[Detailers Domain]

If you haven't already picked this up you really should ; )

2000 miles were logged on to this Q7 on 21's.

2000 miles of brake dust/dirt/grime




Close up - showing caked on brake dust and grime




Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner and various brushes were used to clean up this mess.






Afters

[MetsFan]

Great results! I might have to try this. That's what my wheels currently look like. I've tried P21S and Griot's Wheel Cleaner with no luck. I get most of it, but there are still some specks that look like they're ingrained in the wheel.

[anerbe]

the Sonax stuff is indeed really good stuff. Just note however, that the caked on stuff will definitely need some scrubbing.

I like how it will change colors if it is interacting with deposits. If those specks don't change color from green to red, then you may need a different process.

[snowman81]

Did you do any scrubbing or was that just letting it sit and rinsing it off? Great results, especially if no scrubbing was required.

[Detailers Domain]

Originally Posted by MetsFan

Great results! I might have to try this. That's what my wheels currently look like. I've tried P21S and Griot's Wheel Cleaner with no luck. I get most of it, but there are still some specks that look like they're ingrained in the wheel.

for the specks you can use Stoner's Tarminator

[Detailers Domain]

Originally Posted by snowman81

Did you do any scrubbing or was that just letting it sit and rinsing it off? Great results, especially if no scrubbing was required.

i believe I posted it up we did use some brushes to agitate.

[snowman81]

Originally Posted by DetailersDomain

i believe I posted it up we did use some brushes to agitate.

Yeah, sorry about that...I didn't catch in between the pics there. That stuff is great.

[Detailers Domain]

no problem at all ; )

[bob.g]

i don't know why people make such a big deal about sonax. Its more expensive then the rest, and aside turning purple and giving a cool effect for pics, it really hasn't worked any better then the p21s or meguiars stuff ive used.

[warpig666]

Geez, that's insane. It looks like you killed a family of racoons lol. How is this for anodizes wheels such as black anodized ccw's?

[JohnnyT]

Originally Posted by bob.g

i don't know why people make such a big deal about sonax. Its more expensive then the rest, and aside turning purple and giving a cool effect for pics, it really hasn't worked any better then the p21s or meguiars stuff ive used.

Totally agree. Any common soap or cleaner with a decent sponge or brush would give the same result.

I think people think you just spray this on and it magically makes everything clean without touching anything.

Not so.

[snowman81]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Totally agree. Any common soap or cleaner with a decent sponge or brush would give the same result.

I think people think you just spray this on and it magically makes everything clean without touching anything.

Not so.

I'm not sure I agree with that. I get some serious brake dust on my front wheels and while other ones seem to work okay, Sonax seems to work the best for me. And it's also Ph balanced and doesn't seem to strip away the wheel sealant as fast. Just my opinion, maybe you've had different results.

[itsmeek]

Have tried them all, in the end stuck with Griots 11107 Wheel cleaner. You can get a huge 1 gallon bottle for under $30 shipped off amazon or $20 at BJ's. It works just as well if not better than the other gimmicky brands, doesn't smell caustic, is safe for all finishes, and is biodegradeable. Simple green is also a great alternative with similar properties.

[Kid Red]

I have an Audi also, and they are notorious for bad brake dust. I can't go a week without my rims turning black. No matter what I use, I still have to use a brush and a lot of water. So, I've skipped on the sprays to save money and use a tab of car wash shampoo, water and brushes.

[BMW335icoupe]

I use a mix of Griots and Sonax. I buy it in the big 2L bottles from Detailers Domain. Griots is cheaper but takes twice the time to clean the wheels. I would use Sonax all the time but it is a little bit pricey for weekly use.

[mave198]

Been using this stuff for two years already (bought of course from Detailers Domain)

Great stuff. Just buy the two jug special that DD has on sale for anyone interested

[Detailers Domain]

thanks for the order. you got a great wheel cleaner in your hands.

[CJ421]

SONAX is great, I wholeheartedly agree. I have used many bottles to clean many a wheel after track days.

[ScheerSpeed]

while soap alone will indeed clean your wheels, using sonax prior will make your life a lot easier, and makes the result just that much better!

i don't use anything else on wheels...

[Focus]

Originally Posted by ScheerSpeed

while soap alone will indeed clean your wheels, using sonax prior will make your life a lot easier, and makes the result just that much better!

i don't use anything else on wheels...

Agreed, i clean my wheels weekly, and while soap does work, using sonax makes the process a lot easier..saves me an extra 20 minutes per wash session which is worth it to me personally.

I guess it all depends on what kind of wheels you have. Anyone with mesh wheels knows the pain of cleaning off BMW break dust.

[nitehawk]

I used to have the BMW Wheel Cleaner gel before and found that I need to agitate the brake dust just as much with Sonax. I'll be sticking to the OEM stuff going forward...