# Cleaning aluminum wheels \*update with pics 3/35/09\*
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [January 10, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079 "2009-01-10T18:07:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/1 "2009-01-10T18:07:13Z")
> **[How to Clean Corroded Aluminum Rims | Hunker](https://www.hunker.com/13416419/how-to-clean-corroded-aluminum-rims)**
>
> Corroded aluminum rims can mean anything from a bit of road grime and brake dust to severe pitting. How much time and effort it will take to clean your corroded rims depends totally on how badly corroded they are and what type of corrosion is...
Basically my ASA winter wheels on the STi are really badly corroded. They have brown and disgusting brake dust and other corrosion in the corners of the spokes that will not simply wash off with a brush.
This how-to says to use oven cleaner, wash off , then wax with a automotive wax. I though that even aluminum wheels had clear coat on them, so… how will this work?
Give me your thoughts. I may try it, since I don’t have much to lose.
–mark
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### Author:  [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/2 "2009-01-10T18:08:23Z")
no do not use oven cleaner. Jump on [autopia.org](http://autopia.org) and do a search.
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### Author:  [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/3 "2009-01-10T18:09:55Z")
Explain, I would rather have an answer, versus a “search for it” response 🙂
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/4 "2009-01-10T18:09:56Z")
they are clear coated… start mild… then get harsher… so you might end up with oven cleaner, but don’t start there. make sure the metal is room temp, bring them inside.
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### Author:  [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/5 "2009-01-10T18:13:19Z")
I know they are clear coated, that’s why I am second guessing this. I assume the oven cleaner will dissolve the clear coat, but I am not sure, maybe it will just eat through the outer layer. Then again, do aluminum rims need clear coat if they have wax on them?
I probably will start with just a brush, then move up to some 1000 steel wool, and go to chemical cleaners last.
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### Author:  [@Violator](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Violator)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/6 "2009-01-10T18:14:00Z")
not all wheels have clear on them. Ones that do may be of mediocre quality.
Anyway there is no way to wash corrosion off. Corrosion is not a film of dirt on the surface.
Its base metal being torn off the surface by a chemical process which results in pitting.
The only thing you can do is to cut enough of the top layer of metal to get down beneath the corrosion to fresh metal… IE Polishing/machining
Never let aluminum wheels corrode because they turn to scrap and are not worth repairing
Edit: I think there is a product out there that will etch the corrosion and some bare metal away. I dont remember what it was called tho.
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/7 "2009-01-10T18:25:26Z")
these ones do… oven cleaner will work but will remove clear coat or eat it…
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### Author:  [@reval](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/reval)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/8 "2009-01-10T20:57:41Z")
p21s ? however that may not be strong enough
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/9 "2009-01-10T21:20:38Z")
if its corroding then the clear coat has been worn through/scratched anyways so go for it. lol. just take some steel wool or something and make them shiney then use metal polish then get them re-cleared.
they have clear powder coat too.
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### Author:  [@reliant\_turbo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/reliant_turbo)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/10 "2009-01-10T22:31:53Z")
purple power degreaser. didnt kill the clear on my stuff. got that brake junk off of there easily. so did POR15 marine clean degreaser. similar to purple power.
Brian
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### Author:  [@98SS10](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/98SS10)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/11 "2009-01-11T01:04:54Z")
fuck it, paint em flat black. SOO not played out yet.
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### Author:  [@Saxon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Saxon)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/12 "2009-01-11T06:40:10Z")
peanut butter
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### Author:  [@llink78](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/llink78)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 7:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/13 "2009-01-11T07:25:27Z")
grape jelly
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### Author:  [@Jon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jon)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 7:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/14 "2009-01-11T07:40:39Z")
In my experience,goo-gone works great on everything and is quite mild.
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### Author:  [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 9:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/15 "2009-01-11T09:58:40Z")
I will give all of these things a try. Anything to save a buck on wheels, so I can spend the money on tires 😛
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### Author:  [@Saxon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Saxon)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/16 "2009-01-11T13:40:03Z")
peanut butter really works
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### Author:  [@ILC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILC)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/17 "2009-01-11T14:20:26Z")
Sand it off and paint them…
fuck it
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### Author:  [@dmoffitt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dmoffitt)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/18 "2009-01-11T14:31:03Z")
probably going to end up sandblasting / painting them. brake dust is highly corrosive when mixed with water … however, I’ll second checking autopia, they know 100x more on there than I ever could guess at.
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### Author:  [@\_Karu](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/_Karu)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/19 "2009-01-11T16:44:40Z")
clay bar?
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### Author:  [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-aluminum-wheels-update-with-pics-3-35-09/61079/20 "2009-01-11T17:20:22Z")
Should I sand and paint them? I didn’t ask that, I asked if the above method works.
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