How to Polish Matte Black Wheels-6 Easy Steps

Matte black wheels are a great option to give your vehicle a stylish and upgraded look. Polishing matte black on your wheel instantly makes it cool as it significantly increases the wheel’s shine.

If you install new black wheels in your car, then ensuring their fresh look is essential. However, you can do it by cleaning matte wheels at a regular interval. Therefore, you need to know how to polish your matte black wheels.

You need to follow a cleaning and maintenance routine for keeping them attractive. Constantly cleaning and polishing your black wheels will help to eliminate the grime build-up on them.

However, before starting polishing, go through this article’s each point to learn about the details. Knowing the particular polishing process will help you to avoid the wheel’s unnecessary damaging risk.

Can You Polish Matte Black Wheels

Yes, you can polish the matte black wheels. In fact, you can increase your car wheel’s shine by polishing it. Use a polishing pad or clean and soft microfiber cloth for each wheel and apply wax in small amounts. Then in a circular motion, spread the wax’s thin layer on the wheel.

Note: Gloss black shines more, and matte black shine less. Sometimes polishing alters the matte wheel finishes gloss level.

Is It Hard To Clean Matte Black Wheels

NO, cleaning matte wheels is not tough at all. Its cleaning is pretty easy. But you should have proper knowledge about the wheel’s cleaning materials. Using a few materials, you can easily clean your vehicle wheels. Wax and cleaning solutions are the best materials to clean and polish your matte black wheels.

The matte wheel cleaning, and metal, chrome, or glossy finished wheels cleaning process are almost the same. There is not much difference between them. 

The only difference is using the silicone-free wheel cleaner in matte wheel cleaning, as silicone makes the matte uneven and blotchy. Also, don’t use acid for cleaning your matte black wheel because acid destroys the matte paint’s appearance.

How To Polish Matte Black Wheels [6 Easy Steps]

One of the best and easy ways to keep your matte wheellooking good is by polishing them. However, you may face a challenging time finding the proper cleaning chemical. Picking the best cleaning materials and chemicals is essential, which will increase the wheel’s shine without damaging them.

So, below, we will discuss what materials you need to polish your matte black wheels and the step-by-step polishing guide. Let’s start:

Required Materials

For polishing and cleaning matte wheels, having the following materials are must;

  • Two buckets (one bucket with clean soapy water or warm water and the other one to rinse the wash mitt and sponge)
  • Sponge or mitt
  • Car wash soap or wheel cleaner (wheel cleaner dissolves the brake dust)
  • Wheel Wax (Leave a high-gloss shine and deepen the wheel’s color)

Step-by-Step Guide to Polish Matte Black Wheels

Using the vehicle for a few days makes your new matte black wheels get dirty, and it is the worst thing ever. But there is nothing to do with it. Because your black wheels will lose their shine and become dirty by constantly using them.

But no worry, you can quickly back your matte black wheel’s shine by polishing them. So you should know the exact way of cleaning and polishing the wheels. In this section, we will discuss the detailed step-by-step guide to polishing the matte black wheels. Let’s start:

Step 1: Rinse the Wheel

Starting the polishing process with a dirty wheel is not possible. Thus the first step is to rinse and clean the wheel. Next, connect a hose to a water supply source and start cleaning your black wheel by spraying water on it.

Use the bucket with clean soapy water to clean the wheel. If you use the warm water in your bucket during this step, it would be better. Dip the sponge in the warm water or soapy water bucket, and then clean the wheels by gently wiping them.

Use the other bucket to rinse your dirty sponge after cleaning the wheel. However, use only one clean sponge for each dirty wheel. And avoid dipping the dirty sponge back into the clean soapy water.

Step 2: Add Car Wash Soap or Wheel Cleaner to the Wheel

Take the bucket with clean soapy water and add wheel cleaner or car wash soap into it for cleaning matte wheels. Dip the sponge or mitt into the soapy solution. Then apply it to your matte black wheels following a circular motion.

Before applying the cleaning solution, make sure your black wheels are cold enough. Also, try to conduct the whole cleaning and solution applying process in a shaded area or above 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3: Give Some Time to Sit the Cleaning Solution on the Wheel

Wait for 5-7 minutes and give some time so that the cleaning solution perfectly sits on your matte black wheel. The cleaner works perfectly when the wheel properly absorbs it.

Step 4: Rinse the Wheel and Dry It Off

After waiting for 5-7 minutes, now it’s time to rinse and clean the wheel properly. First, dip a sponge or mitt in the warm water bucket. Then remove the wheel’s cleaning solution or soapy water by scrubbing it off. For cleaning each wheel, using one mitt or sponge is highly recommended.

Make sure you thoroughly rinse and scrub the cleaning solution from each matte black wheel. Now, wait for some time until the wheels become dry. Or you can use a mitt to dry the wheel. Thoroughly drying each of your black wheels is essential. Thus make sure of it.

Step 5: Add Wheel Wax to Wheel

Waxing matte black wheels significantly increase their shine. So, in this step, you have to perform the main task, which is polishing the black wheels. Your wheels will undoubtedly become shinier and glossy after polishing them.

So, start the polishing process by applying the wheel wax in a smaller amount on the polishing pad or a clean, soft microfiber cloth. Try to use a different pad for every single wheel, or you can also use a single one for 4 wheels.

Now follow a circular motion and spread the wax’s thin layer on the wheel. By applying this wax’s thin layer, the dirt, debris, or grime will not be able to damage your matte black wheels.

Step 6: Properly Clean Supplies Prior to Using Them Again

After using your matte black wheels for a few days, they will become dirty again. Thus again, you have to clean and polish the wheels following the above steps and using the same material or supplies. Therefore, for using the supplies again, you need to clean them properly now.

Properly clean and wash all the sponge and mitt you used in the polishing and cleaning process. Find a perfect room temperature to store the wheel cleaner or car wash soap and the wheel wax. Also, rinse and clean the two buckets by pouring out the cleaning solution, dirt, and grime from them.

So for getting the best result and perfectly shiny matte black wheels, you should clean them frequently. Especially, every 2 weeks, cleaning and rinsing the wheels once will be better. And at every second wash, for polishing the wheel, apply the heel wax.

Hopefully, the above step-by-step matte black wheels polishing guide was informative enough, and you enjoyed it.

How Do You Make Gloss Matte Rims

So, after polishing your matte black wheels, do you want to make gloss matte rims? Whether you desperately want to touch up your old wheels or add unique style to your new wheels, all are possible.

Making glossy, matte rims or painting the rims is an easy, quick and cost-effective method. However, within a single day, you can create a whole new look for your matte rims following the easy ten steps below:

10 Easy Steps to Make Glossy Matte Rims

If you take professional help for painting the rims, it will cost huge. But if you do it by yourself following the steps below, it will cost less. The 10 easy steps of making glossy matte rims are the following:

Step 1: Collect required materials to paint the rims. The essential supplies are:

  • Rim cleaner
  • Wire brush or sandpaper
  • Rags
  • Index cards or newspaper
  • Matte detail spray/metal spray paint
  • Protective goggles
  • Self-etching primer
  • Mask
  • Pressure washer (optional)
  • Clearcoat (Optional)
  • Rubbing alcohol (optional)

Step 2: For completing the rims painting project, set up a perfect place

Step 3: Remove your vehicle’s wheels

Step 4: Clean the rims

Step 5: Use water to clean and rinse the wheels properly

Step 6: perfectly dry the wheels

Step 7: Between the rubber and the rim, place the notecards

Step 8: Use matte detail spray or spray paint primer

Step 9: Apply the primary coat

Step 10: After drying the rims completely, put them back on the vehicle

How Do You Protect Matte Black Wheels

Protecting your matte black wheels is a matter of common sense. If you want them to last, you need to take care of them.

The key to protecting your matte black wheels is to keep them clean, dry and free from contaminants. This means washing them frequently, making sure they’re clean before putting them away and never leaving them out in the sun for extended periods of time.

If you do find yourself in a situation where your wheels are exposed to direct sunlight, it’s important that you immediately clean them with a quality wheel cleaner and apply a coat of protectant on top. This will help prevent any damage from occurring.

How Often Should You Wash Your Wheels

It really depends on how often you drive and where you park. If you’re commuting in a big city or parking next to a busy road, you may need to do it more often. If you don’t drive much at all, but have a garage or covered parking spot where the wheels don’t have direct sunlight exposure, then washing them less frequently is fine.

We recommend you to clean your wheels every time you wash the rest of the car. If they’re particularly dirty or have been neglected for a while, give them an extra cleaning session before hitting the road again.

Conclusion

So, from the above discussion, it is pretty clear that cleaning and polishing the matte black wheels are quite easy. If you have all the supplies necessary to complete the polishing, you can easily do it by yourself by following the steps mentioned above. Polishing will undoubtedly increase the shine of your matte black wheels. But after using the wheels for a few days, they will be dirty again. Thus you should follow a regular wheel cleaning & maintenance routine. Usually, cleaning the wheels once at least every 2 weeks is better, and polish them after completing the 2nd time washing. 

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