that don’t harm the coatings. However, if your car’s aluminum rims don’t have a coating, you can make use of a stronger aluminum varnish.
In order to check if your aluminum rims have a coating, you can apply a small amount of polish on a hidden spot. While rubbing if there is no black scum, then the rims are coated. This is because aluminum oxide leaves a black residue if the rims are uncoated.
What You need to Polish Aluminum Rims?
Keep the below-mentioned things with you when you polish your car’s aluminum wheels.
Steps to Clean and Polish Aluminum Wheels
The following steps can help you in cleaning as well as polishing the aluminum rims in your car.So, let’s get started with this.
Step 1: Collect Terrycloth Rags or Towels
First, you should have a lot of terrycloth towels and rags with you. This will help you clean the aluminum rims after each stage during the polishing procedure. Additionally, you must wash your hands after every stage of this process.
Step 2: Clean the Rims
Clean the aluminum rims in order to get rid of all the dirt and grime on it. Make use of water, a sponge, and a soap that is specifically made for cleaning vehicles.
Via:wheelrepairhoustontx.com
After cleaning, ensure that you rinse all the water thoroughly so that it’s free of all the dust as well as soap. If you don’t do so, the grime can be rubbed into the surface of aluminum in the next step.
Step 3: Spray Wheel Cleaner on the Wheels
If you find that the aluminum rims are still grubby, you can spritz an wheel cleaner on them. You can also scrub the rims using a dish scrubber for Teflon utensils. Make sure that you give around 5 to 20 minutes to this so that it can penetrate the wheels.
However, ensure that you don’t follow this step in case your rims have a clear paint since it can spoil the clear coat. After you’re done, rinse the wheels thoroughly using water. You can repeat this step in case the rims are still not clean.
Step 4: Cure the Curb Rash
Image source: clublexus.com
You must check the rims if there is a curb rash on them, which is a scratch owing to the curb rubbing while you park your car. You need to get rid of it by filing it warily using a flat file.
In case, your aluminum wheels have a clear coat as well as a curb rash, you can use a soft toothbrush and gasoline. However, you mustn’t use a brake cleaner since it can take off the finish within seconds.
Step 5: Get Rid of Pitting
Image source: rx7club.com
In case your aluminum wheels have any pitting, eliminate it with the help of an abrasive pad so that you can sand it and make it flat. For this, you need a pad of foam painter or a grit dry and wet paper between 600 and 400.
If the grit is lesser than 180, it can damage the aluminum wheel. You can test it on a hidden spot first in order to ensure that the pitting can be removed without leaving any marks on the rims. However, in this case, you need to keep some things in mind, including:
Step 6: Rinse
Now, you must rinse the aluminum rims using water. After this, dry them using a towel.
Step 7: Use an Aluminum Brightening Cleaner
Take the best aluminum brightening cleaner and apply it to the rims in order to restore and get rid of oxidation from the aluminum. Then, wipe the wheels using a cloth.
Step 8: Apply the Liquid or Paste Polish
Take the polish and rub it in using smooth strokes in the similar direction for making the rims shine. You can also use a toothbrush in order to polish the spots that are hard to reach on the rims. Make sure you cover the toothbrush with a soft cloth so that its bristles don’t ruin the rims’ finish.
You should focus on buffing up small areas at a time before going to a different area of the rim. This will result in a uniform polish without any cloudy portions on the rims. After this, you must also rub the rims with a finishing polish.
Step 9: Use a Cotton Cloth to Make the Rims Shine
Make sure that you polish the rims till they are dry. You can check this by wiping the rims with a cotton cloth; if it comes out clean, then the polish has settled in, if it doesn’t, then polish it more. The wheels will become shinier with every rub.
Ensure that you take off the labels from the polishing cloth before you use it to polish the aluminum rims in order to avoid scratches. Additionally, the cloth should be cleaned properly.
Conclusion!
So, this is how you can polish your car’s aluminum rims or wheels. Make sure that the polish or paste you use doesn’t contain ammonia, anhydrous chemicals, or acids since they can tarnish, damage, and age the aluminum rims. A lot of polishes include these unsafe ingredients. Therefore, you must read the label before you buy the best aluminum polish for your car so that you can know it does not incorporate these chemicals.
Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post since you now know how you can polish your aluminum wheels. Make sure that you share this blog post on your social media accounts so that other people too can know how they can buff up their aluminum rims. Moreover, you can leave your comments below and let us know if you found this guide helpful and how.
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