Chrome wheels can be easily scratched, pitted and discolored if you choose the wrong cleaning product or cleaning tools. If the cleaning product or method scratches the chrome plating, dirt, dust, road oils, brake dirt and salts from rain can begin to erode the finish even more from below the coating. This ruins the look of your investment and can be very expensive, or even impossible due to environmental regulations, to have re-chromed. Chrome wheels should be cleaned weekly.
Wash your car as usual. Use a product that is made for cleaning chrome. There are many products available at local car parts stores, as well as car care departments in popular department stores. Follow the instructions printed on the label to use the chrome cleaner. For tar and bug stains, use a product specifically designed to remove stains on chrome. Products that are made to remove tar and bugs from other areas of the car may contain abrasives or harsh solvents that can deteriorate the chrome finish.
Chrome plating is easily scratched. Use only soft bristled brushes, such as a boars hair brush, and soft cloths to clean and polish chrome. Kits are available that have all the right tools and cleaning products to keep your chrome wheels looking new and shiny. A wheel scrubbing brush will help to remove dirt in hard-to-reach places. Be sure to purchase one specifically made for use on chrome. Lambskin mitts and detail mitts are also helpful to clean wheels with a lot of small spaces. Foam swabs, or foam paintbrushes, are a less expensive alternative for cleaning the tight spots on chrome wheels.
If you notice a scratch in the chrome plating, it can be sealed with a touch of clear nail polish or a little wax. This will help to prevent road dirt from getting in the scratch and causing deterioration of the chrome plating. There may be scratches that you cannot see, so a coating of wax after washing will help to prevent shallow, thin scratches from getting worse. Wax will also help protect the chrome by adding a layer of wax between road dirt and the chrome.
