How to Clean BBS Wheels, and the Cleaner BBS Made With Nanolex
I have had BBS wheels on a lot of my own cars. A set of CH on the S4, LMs on the E38, and more sets through the shop on customer cars than I could count. I think they are the best looking wheels made. They are also some of the most annoying to keep clean.
So when BBS and Nanolex put out a wheel cleaner together, I wanted to know whether it would earn a spot in the routine. Here is that routine, and where the new bottle fits.
Why BBS wheels are harder to keep clean
Look at an LM or a CH up close. Every spoke crossing is a corner, and every corner holds brake dust. A wash mitt cleans the face and skips the places that actually get dirty.
Then there is the barrel. Brake dust is hot metal when it lands, and on a car with big brakes there is a lot of it. Left for a few weeks it bonds to the finish, and at that point people reach for something stronger than they should.
That is where wheels get hurt. Polished lips and diamond cut faces do not forgive a harsh cleaner. The stain it leaves is in the finish, and no amount of washing brings it back.
A cleaner built around the finish
The BBS x Nanolex Wheel Cleaner starts from that problem. Nanolex and BBS developed it together, and Nanolex describes it as the only cleaner developed with BBS.
It is pH-balanced, and it has been tested on the three finishes BBS owners actually have: painted, polished, and clear-coated. Nanolex states that it cleans those without damage, discoloration, or loss of shine.
It also changes color on the wheel as it works, so you can see when it is active. And it is not only for BBS. The same testing covers other manufacturers' wheels with those finishes.
How we clean a set of BBS wheels
Start with the wheels cool. A hot wheel flashes the cleaner dry before it does anything, and dried cleaner is its own problem. If you just drove home, go do something else for twenty minutes.
Do the wheels before the paint. Whatever sprays off a wheel should not land on a panel you already washed.
Spray the cleaner generously, face and barrel, and get it behind the spokes. Give it a few minutes and watch for the color change. Do not let it dry.
The next step is the one mesh wheels punish you for skipping. We run Wheel Woolies through the barrel and between the spokes, and a soft detail brush around the lug holes and the spoke crossings. On a wheel that gets cleaned every week, the cleaner does most of this on its own. On one that does not, the brush is what gets the corners.
Rinse thoroughly, then dry the wheel with a soft microfiber towel. Water left sitting in the lip dries into spots the same way it does on paint.
Nanolex recommends using the cleaner at every wash, and that is the right habit with any wheel cleaner. Dust that comes off weekly never gets the chance to bond.
Which routine do your wheels need?
Pick the one that sounds like your wheels today.
Do thisSpray, wait, rinseOn a wheel that gets cleaned every week, the cleaner does most of the work on its own.
| Before | Wheels cool, and wheels before the paint. |
|---|---|
| Spray | Generously, face and barrel, and behind the spokes. |
| Wait | A few minutes. Watch for the color change and do not let it dry. |
| Finish | Rinse thoroughly, then dry with a soft microfiber towel. |
Do thisCleaner, then brushesThe corners are where the dust sits, and the brush is what gets them.
| Spray | The BBS cleaner on cool wheels, face and barrel, and give it a few minutes. |
|---|---|
| Barrel | Wheel Woolies through the barrel and between the spokes. |
| Corners | A soft detail brush around the lug holes and the spoke crossings. |
| After | Rinse, dry, and use the cleaner at every wash so the dust never gets the chance to bond. |
Do thisSomething heavier firstWheels that have been neglected need a stronger first clean.
| First | Nanolex Professional Wheel Cleaner Concentrate, the fast acting alkaline cleaner we keep for neglected wheels. |
|---|---|
| Then | The BBS cleaner at every wash from here on, to keep the finish exactly as it is. |
| Not sure | Send us a photo and we will tell you what finish you have before you spray anything on it. |
Do thisRefinish, then protectCurb rash or a tired finish is past cleaning.
| Why | A stain that is in the finish does not wash out. |
|---|---|
| Next | See what a proper BBS refinish looks like on the studio journal. |
| After | A coating like Nanolex Si3D RIM keeps brake dust from bonding as hard. |
Where it sits on our shelf
I have said before that Sonax Full Effect is my favorite wheel cleaner, and it is still on the shelf. We also keep Nanolex Professional Wheel Cleaner Concentrate, a fast acting alkaline cleaner, for wheels that have been neglected and need something heavier first.
The BBS cleaner is aimed at the other end. It is for regular maintenance on a finish you want to keep exactly as it is.
Once they are clean, protect them
A coated wheel is easier to clean. A coating like Nanolex Si3D RIM keeps brake dust from bonding as hard, and Nanolex confirms the BBS cleaner can be used alongside coatings and sealants.
If you live where the roads get salted, a second set for winter is worth it. I run a separate set of CH through the winter so the good wheels never see it.
And if yours are already past cleaning, with curb rash or a tired finish, here is what a proper refinish looks like.
Where to get it
The BBS x Nanolex Wheel Cleaner is in stock in the 750 ml bottle. Not sure what finish your wheels have? Send us a photo and we will tell you before you spray anything on them.
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Made with BBS BBS x Nanolex Wheel Cleaner, 750 ml $25.99 · pH-balanced · changes color as it works · tested on painted, polished, and clear-coated finishes · ships from Norwood, NJ Also in this post: Wheel Woolies 3 piece kit, $65 · Wheel Woolies Detail Brush, $16.50 · Nanolex Si3D RIM, $69.95 |