Best Wheel Cleaner For Your Tires and Wheels

For a long time, I would use two separate wheel cleaning products to dial in my tires and rims. I had one product that would clean the tires and a different one to do the wheels. The time had come for me to find something that would 1) be an all-in-one and 2) do a good job of cleaning both parts.

After a few years of completely disregarding the P&S brand and their car cleaning supplies, I came across what I think is the best wheel cleaner on the market - Brake Buster. 

It’s funny to me now that I totally dismissed Bob and Dave Phillips (owners of P&S) for years because I didn’t think they had anything I would want to use or have in my store. I’m not the kind of person who jumps at what everyone else wants; I like to search for hidden gems and curate products that aren’t on the surface; those have always been the ones I’ve enjoyed using and sold a ton of. An example of that would be what I think is the best electric pressure washer on the planet, the Kranzle K1322TST. No one was talking about that thing years ago until I discovered it. Now, we’ve sold thousands of them.

Why I Chose Brake Buster

The best wheel and tire cleaner is subjective. Depending on what you’re looking to get out of your wheel cleaner will determine the product you decide to use. Everyone has a favorite brand of car wash soap, ceramic coating, glass cleaner, etc. I just want what works best for my application, which in this case is something that will remove dirt well, doesn’t strip down my tires (only removes the surface film), doesn’t completely remove my tire dressing, and has corrosion inhibitors in it. That’s all I need and want.

Some other things I’ve come to enjoy about using Brake Buster:

• Works on tires and wheels. The biggest selling point for me when I was searching for a replacement wheel and tire cleaner was something that could clean both parts. Before, I was using Adam’s Wheel Cleaner and Adam’s Tire Cleaner. Part of what makes my car detailing process so good is productivity. If I’m able to shave off 5 or 10-minutes by having a product like this in my arsenal, I’ll take it.
• It’s cheap. Cheap in cost, not cheap in quality. I’m shocked that this stuff doesn’t cost more. You’re getting a lot of little. Mobile car detailers will really appreciate a product like this from a cost perspective. 
• It works well in a foam cannon. You can use this stuff in the standard spray bottle it comes with and be just fine. I like to use my foam cannon because I get thick foam covering the entire wheel/tire and use less product. No need to dilute Brake Buster; I use it straight up.
• A good balance of strength and gentleness. It does a darn good job of getting all the dirt and crap off of my wheels in a safe way. Safe meaning it’s acid-free and can be used on all wheel surfaces. 

Brake Buster is an all-you-need wheel and tire cleaner without adding in the extra stuff I think is unnecessary. For example, some of these other brands will have iron-removing additives built into their wheel cleaner that I don’t really need or want. I have a standalone iron removal product that, if I need it, does a much better job at attacking the contaminants on my rims. So, I’m using Brake Buster as my freestanding wheel cleaner. 

The best experience you’re going to get with keeping your wheels dialed in is to coat them with a wheel coating like CQUARTZ DLUX. This stuff restores, protects, and is highly resistant to extreme temperatures. Think of it as a ceramic coating for paint. It can be used on any wheel finish, and from my personal experience, it has lasted longer than any wheel coating I’ve used over the years. I also like to add CQUARTZ Gliss, which is a top coating to act as my sacrificial layer. We sell them both as a combo to make it easier for you. 

I did a full install of both products on my BMW E36 M3 to show you how it goes on. It’s really easy to do. 

How To Use Brake Buster - Application

Using this stuff is super easy. Like I said before, it’s safe on all wheels. My process involves using the following equipment and tools:

• Kranzle K1322TS pressure washer (the best darn thing on the planet)
• 100 ft Pressure Washer hose
• Sprayer/Wand/Foam Cannon
• Wheel and Tire Cleaning Package
• Vyper Chair Low Pro - Save your back

My steps:

1. Fill your foam cannon. I’ll usually fill mine to about 1000mL (no dilution). I find that I can go about two months with this amount before I have to fill it up again. I’m washing two or three cars every other week to give you perspective. 
2. Rinse your wheels and tires thoroughly. I’ll spray my wheels and tires down with regular water (no need for DI water) to get the surface dirt off. 
3. Foam your wheels. The cool part is the foaming. Brake Buster produces great foam and covers the entire wheel. I’ll usually let it dwell on the rim for 2-3 minutes, pulling all the gunk and grime off. Letting it do its job before agitation. 
4. Agitate. This is where I’m grabbing my EZ detail brush, lambskin wheel mitt, Raceglaze brush XL, and tire brush to go to work.  
5. Rinse. One final rinse of the wheels to remove the Brake Buster and dirt.
6. Hyde’s Rustopper. My last step is spritzing this anti-rust solution on my wheels while they’re still wet. This is a product I’ve used for years and has done a good job of preventing rust on my rotor.

If having a product that just works well on your wheels and tires is what you’re looking for, then this is it. It doesn’t have a ton of crap you don’t need, and it’s easy to use.

The one thing you should know about me is I can be in love with a product today but then punt it as soon as I find something better. Call it being wishy-washy if you want, I see it as chasing excellence. For the foreseeable future, Brake Buster will be in my locker cabinet.