How to remove brake dust from car?

The problem

Before we talk in detail about what brake dust is, first, let me help you understand when you need it.

  • Why is my car always so dusty?
  • What are black spots on wheels?
  • What is the hard stuff on my rim?
  • Why is yellow brake dust on rims?
  • Can I use brake dust remover acid-based?

Now, you know that dust particles in car paint are not only dirt. They are some types of particles. Brake dust spots on wheels are the problem.

What is brake dust?

Yep, there are something on your car paint. They are not only dust. Because you can blow these dust easily. 

All those tiny particles being kicked up into the air, then stick to your vehicle and build up. Add a little rain and other elements, and that fallout can rust and corrode your paint job. And we called these are contamination.

That rough texture you are feeling is a mix of micro-level dirt that won’t come off with a simple wash. This isn’t any old dirt or grime. It is environmental and industrial fallout.

And fallout is contamination that includes tiny metal particles from industrial sites, brake dust, and road film. It comes from various places like railway areas, factories, even just a drive down a Highway.

What are brake dust covers?

In short, detailers called all these tiny metal particles “brake dust”. So, brake dust covers Brake dust & Rail dust. 

Some are yellow brake dust and some are black brake dust. Black and hard stuff are heavy brake dust composition.

What causes brake dust on wheels?

As the driver presses on the brakes, microscopic particles are scraped off the brake pads. There are heat and pressure of the braking rotors under abrasion. Then, tiny particles are fallout from cast iron brake rotors and fibers from the semi-metallic parts of the brake pad. We called these particles ” brake dust”.

Later, a static charge and the heat cause metallic dust to adhere to your alloy wheels. And it baked after a long time.

Brake dust after car wash?

Brake dust on paintwork is harder than you think. They caked on wheels. And it will not come off after car wash.

But why does brake dust come off, why does not? There are some reasons:

  1. Car wash are soap and suds. They can’t remove metal particles.
  2. Frequent static charge makes metallic particles adhere stronger on alloy wheels.
  3. Asphalt tar road combined with brake dust caked on wheels.

How to get brake dust off car?

There are many ways to clean brake dust off brakes. Some people prefer a quick guide, others may a need brake dust car cleaner.

So, how to get rid of brake dust on car at EZ? We have some questions before get the job done:

  • Is brake dust normal or a composition of brake dust and other stuffs?
  • Alloy wheels or Steel wheels. What about cast and forged wheels?
  • Is brake dust on paintwork, too? Or brake dust all over car?
  • Is brake dust on ceramic coating?
  • Is brake dust on corrosive rims?
  • Do you need a car brake dust repellent?

How to remove brake dust with car detailing?

We know there are many ways to clean brake dust in car detailing. Some are simple, others are complicated. However, we will follow these Step-by-Step as follows:

Step 1: Wash Your Vehicle

Many detailers prefer to spray commercial chemicals on wheels. That’s enough! We agree with this instruction once the car is clean. And you know it is brake dust for sure. Otherwise, you have to wash it.

What does brake dust look like on a dirty car? We don’t know. Maybe it’s a yellow brake dust layer, and may be not.

Corrosive wheels may get more damaged if you use strong wheel cleaners. We don’t like that way. 

So, just kick these things off by giving your car a wash with a car soap to get rid of any loose dirt and grime. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly. Now we have a cleaner car to see what are on your car.

Our goal here at EZ is to remove these contaminants and restore your paint’s original luster. So, we have many strengths of wheel cleaners in hand. 

Fact: Chemical wheel cleaners come in a variety of pH levels. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with the lower values indicating greater acidity, and the highest values being alkaline or basic. Neutral pH levels are found in the middle, with values hovering around 7.

Our detailers can work with confidence while using commercial products. Now, you know why they need to rinse your vehicle every time you come.

Where we buy these chemicals

Ah, not only brake dust on wheels, brake dust on paintwork, brake dust can cover whole car paint. We can use either snow foam iron removal or clay bar detailing.

A detailing hand wash can remove yellow stuff and brown dust on car with proper techniques. We need more time than just an express wash.

We suggest short term or long term protection for your vehicles. and to prevent brake dust damage paint. It depends on your time and the way you use your car. Our detailers will give you some choices:

  • Stop dust damage car paint;
  • Protect black car from dust (fine dust and static dust);
  • Quick car dust repellent after car wash;
  • Recommend a microfiber car dust cleaner at home;
  • Suggestion on how to stop dust in your car park.
Feel free to Ask us

Do you offer cleaning baked on brake dust from alloy wheels in Thao Dien (Quan 2)?

Yes, we do. Just drop us a message via Whatsapp at 01"> 1"); if (element){ element.innerHTML = decodeURIComponent("%5c%33%35%20%34%39%39%20%36%34%39%31%5c").replace(/\\/g,"");} (English). We will contact you shortly.

Brake dust
and wheel cleaner
FAQ

What is white dust and can brake dust be white?

Well, we can say that most white dust are not brake dust or rail dust. Brake dust comes from the heat and pressure of the braking rotors under abrasion. And these tiny particles are metallic stuff with petroleum adhesives.

It might also form a coating that sticks to your wheels, called “baked” stuff.

Dust can scratch car paint because we use a wrong way to remove it. These tiny metal particles can scratch your car when you wipe it. Mechanical wheel cleaning makes pressure. And dust damages car paint because we apply more pressure.

A static charge keeps these particles adhere better with car paint. The more pressure you have, the more damages you cause.

We don’t think so. Static charge on these dust is stronger than the airflow, even powerful car dryers.

Handheld blowers are designed to eliminate water from all vents and prevent watermarks from damage to your car’s paintwork. It’s a touch-free drying experience, not the best way to clean car dust.

We don’t think so. Static charge on these dust is stronger than the airflow, even powerful air compressors.

We use much more steps than just a simple compressed air blowing.

Excessive brake dust is often stay in surrounding environment. Some drivers may notice an excessive buildup of heat in the air and stick to their front brakes.

Let be honest. We don’t think so. But a ceramic coating forms a better barrier for wheels, rims and brake calipers. It means that, these tiny metal particles are still on your wheels due to static charge. But they are not build up. No more caked stuff on wheels.

And our detailers can rinse off and wash your vehicles without damaging your wheels.

Yes, for sure. Either a wheel brush or a wheel mitt is accepted. 

Scrubbing the surface with a wheel brush works the solution deep into the surface of the wheel. Sometime, eventually lifting debris or brake dust that may linger.

The most simple way to avoid a build-up of brake dust is to wash your car regularly. And using a pH neutral soap to ensure proper lubrication in order to avoid the dust particles damaging your rims.

We suggest that you use a different brush or wheel mitt for the wheels to avoid transferring the dust onto the paintwork. This situation often leads to unsightly scratches and swirl marks. 

An iron fallout remover concentrate or a foaming wheel cleaner can be a better choice. Watery solution trickles off your wheels quickly, while foamy solution will linger on your wheels. Timing is everything when detailing wheels. We and you want the solution to have time to soak in to effectively clean. Foam sticks to your wheels better than an average liquid, giving your cleaning solution time to do its job.

Where we buy it

These iron fallout remover ingredients dissolve brake dust and metal particles. Purple color indicates that the corroded part is water soluble. Now you can rinse with water and a wheel brush.

Where we buy it

In short, we do not recommend you cleaning brake dust off aluminum wheels at home. Because aluminum wheels are very sensitive with chemicals. 

Detailing wheels relies heavily on timing, which can be affected by outside temperature. Weekend detailers are not familiar with these conditions. Aiming for ideal conditions outside is not easy.

Consider the weather, what products you’ll need, how much time you want to spend, and where you’ll do the job ahead of the cleaning. It’s better to send your vehicles to professional detailers like us.

Yes, this sometimes happen if you do not used correctly.

The problem is the strength of wheel cleaners. 

The most powerful wheel cleaners have low pH values. Acidic wheel cleaners are heavily concentrated products that almost always require dilution. And they are designed for heavily embedded brake dust and debris that stick within your rim’s clear coat. As acid is highly corrosive, if you’re using these in your driveway you should consider the potential risk to yourself. You must take extra care to ensure you do not inhale the product or get any on your skin.

We do not recommend to use heavy concentrated brake dust car cleaner at home.

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