Took both of my W211s through a car wash...garden variety brushless wash. As always happens, the automated wash does not clean off all the the brake dust...I just deal with that after the fact with a hose and microfiber cloth. This time, however, it looks as though the brake dust has somehow stained the rims. There are spots that just won't come off. So I'm assuming they are "trapped" under a layer of wax and/or clearcoat.

What's my best bet for getting the wheels clean? Thus far I've only tried a hose and a cloth.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 143k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

The dust may be iron from the brake rotors, not brake pad material.

Try clay bar, Mr.Clean Magic Eraser or a Meguiars wheel cleaner. With the wheel cleaner carefully select the correct version for the finish on your wheels as there are 3-4 types. The wheel cleaners can chemically release the stains if you're fortunate.

Good luck!!!

__________________
"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Some time back, someone on the diesel forum recommended Lysol Lime and Rust toilet bowl cleaner. My W123 bundts are almost 40 years old. I used an old toothbrush to get into the tight spots. It seemed to do no harm and melted away all that residue.

I've been using Adams Wheel cleaner for a couple of years, and it does a great job on brake dust, much better than the stuff I used to buy a local auto parts stores. There a re a number of more professional quality products other than Adams, though.

Also, recently, I replaced my brake pads with ceramic ones and have eliminated nearly all the filth from the old pads. Braking is fine with these. I'm happy.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

centric ceramic's good brand no more cleaning.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran,born in stuttgart, grandfather executed for not joining nazi party.

Switched to ceramic pads, reduced dust by 90%. My favourite cleaner for everything, including wheels and greasy engines is lastotallyawesome

Don't use oven cleaner, can damage the wheel paint.

__________________
1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).