Cleaning matte black rims is pretty much the same as cleaning chrome, metal, or glossy finished rims. The only difference is you can’t use normal soaps, detail sprays, or waxes because they would stain and make all kinds of weird splashes on the finish.
So, what’s the best way to clean matte black rims? Well, it’s quite simple. The methods would still be the same, you just have to use a certain set of products different from the regular ones. Let’s continue the discussion about how to clean matte black rims properly.
What is Matte Black Rim
The term MATTE is used to describe something that doesn’t shine. So, a matte black rim is basically a black-colored rim with no gloss or shine.
These rims are now very famous and in high demand among automobile users. Even truck wheels are also now available in matte colors.
The facilities of matte-colored rims are that they catch less dust than glossy rims, need less maintenance, and dust doesn’t seem as clear as on glossy rims.
Differences Between Satin Black and Matte Black Rims
The basic difference between satin black and matte black is the glossiness, as satin black is glossier than matte black.
Again, the satin black color is a slightly polished shade of black, and the matte black is an unsaturated shade of black.
The matte black wheels don’t have the ability to reflect light. But on the other hand, the satin black wheels can reflect an average amount of light with some level of gloss.
Scratches seem clearer in satin black than in matte black. That’s why satin black wheels get dirty earlier than matte black wheels.
And finally, the satin black color on the wheels lasts longer than the matte black color on the wheels.
How To Clean Matte Black Rims with Two Products
As we mentioned in the early part, “the methods would still be the same, you just have to use a certain set of products different from the regular ones.” Here we talk about two different products for cleaning matte black rims.
In the first one, we will talk about the chemical guys’ matte black wheel cleaner for our matte black rims, and in the second, we’ll talk about Dr. Beasley’s matte wheel cleanser.
What You Will Need-
- Wheel cleaning bucket
- Microfibre Towel
- Auto-wash matte soap
- Matte detailer spray sealant
- An all-purpose cleaner
- A Silk Shine by Chemical Guys
- Different types of brush
- A dura foam applicator
What You Have to Do:
First, put two ounces of Meticulous matte auto wash into the bucket and sud it up with water. Then, rinse the rim well and clean it with matte soap using different types of brushes.
You can use a ferret wheel brush for the interior part, a flag tip brush for the exterior part, and for nut holes, brake calipers, and goat brush.
Second, take the stiff brush, spray some wheel cleaner on it, and rub the tire with the brush. Be careful, don’t rub the rim. It’s only for the wheel to enhance the wheel’s shine.
Third, softly rinse the wheel again. Then dry the wheel with a microfibre towel very carefully. No water should be left on the rim, otherwise, it will create an unwanted spot on the rim.
Fourth, after removing all the water, spray some sprinkles of matte detailer on the rim and again wipe with a clean microfiber towel. It will help to enhance the rims’ crisp look without any extra shine and protect them from contamination and sun damage.
Basically, ordinary detail sprays contain gloss enhancers like wax, shiners, and so on. But the matte detailer doesn’t contain anything like that.
Fifth, put some Silk Shine on a Dura-Foam Applicator and rub the tire with it. After thoroughly rubbing, dry it with a clean microfibre towel. And your wheels are clean.
We are now talking about the second set of wheel cleaners, which is Dr. Beasley’s matte wheel cleanser. What you’ll have to have been-
- Dr. Beasley’s 360ml matte wheel cleanser
- Microfibre cloth
- Dr. Beasley’s matte wheel seal
- Brushes
What you’ve got to do is follow the same process detailed earlier, just change the cleaners, and maintain the precautions.
That’s how easy it is to clean and enhance the look of any matte wheel, whether you have matte paintwork or a satin wrap or anything like that on your wheel.
FAQ
Here you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about matte black wheels, as well as our recommendations-
Well, matte rims are designed not to shine. But it can be changed to a shiny one by using wax. It is called matte black wheel polish. Just put a little amount of wax on a clean towel and apply it to the rim. It will increase the shine.
Yes, you can if you don’t want a matte black rim anymore. Matte refers to no shine, which means cleaning a matte rim demands no shine after cleaning mostly because a shining coat of wax would simply serve to highlight the matte surface, which isn’t really appealing.
The cleaning process of satin black rims is akin to that of matte black rims. Just a few tools or chemicals can vary. Otherwise, you can follow the same process mentioned for the matte rims in this article.
There are many cleaners available on the market claiming to be the best. So, it’s hard to identify the best one. But I recommend the Chemical Guys and Dr. Beasley’s as these are widely used.
Conclusion
You’ve learned how to clean matte black rims now. You can simply clean your wheels by following the process. However, excessive cleaning of matte wheels will dry off the surface, making it seem blotchy and faded. Therefore, detailed cleaning should only be done when absolutely necessary.
That’s why, whenever you wash your automobile, I recommend washing your wheels as well. While this does not imply that you should dive into the rims and detail them completely, it does imply that you should clean the face of the wheels as well as the areas between and around the spokes.
After every car wash, apply protection to your rims to prevent pitting, etching, and everything else that brake dust can and will do to them.
