Yo! Hold on there! depending on the finish of the rim, the brass wire may scratch the rim, and that'd be bad. I use a wheel holder in a vice, and a long strip of cotton sheet to make a polisher. Then, depending on what is on the top of the pile I use mothers or blue magic on the rag, take a wrap around the nipple, and go back and forth a few times like dental floss. I clean the spoke in the same way...Takes about 10 minutes/wheel.