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I always wash the rims when I wash the car. And when I first got the car, I had a heck of a time removing the brake dust.
My car before this was an 81' 765 Turbo with intercooler. And due to the rim design, and maybe the brake as well, there wasn't as much brake dust, and even if there was, it wouldn't show up as much. So I didn't really have to worry about brake dust at the time.
When I got my 94' 855T a couple years ago, the brake dust seemed to appear after minutes of driving. So I spent a considerable time trying to remove brake dust. I spoke to a fellow autophile about this problem and he recommended waxing the rims. Note, not all rims benefit from waxing, i.e. forged aluminum and magnesium. Only aluminum alloy with painted finishes.
At the end of the season, I remove the 16" 850 Turbo rims and SCRUB them as clean as possible. This removes a LOT of brake dust. However, a considerable amount gets melted into the clear coat, and cannot be removed without compromising the clear coat's seal.
Then, I wax them with regular carnuba car wax. I like using Mother's Gold. I find that it is a good balance between protection, looks, feel, durability/longevity, ease of use and price. From what I have heard, other waxes are better than Mother's Gold in a number of these respects, or in just a few, it all depends on who you ask.
This waxing does wonders for brake dust. Most of all, it helps to prevent more brake dust from getting melted into the clear coat. And now, all I have to do to clean the rims is use a car wash brush with some car detergent and water in a bucket. It comes off VERY easily now.
I start washing the roof, then the windows, then the hood, then the sides of the car, then the rims, while at all times trying to make sure EVERYTHING stays wet. I then use a natural chamois to shammy the car dry. I leave the rims and tires to air dry while detailing the plastic mouldings. And lastly, I dress the tires; the last part of the job as the tires take the longest to dry.
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