yanki01

During my normal wash, i clean the wheel wells with a simple rag and the leftover soapy water in the bucket at the end of the wash (3 bucket method, 2 soap buckets for paint and wheels and one water bucket). I want to use something that will remove the road grease and grim from everyday driving and was thinking along the lines of Simple Green either household or automotive? Or possibly a good degreaser? i'll also pick up a good, long handle and short handle brush specifically for that. I don't want something that dries it out, I've seen a few degreasers do that. maybe if i use simple free, dilute it a bit since it will be concentrated? any help on this would be good. not new to washing/detailing, just need to find a good product.

what are your undercarriage/wheel well cleaning products and brushes?

yanki01

Also, my detailing products are adding up. Does anyone use a caddy or carrying case for your detailing tools? Autogeek seems to have a few?

brad.fx4

I use just normal Sunlight dish soap. works great!

Chris's FX4

I use Optimum Power Clean and some Mother's brushes. Then I use Chemical Guy's Bare Bones or Duragloss 265 to shine them up.

Optimum Power Clean

Mothers Tire, Wheel & Well Brush Kit

Chemical Guys Bare Bones Undercarriage Spray

Duragloss Ultimate Detail Spray (DS) #265


Optimum Power Clean is so versatile too. Depending on how you dilute it, you can pretty much use it on any part of the car or in the house too. I used it to prep my entire undercarriage for Amsoil MP HD last fall.

Reflections Detail

do your wheel wells have plastic or "carpet" like material, or bare exposed metal. Mine has the felt like material in the front and bare in the rear.

For the fronts I just use lots of water to flood and blast off the dirt, it never gets bad as I do this nearly once a week during the wash. You can use Optimum power clean if you need a little cleaner (10:1). I like the Tuf Shine brush as the bristle are a bit softer than most and won't tear up the fabric as easily. I use OPC for the rears as well.

I don't dress the wheels as most dressings attract more dirt than if you just wipe them dry. If you just have to have them dressed, find a water based dressing such as Meguiars Hyper dressing and mix the diultion to your gloss liking level.

The products mentioned I use in various dilutions so they serve me very well with other needs in detailing. For example Hyper dressing is great for tires, engine bays, wheel wells.


Cheers,
GREG

yanki01

thanks for the input fellas. i do have carpet type on the front wells and ford OEM well liners in the rear. I use Carpro PERL for my tires and dilute it with water 1:1. It works really well and dries pretty quick. I plan on getting the Mothers tire, wheel and well scrubbers. I think i'll try the Chemical Guys Bare Bones to clean and Duragloss to finish. I just want to try and get the "clean, new" look in the wheel wells and i think those products will do it. I'll post back once i get them and give my truck a nice wash.

Chris's FX4

I wouldn't use Bare Bones to clean. If you just want to give the wheel wells a shine then yes, it will work for that but it won't clean or degrease them. Topping it with DG 265 would be pointless too since the Bare Bones will wear off before the 265. If you really want to clean them, then use an APC or Simple Green and then dress with Bare Bones or 265 to give them some shine.

yanki01

got it, I bought both to see which one I like more. For simple green, automotive or the household concentrate?

Chris's FX4

They have a separate Automotive one? Been a long time since I've used SG, but I would think you should be fine with the automotive. Just make sure its safe for automotive plastics and stuff.

jgiddy

Dishsoap or quick detailer for cleaning, then I finish up with 303 Aerospace Protectant. My wells look like you can eat off of them