The 7 Best Wheel Cleaners of 2023

Best Overall

Chemical Guys Signature Series Wheel Cleaner

4.9

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This effective spray is a good balance of powerful cleaning and finish-safe ingredients. It uses citrus-based cleaners to get rid of grime, grease, and dust. But it is still safe for metal, chrome, aluminum, plastic, and rubber. In addition to wheels, we love that you can use it on other parts of your car to restore shine and cleanliness. It’s also formulated for glossy surfaces. This means that you can also use it on painted or powder-coated rims. Using just one effective cleaner on your entire wheel makes the entire process that much easier.

The 16-ounce spray bottle is so simple to use, which is why we made it our top recommendation. All you need is a brush, shammy, or lint-free cloth. Just know, this is a concentrated solution. Make sure that you follow the product's recommendations to protect your skin and eyes. Wear gloves to reduce the chance of irritating your skin.

It's a good value, but still on the pricey side. If you want to save some money or just need more cleaner, you can purchase a gallon-size container of concentrate. You'll need to buy your own spray bottle, however. 

For the best results, you’ll also need to purchase separate cleaning tools. The Chemical Guys carry a great line of brushes that are designed to conveniently get into the intricate parts of a car’s exterior for a thorough clean.

Price at time of publish: $11

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 16 ounces | For Use On: Metal, plastic, chrome, aluminum, glossy surfaces}

Best Budget

P&S Professional Detail Products Brake Buster Wheel Cleaner

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Another powerhouse wheel cleaner, this formula is available in larger quantities. This can save money because it cuts down on the cost per volume. You should keep in mind that you’ll pay more up front, but the one gallon size is a good deal if you know you’ll use that much wheel cleaner.

This reliable cleaner foams so you can see exactly where it is as you clean. The clingy foam is safe for painted and powder-coated parts as well as the rubber of the wheels themselves. It also takes care of wheel dust, dirt, oil, and grease. P&S may also work on some corrosion, but it isn’t a rust-specific formula.

Price at time of publish: $32

_{Type: Liquid | Amount: 1 gallon | For Use On: Tires and rims}

Best Heavy-Duty

Armor All Wheel and Tire Cleaner

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For really tough jobs, this Armor All cleaner works on heavy grease and mud, as well as accumulated brake dust. It has a foaming formula so you know exactly where it is sprayed. Best of all, it turns from blue to white as it works. This helps you know when it's time to rinse the cleaner off to reveal clean, shiny wheels. It isn’t available as a bulk purchase, but each of the 22 ounce spray bottles are easy to use.

While this cleaner is effective, just know you'll need a separate hose or sprayer. A brush can also help break up larger pieces of dirt and get the cleaner into all parts of your rims and tires. We love that it's safe for all wheels, including rubber and sensitive finishes like chrome.

Price at time of publish: $8

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 22 ounces | For Use On: Wheels and tires}

Best Kit

Adam’s Polishes Wheel & Tire Cleaner Combo

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This kit comes with everything you need in one purchase. It includes a 16-ounce spray bottle of cleaner as well as two brushes. If you want to add wheel cleaning to your car upkeep routine without digging through a bunch of products and recommendations, this kit makes it easy with a single purchase.

The cleaner is also super effective and worth keeping in your cleaning arsenal on its own. To show that it's working, it turns purple so that you can see when it's time to rinse. The formula dissolves iron flakes to restore your tires without harsh chemicals. And the brushes have stiff bristles that you can use to scrub and long enough handles to keep your hands away from the foaming cleaner. You'll still need a hose to rinse the debris away.

Price at time of publish: $37

_{Type: Kit | Amount: 16 ounces | For Use On: Wheels and tires}

Best for Chrome

Car Guys Wheel Cleaner

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This cleaner from Car Guys works on a variety of surfaces, but is especially effective cleaning chrome parts of your tires. It removes dust so that the shine of the chrome is restored. It's available in a slightly larger container than most others while still coming in an easy-to-use spray bottle. You can also use this formula on chrome, alloys, some aluminum, powder-coated metal, ceramic, and clear-coated metal.

You’ll get the best results when using it with a brush. Car Guys recommends agitating the cleaner before rinsing it away to get the most thorough clean. When using it on ceramic-coated rims, you might be able to rinse it off without scrubbing. 

Price at time of publish: $17

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 22 ounces | For Use On: Wheels and tires}

Best for Aluminum

Meguiar's Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner

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Aluminum can be sensitive to harsh cleaners, making this special formula from Meguiar’s a must-have if you have aluminum parts on your car. This is the gentles option from Meguiar’s, which means you can use it on uncoated aluminum as well as other metals and surfaces. It foams, which helps you know exactly where it is working as well as keep it in place to work on vertical surfaces.

Keep in mind that this may require more scrubbing to get really stubborn dirt or rust removed. For surfaces like uncoated aluminum, it’s better to use a little agitation rather than harsh chemicals so that the metal is not damaged. Meguiar’s has an entire line of sprays that are specially formulated for various metals. This one is for popular aluminum.

Price at time of publish: $17

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 24 ounces | For Use On: Aluminum}