Is there some kind of solution that can be applied on rims in order to repel dirt and water so that they are never dirty?
Wheels!! They are called wheels. The only solution I know of keeping them clean all the time is the car's key. Lose it and the wheels will never get dirty. There are ways to make them easier to clean, however nothing will keep them clean all the time if you use the car.
Well, there is the idea of sort of ignoring the dirt on the wheels by going with a darker colored wheel. Gunmetal color is said to be particularly good at hiding brake dust.
I found changing to ceramic brake pads made a huge difference on my front wheels - both on the MINI and my Audi. Once I wear them out I'm changing to ceramics for my classic too..... I used Akebono on the front of the Audi, but just for fun I went to Autozone Ceramics for the MINI - so far I cannot fault the AZ pads for noise, performance, durability or anything else - plus they're lifetime warranted - wear them out, bring them in with your rec't and get a new set - free! I doubt they'll be able to come up with any for my Classic or I'd buy them again! Price was good too at $50/set vs $90 for OEM dirty pads.....
I have actually been surprised by how little brake dust I get on my MINI wheels. Having owned three Audis, I'm used to having having to wipe down wheels almost daily if I want them clean. CD
Without Genik's presence, so many important issues would never rise to the surface. Thanks and keep up the great work man.
Search Dave.0's threads for his recipe to clean with dodo juice ferrous dueler, seal with good sealant, then coat with rainx for a wheel that is easy to clean brake dust from...
I clean my gloss black wheels after every time I drive the car (1-2 times a week). The fastest/best way I have found is to spray them with a very, very light coat of tire dressing and using a microfiber towel the brake dust comes right off and leaves a bright shine to the wheels. Just call me old.
I have white wheels. I spend more time on the wheels than I do washing the car. I am going to try everything suggested here. Thanks for the tips...
I have white wheels on my Cooper and bought some wheel wipes. They do the trick just fine. I think they are called "Black Magic". I apply them to the wheels and wipe off the residue with a towel. The white stays white forever unless I do some hard braking. Other than that, it has been money well spent and with little effort.
http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-HWP102-Graphite-Performance-coating/dp/B000B6AF26 I used this on my stock wheels. Never had to clean them again...... Now that those wheels are gone, I suppose I'll be trying everything suggested here. I've been wiping them down weekly with spray detailer and a terry cloth towel, but they get dirty sooooo fast.
You can use "Wheel Wax" too. It works quite nicely to prevent the brake dust from sticking and makes clean up much easier.
Interesting tips! I'll have to try some of these ideas. Right now I just clean my wheels obsessively.
Suggest you give ArmorAll wheel protectant a try also. This is one ArmorAll product that actually works.
I don't clean my wheels enough. They're too low and my knees don't like getting down there to clean them.
One thing I did when I reached 70...I bought a good set of cushioned knee pads. Makes life much more liveable. Unfortunately... my wife now knows I can do yard work PS...a foam Yoga mat makes a very wide knee pad area.