How to Clean Galvanized Trailer Rims

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Back country roads can leave your trailer covered in grime, so you'll want to clean it after every camping trip along with the rest of your gear. If you have galvanized steel rims on your trailer that have begun to show white spots, they require special attention. Galvanized steel rims have been coated with paint rich in zinc or hot-dipped in liquefied zinc to prevent corrosion of the metal. The white spots are referred to as "white rust" or "wet storage stains" and are signs that the zinc coating is doing its job--protecting the steel from rust.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Hose
Bucket
1 tbsp. liquid dish soap
Sponge
Nylon brush
2 cups white distilled vinegar

Step 1

Spray your galvanized steel trailer rims with a hose to remove any excess dirt, mud or gravel.

Step 2

Fill a bucket with water and one tbsp. of liquid dish soap. Dip a sponge into the bucket and apply the soapy water to each of the galvanized trailer rims in a circular motion with medium pressure. Rinse each of the rims thoroughly with the hose. Rinse your sponge and bucket. Allow rims to air dry completely.

Step 3

Brush dry rims with a nylon brush in an up-and-down motion to remove any oxidation of the zinc coating.

Step 4

Pour two cups of distilled white vinegar into your bucket. Dip your nylon brush head into the vinegar and gently brush the galvanized trailer rims until the stains disappear.

Step 5

Rinse the rims with water and allow them to dry completely before storing.

Tips & Warnings

You can substitute lime juice for vinegar to remove the oxidation stains from your galvanized trailer rims.

Never use an abrasive cleaner or steel wool to clean galvanized trailer rims; doing so could remove the galvanized coating.

Resources

American Galvanizer's Association: Home

Article Written By Elizabeth Grace

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Elizabeth Grace is a freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from Pepperdine University, and has 15 years of experience developing marketing campaigns for universities and multinational corporations.

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