How to Clean the Tires on Your Car
Use a cleaner designed for tires., Allow the cleaner to sit for a minute., Use a stiff brush to clean tires., Rinse the tires with a hose., Repeat the cleaner process if necessary., Use tire gel for browned tires.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a cleaner designed for tires.
There are a number of products designed specifically to clean your tires.
Spray tire cleaner onto your tires and follow the directions regarding how long to leave it on.Car wash soap is designed to clean and protect paint and clear coat, not rubber, so it can leave a film over your tires or prevent them from shining.
Just as car wash soap does a poor job of cleaning tires, tire cleaner can have a negative effect on the paint of your vehicle.
Do your best to avoid getting any on the paint.
There are some cleaners designed for use on both wheels and tires.
If you did not purchase cleaner designed for both applications, avoid getting tire cleaner on your wheels. -
Step 2: Allow the cleaner to sit for a minute.
Because rubber is a fairly porous surface, it can be difficult to get the grime and brake dust off of your tires.
Allow the tire cleaner to sit on the tire for a minute or two, so it can soak in and dislodge as much dirt and grime as possible.Follow the instructions regarding how long to let the tire cleaner sit on the tire for optimal effect.
Wipe any overspray on the wheels or paint off immediately with a clean rag. , If your tires have a white film or have browned due to deposits of grime, you may need to scrub them to get them clean.
Use a brush with fairly stiff bristles and don’t be afraid to apply a lot of pressure when scrubbing your tires clean for the best results.It does not matter if you scrub your tires in a back and forth or circular motion as long as you are consistent throughout the tire.
Use a stiffer brush than you would on paint, but avoid steel tooth brushes as they may penetrate the rubber and lead to leaks. , After scrubbing as much grime off of the tire as you can, use a hose to rinse the tire off.
Use a power washer or high pressure hose if possible to limit the amount of dirt that remains on the tire.Tire cleaners are designed to be environmentally safe, so it’s fine to allow the tire cleaner and water to drain or run off into your yard.
Be sure to wear eye protection if using a pressure washer. , After scrubbing the tire with tire cleaner on it and rinsing it off, there may still be a white or brown film left on the tire.
Reapply tire cleaner and allow it to set again, then scrub and rinse the tires a second time to remove as much road grime as possible.Read the instructions on the tire cleaner you purchased.
Some may specify that they should be applied to dry rubber.
If that is the case, wait for the tire to dry before reapplying.
Repeat the cleaning and scrubbing process as needed for your desired level of clean. , If your tires are still brown after a thorough cleaning, you may choose to use a tire gel to return the rubber to its original shade of black.
There are a number of types of tire gel, but most are applied with a sponge to the entire sidewall of the tire.
Apply the gel and then rinse it off one tire at a time to avoid letting it dry out on the tire.Tire gels can undo rubber browning from age.
It is best to apply tire gel to an already cleaned tire. -
Step 3: Use a stiff brush to clean tires.
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Step 4: Rinse the tires with a hose.
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Step 5: Repeat the cleaner process if necessary.
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Step 6: Use tire gel for browned tires.
Detailed Guide
There are a number of products designed specifically to clean your tires.
Spray tire cleaner onto your tires and follow the directions regarding how long to leave it on.Car wash soap is designed to clean and protect paint and clear coat, not rubber, so it can leave a film over your tires or prevent them from shining.
Just as car wash soap does a poor job of cleaning tires, tire cleaner can have a negative effect on the paint of your vehicle.
Do your best to avoid getting any on the paint.
There are some cleaners designed for use on both wheels and tires.
If you did not purchase cleaner designed for both applications, avoid getting tire cleaner on your wheels.
Because rubber is a fairly porous surface, it can be difficult to get the grime and brake dust off of your tires.
Allow the tire cleaner to sit on the tire for a minute or two, so it can soak in and dislodge as much dirt and grime as possible.Follow the instructions regarding how long to let the tire cleaner sit on the tire for optimal effect.
Wipe any overspray on the wheels or paint off immediately with a clean rag. , If your tires have a white film or have browned due to deposits of grime, you may need to scrub them to get them clean.
Use a brush with fairly stiff bristles and don’t be afraid to apply a lot of pressure when scrubbing your tires clean for the best results.It does not matter if you scrub your tires in a back and forth or circular motion as long as you are consistent throughout the tire.
Use a stiffer brush than you would on paint, but avoid steel tooth brushes as they may penetrate the rubber and lead to leaks. , After scrubbing as much grime off of the tire as you can, use a hose to rinse the tire off.
Use a power washer or high pressure hose if possible to limit the amount of dirt that remains on the tire.Tire cleaners are designed to be environmentally safe, so it’s fine to allow the tire cleaner and water to drain or run off into your yard.
Be sure to wear eye protection if using a pressure washer. , After scrubbing the tire with tire cleaner on it and rinsing it off, there may still be a white or brown film left on the tire.
Reapply tire cleaner and allow it to set again, then scrub and rinse the tires a second time to remove as much road grime as possible.Read the instructions on the tire cleaner you purchased.
Some may specify that they should be applied to dry rubber.
If that is the case, wait for the tire to dry before reapplying.
Repeat the cleaning and scrubbing process as needed for your desired level of clean. , If your tires are still brown after a thorough cleaning, you may choose to use a tire gel to return the rubber to its original shade of black.
There are a number of types of tire gel, but most are applied with a sponge to the entire sidewall of the tire.
Apply the gel and then rinse it off one tire at a time to avoid letting it dry out on the tire.Tire gels can undo rubber browning from age.
It is best to apply tire gel to an already cleaned tire.
About the Author
Pamela Jackson
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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