Wheels, Tires & Trim: the full procedure
Clean wheels and barrels with dedicated tools, clean and dress tires, and restore trim — done early so fallout never lands on clean paint.
- Applies to: Detailers.
- Frequency: Every exterior detail (early, in the wash stage).
- Scope: Covers wheels, tires, and exterior trim. Product choice/dilution and safety follow each product’s label.
What you need
- Dedicated wheel brushes (face + barrel)
- Wheel cleaner
- Tire cleaner + stiff brush
- Tire dressing
- Trim restorer
The procedure, step by step
- Use dedicated wheel tools — Never use the paint mitt on wheels — brake dust and grit would scratch paint. Keep wheel tools separate.
- Do wheels early — Clean wheels/tires early in the wash so spray and fallout don’t land on cleaned paint (the lower-third-first order).
- Clean wheels one at a time — Pre-rinse, apply the right wheel cleaner for the finish, agitate the face, barrels, and lug area with the proper brushes, then rinse — one wheel at a time so cleaner doesn’t dry on.
- Clean and dress tires — Scrub tires with tire cleaner and a stiff brush, rinse, dry, then apply dressing to the sidewall (not the tread).
- Restore trim — Clean and restore/protect exterior plastic trim per the product, keeping it off adjacent paint.
Quality check before you finish
- Dedicated wheel tools used (never the paint mitt).
- Wheels done early in the wash.
- Wheels cleaned one at a time (face/barrel/lug).
- Tires cleaned + dressed (sidewall, not tread).
- Trim cleaned/restored, off the paint.
This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Auto Detailing business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.
Sources
- Chemical Guys — Clean Tires & Wheels Like a Pro (chemicalguys.com)
- IDA Study Guide — Lower-Third / Wheels-First (carwashmag.com)
About Free Wheels & Tires SOP
Free printable wheels/tires/trim SOP: clean wheels and barrels with dedicated tools, clean and dress tires, and restore exterior trim — with separate tools to avoid cross-contamination.
How to use
- Read the full procedure top to bottom before the work — the SOP runs in order and each step builds on the last.
- Toggle Ink-saver (black & white) for a cheaper mono print for the binder; leave it off for the full-color version.
- Click Print SOP to print or save as PDF. Print one per crew, laminate it for the binder, or attach it to the job in your scheduling system.
- Train new hires on it and have staff sign off. Found something out of date? Use the feedback link — flagged SOPs are re-researched against the source list.
Frequently asked questions
How are wheels cleaned in detailing?
With dedicated wheel tools (never the paint mitt) and the right wheel cleaner for the finish: clean the face and barrels and lug area, agitate, and rinse. Wheels are done early in the wash so fallout/spray doesn’t land on cleaned paint. Product choice and safety follow each label.
Why use separate tools for wheels?
Wheels carry brake dust and heavy grit that would scratch paint if the same mitt/brush touched both. Keeping wheel tools separate is a core anti-swirl, anti-cross-contamination rule.
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