The rims on your vehicle are exposed to harsh road and weather conditions and various forms of wear and tear. The result is that your rims look old and worn, detracting from the overall appearance of your vehicle. Restoring or refinishing rims is a fairly easy process that requires a little bit of elbow grease. The procedure involves thoroughly cleaning the rims, sanding away minor scruffs and scratches, and then polishing to restore the original shine.
Park the car in a shaded area.
Clean the rims with soap, water, and a sponge or soft-bristle brush. Fill a bucket with soapy water. Spray the rims with a garden hose. Clean the rims until all the surface grime and dirt is gone. Dry the rims with a lint-free towel and allow them to completely air-dry.
Sand the rims with 200-grit sandpaper to remove the protective coating. Sand the rims several times using increasingly finer grit sandpaper -- including 800 to 2,000 grit -- to work on the scuffs and scratches.
Apply a generous amount of Brasso wheel polish to the rims. Buff the rims with a clean buffing cloth.
Cover the tires with masking tape and newspaper.
Apply two to three coats of clear coat to the rims. Hold the nozzle of the spray can six to eight inches away from the rim, and apply a smooth and even coat. Allow the clear coat to dry in between applications. Remove the tape and newspaper after the clear coat has dried.
