inner wheel detailing example
 

the inside of the wheels are an often ignored part of a detail. especially with lighter colored wheels, a clean inner portion gives the wheels that new car look again.

This is an example of one of the wheels. The main problem is the flat inner surface of the wheel. that is really visible from the outside and most people ignore it when detailing.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1370.jpg

i spray the wheel with optimum powerclean and let it sit. i then agitate it with a few brushes i have, which are especially handy in getting in the lug holes, the details behind the spokes, various ridges, etc. you don't have to go TOO crazy behind the spokes since they will not be seen, but i like to atleast get most of the stuff off since potentially it could work it's way down somehow to the surface you should really focus on, which is the widest part of the inside of the wheel. i also use a warm water and dish soap solution with a 'rough use' MF mitt to help break down whatever is on there as well.

some of my weapons of choice. i typically do this by hand since using a machine is not necessary and would be kinda tough considering the space constraints. i use optimum poli-seal, which is a nice mild polish with finishing treament quality polishing agents that breakdown very nicely. it also has a sealant built in. this stuff is awesome for alot of fine paint uses, but it works very well for weird stuff like this. i use the firm side of a dual sided hand applicator (from wolfgang/autogeek). it gets dirty even if the wheel appears to be clean. rest assured the pad cleans up just like new after a wash. i top the treatment with an additional application of their stand alone sealant called opti-seal. it applies with a very soft foam hand applicator. i buff everything when it comes to wheels using my general use microfibers from advance auto. these are great for glass, interior work, and stuff like this where the finest MF is not necessary. save the good MF for paint and clear plastic use!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1368.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1366.jpg

you can see the finished product. note as i mentioned i didn't get absolutely every last bit of grime and brake dust out from the cast details behind the spokes, and also didn't worry about the inside lip as this is pointless. the main idea is to clean and refine the inner portion, and then add some protection so it's easier to preserve the clean surface during your future washes. makes it easier for stuff to wash off if it's smooth and sealed.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1365.jpg

here is a shot of the sealed front of the wheel. i typically detail these anyway, but when i do intensive wheel cleanings like this i go over it again with the poli-seal and the opti-seal just like i would when i don't remove the wheels and am cleaning just the faces.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1363.jpg

these are some shots after a couple weeks of use. you can see that the insides stay clean and attractive with only 'outside' coaxing, no need to remove the wheels for quite some time! disregard the rusty on the rotors, the car was washed previously then put back into the garage w/o the wheels being dried or the car being driven, so the rotors oxidized a bit.
front
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...el/frontw1.jpg
rear
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1529.jpg
front
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...el/frontw2.jpg
rear
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...eel/rearw1.jpg
rear
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...eel/rearw2.jpg

here are some silly gratuitous exterior shots. this is several weeks since the last full detail with only washes inbetween. i didn't fine tune the camera while taking these or process the images but you get the idea....
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1528.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...l/IMG_1531.jpg

good stuff i was just gonna do the same thing!

^^Good stuff. Maybe we can get a DIY section up in the detailing section or something. I just got some p21s wheel cleaner the other day. Gonna use it in the next day or two, will post up some thoughts on it. Id also be interested in a section that has the people who detail regularly, like a list of their supplies. Also, I think a product review section would be helpful for a lot of people. I see a lot of people asking questions on what to use. Like I've used a lot of meguiar's stuff at work and I use Menzerna's for my customers. Then list the good/bad or something