I have the 18" polished aluminum wheels on my 2013 GT seen here:



What's the best way to clean and/or polish them? Are they clear coated?

Thanks!

 

OEM factory wheels are clear coated. Clear coat is paint without pigment so wash and wax just like any painted surface.

The trick with wheels is to clean them often so brake dust doesn't embed in the finish. I clean my Team III wheels (painted centers - raw polished aluminum rims) every two or three days with a hand held steamer. You know, the kind that looks like a tea kettle and shoots steam out of a nozzle. The steam breaks up the brake dust and dirt quickly and I don't have to rub the wheels with a bush or cloth. Most of the residual water evaporates quickly, so a quick wipe with a towel is all that's needed.

When I was the car, I wash the wheels last with car wash soap.

I stay away from wheel cleaners. they are harsher than car wash soap and you'll never need them unless you clean your wheels once every six months.

Be sure to wax/seal them too. The longest lasting most durable sealant I've ever used on both car and wheels is Finish Kare p1000 High Temp Wax (it's really an all man made sealant).


Try steam cleaning your wheels. It works great.

 

Steam clean, I like that idea! Thanks!