GUNK Engine Brite got on wheels... damaged clearcoat... White Spots!

[Stoeger]

I just used GUNK Engine Brite (Petroleum Degreaser) on my Jeep Grand Cherokee, but a little leaked down and dripped onto the outside of my front wheels and damaged the clearcoat finish. It has whiteish spots like it is faded. (dewaxing/streaking may occur it says on bottle) I tried metal polish and regular wax, but the spots are still there, how do I remove them?

[dave92cherokee]

Are the wheels aluminum, steel, chrome or what. If they're chrome try a rubbing compound like they use to remove water spots in paint and then a good chrome polish and wax and real good buffing might do it, if not try a real fine steel wool pad and some coke on the spot that was effected and then polish and wax to get it real shiny.

[Stoeger]

They are aluminum, painted and clear-coated (from the factory, not by me).

Does anyone know what this stuff did to my wheels? Did it eat the clearcoat off, or permanently discolor it?

[dave92cherokee]

What color are they painted. If it's a color that you are not fond of or one that is a regular color that can have paint bought to match the color then take the wheel off sand it down and repaint it and then re clear coat it. If it's a color that you're not fond of then repaint all 4 rims. As for what it did I believe it's prolly from the petroleum in the degreaser that discolored the clear coat kind of like the discoloration you get if you get gas on your paint and don't clean it off immediately. If it was me I'd think about sanding it down good primering it and then repainting it and getting a good coat of clear coat on it. All four wheels could be done for about 30 bucks and about a weekend worth of work.