Is brake dust, salt, etc. detrimental to the inside of the alloy wheels? It would be such a hassle to jack up the car to do so all the time.

I take the wheels off...and clean and polish them...it makes it easier to clean later.<p>To answer you...yes...that stuff ruins the surface of the wheels.<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM

I found a conical brush at my Audi dealer that lets me get in between the spokes to the back side of the rim. Works like a charm without busted knuckles.

I'm pretty anal about washing my car...I picked up a "Detailer's Choice" brush @ Pep Boys which is like a stiff plastic-sponge material on a stick. Works great for reaching back into the inner surface of the wheels. I also reach around the backside of each spoke with a sponge to clean that too. When I swap summer wheels/tires over to winter wheels/tires I take the opportunity to clean the wheels even more. I use bug & tar remover on the tar spots and either Meguiar's cleaner-wax or their clearcoat-safe metal polish on the outside surface. If I'm feeling really picky, I'll through on a coat of Carnuba wax also.<p>Washing my car is pretty time-consuming for me...between the wheels, washing in and around my roof rack, etc...I probably spend close to 1.5 hours washing/drying my car.<p>Andy Hedin<br>'97 A4 1.8Tqms, Wett 1.0 Bar, ABT Filter, Euro Headlights...<br>

Thats it?? And you call your self anal.<p>I recently spent 4 hours doing the exterior of the car, but of course I did all the door jams, under the hood and trunk, the engine compartment, and anyplace else I could reach without too much trouble. I even cleaned each slot in the grill seperatly. Once I was done, I was too tired to do the inteior in the same way, so I just quickly wiped it down. I could have easily spent all day cleaning the car if I would have started earlier. <p>I would say that a "normal" wash job - wash, dry, interior, etc, - is about 1 to 1.5 hours.<p>Matt

Then I got tired off it. Too big of a hassle for a part of the car you don't even see. I used to use dishwashing sponge on a stick to get inside the tire. I would wash the inside if I had to take off the tire for any reason though.<p>Mark (98.5 2.8 QMS)

Matt, I'm with you... 3hrs is about my normal with 4-5 hours when I'm really "in the mood" to pamper my baby. 1hr is a quickie touch-up.

I wash the wheels inside and out every time I wash the car (along with the wheel wells, around the door jambs, trunk and hood openings, gas filler lid, etc.). To clean the inside of the wheels, I use a sponge drinking glass cleaner that can be found at just about any large grocery store. It is a sponge ball/star on the end of a plastic stick (so you can clean the inside bottom of tall glasses). It makes cleaning the wheels very easy, and it even fits between the front brake calipers and the wheel (and they are really inexpensive).<p>Dave M - '97 1.8tm

I disassemble the entire care every time I wash it, it's amazing where the dirt creeps in. Really though, you might want to clean the insides when you rotate tires. Otherwise, I've never bothered.

I use the same sponge on a stick Dave M does.<br>It doesn't take very long at all and, IMO, the<br>car looks a lot better.

I never really bothered with cleaning the inside on the stock 5-spoke since the holes were rather small. I recently mounted my 17in Borbet Type-T and the hole between spokes plus the larger diameter allows me to get my hand all the way back to clean.<p>I gave the 5 spokes a good wash, pre-wax cleaner, and carnuba inside and out before storing in the basement.<p>

Well,<p>I guess I'm in good company. Do you guys ever pull out the q-tips to get to those annoying little nooks?<p>I love my Brilliant Black for up to a whole hour after I finish. Then, the pollen, dust, and small birds start sticking to the surface...

I agree that it makes the car look much better. I have the 5 spoke wheels, and the inside of the wheels are easily visible (not sure if the insides of the other rims are similarly visible). Also, it is quick and easy to clean the insides of the 5 spokers with the sponge on a stick, the other rims may not be so easy to clean.<p>Dave M - '97 1.8tm

My girlfriend thinks I'm nuts - way too anal about my car. Maybe I should print out these posts and show them to her.<br>

I thought it was just Me

I have a 5hp air compressor at the house and I blow out the interior before I vacuum it. Evil dust begone!!!

I have one of those yellow felts that picks up dust just great. Dusting being a pretty burly activity.

g

I easily spend two hours a weekend on what I would consider a decent wash...a good through one will take about 4 hours, then you've got to do the interior :)<p>See unfortunately I have to leave my car outside (I live with my parents...and my Dad is a pack-rat hence no garage to speak of) so it gets dirty enough what with the elements and all...plus my 60 mile a day round trip drive to work.<p>It really pisses me off...in the morning it gets all misty outside and then condensation forms all over my car. Then I get in it and drive...the dust hits the condensation and turns the water into micro-mud if you will, which once dry translates into a dirty car. It drives me mad...and forces me to wash my car weekly.<p>I had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled out on a Thursday (impacted none were even visable..it was bad, real bad)...my face was soo swollen and I was all hopped up on Vicodin to kill the pain. Well that Saturday I was out there with my bucket of Meguairs car Shampoo and a sponge...puffy face and all washing my car. I swear to god my neighbors looked at me like I was on crack :) God I really love this car...wish I had a garage.<p>What do you guys think is worse...the dirt and weekly washing or a car cover???

If they are very lightly dirty, there is usually enough water overyspray laying around in there so I just wipe them down with an old towel and they are clean. If they are real dirty, like they get during a rain storm, then I will use a damp sponge to wipe them out then dry them with an old towel. I have done this from day 1, so they are just about as clean as the outside of the car (and it does not take much effort to keep them that way if done regularly).<p>Dave M - '97 1.8tm

I have a Brookstone horsehair exploded-tip car wash brush (zero scratches! better than a sponge or mitt!). Dunk it in my car wash bucket and go over all the parts of my door jambs, inside and out, top and bottom. Quick and easy cause most of the stuff in my door jambs is light dirt anyway.<p>-PhilJ

Do you use the brush on the whole car? I have read somewhere that these brushes were good (maybe in my Haynes Detailing Book), but I have been afraid to try one. I think it would be faster than using a sponge/mit, would work better around the various nooks and crannies, and it seems that the dirt would release better from it.<p>Dave m - '97 1.8tm