How To Prevent Painted Wheels From Fading

The first step is to make sure they’re painted properly in the first place. Wheels need to be properly prepped, primed and painted with specific paints, before adding several layers of a protective clear coat.

A fact that many an innocent upgraded-wheel owner doesn’t realize is that how you care for your wheel rims can directly impact (literally and metaphorically) how tough and true your wheel finish stays over the life of your vehicle. Using special wheel cleaner to clean your wheels would seem logical, right? However, many of these wheel cleaners have a relatively high acid content; if not applied correctly or even sometimes if applied at all, these cleaners can have a totally opposite effect to the one you wanted - taking the finish off along with the dirt!

If you have your vehicle washed at a professional car wash, sometimes they apply a treatment to car tires that can easily run down and damage the paint finish on your wheel rims. Check with your car wash to see what they actually use and make sure they keep any products off your wheels’ painted finish.

If you wash your vehicle yourself and are bent (so to speak) on using wheel cleaner for your wheels, make sure to follow the directions to the letter and rinse the product off completely before drying. You can also easily make your own, paint-friendly wheel wash using a bucket of hot water and a few drops of liquid dish detergent, making sure to flush the wheel clean with plenty of clean, non-soapy water after.

If it’s too late and your painted finish has faded or corroded, give the experts at Salt City Wheels a call today at 801 425 3044. We will give your wheels the customized care they need and deserve, as well as repairing damage to bring your wheels back to their gorgeous original state.