Easy Off oven cleaner
 

I've seen Easy Off oven cleaner do a great job on aluminum wheels where the brake dust on the front wheels is deep.

What is likely to happen when you try to clean your stock BMW wheels with Easy Off? Does anyone have experience with this chemical? Does it destroy the painted BMW wheel?

I am not sure what the chemicals are in Easy off, but if they are caustic (which usually is the prime ingredient for removing fats and grease), then I would not recommend. Caustic attacks aluminum and removes the protective film built up on the surface of the aluminum. The aluminum will oxidize again and regain the protective surface, but will appear dull.

I had to use it to get the brake dust off my wheels that I didn't clean for a couple of months.. I finished it off with wheel wax after and didn't have a problem. I didn't leave it on very long because I was afraid it would eat it up. This is after I used regular wheel cleaner, soap, simple green, simple green bbq spray.. I was out of options and I didn't care since it was winter wheels :)

Were the winter wheels steel or aluminum. Caustic on steel doesn't cause damage like aluminum - after all ovens are galvanized steel.

Oh my winter wheels are the stock 17" aluminum.. I have some nice 19's for the summer :) Essentially I sprayed it. Waited until i could start rubbing off that baked on brake dust, and rinsed the wheels with water right away and continued scrubbing.