How to get rid of brake dust

When your brake pads heat up, their metallic particles get a static charge as they wear off the surface of the pad. Brake dust is also caused by brake rotors containing cast iron. When your rotors wear down, the iron particles also get a static charge as they wear off the rotors and cling to surfaces like your wheels.

Accumulation of Dust

A by-product of brakes under normal operation, brake dust is a mixture of metallic particles that wear off the surface of the pad. As the pads wear out, the amount of dust they give off will decrease. Noticing cleaner-looking wheels is often a sign brake pads need replacement.

Remove the stubborn dirt

After washing with detergent and rinsing off, apply WD-40® Specialist Fast Acting Degreaser. It is a solvent-based formula that quickly removes grease, oil, and dirt without leaving any residue. It acts immediately on contact and is easy to rinse off.

Aluminum Rims

Get rid of road dirt, grease and tar by using a degreaser and cleaners like dish detergent and baking soda! Mix your dish detergent with equal parts water and clean your rims using a soft cloth. Then sprinkle baking soda on the rough side of a sponge and go over your rims again, and finally rinse off.

Tip #3 – Cleaning Your Aluminum Wheel Rims

First, rinse off your wheel rims with cool water or whatever comes out of your hose. This will help remove some of the dirt and grime. Next, using the appropriate brush (never use steel wool or an abrasive brush as it can ruin your rims.)

Dirty rims and wheels can take the joy out of any ride. Thankfully, Dawn® cleans everything from baked-on to braked on messes. So take a quick pit stop to clean your brake dust and make those tire rims and wheels shine like new.