Tire Cleaning 101

When was the last time you gave your tires a really good clean? Not the wheels, the tires. For most people, this usually consists of using what suds is left over from the car wash bucket on the whole wheel and tire, and giving it a couple quick scrubs with a dirty brush. Then you spray some more shine on it and call it good Are we right?

In this article, we'll cover the steps on how to really deep clean the rubber and make this important component of your vehicle look awesome.

#1 The right tools

You'll want to have the proper brushes to facilitate a proper clean of the wheel and tire. We suggest 4 styles of brushes:

Stiff bristle tire brush (curved or flat)

Soft bristle wheel face brush

Long inner barrel brush, like an EZ Detail brush.

1" detail brush for small areas like calipers and lug nuts.

#2 Apply cleaner

We recommend P&S Brake Buster as an effective wheel and tire cleaner. This stuff is acid-free so it won't hurt your wheels. Spray it all over the face, inner barrel, and tire sections, and let it dwell for a minute or two. You'll start to see the old tire dressing, grease, and brake dust melt away. This is what we want. Now, take your tire brush and dip it in your dedicated wheel wash bucket filled with soapy water. Agitate the sidewall of the tire until the brown residue looks to be removed. Don't worry, if there's any that's not coming off, we'll address that later. Finally, use your other brushes to clean the entire wheel and make sure it's free of dirt.

#3 Dry Wheels

After you've cleaned the wheels, then washed the entire car with new fresh soap and water, it's time to dry it. Using an air blower or dedicated microfiber drying towel, gently remove the water from the surface of the vehicle from top-down. Once the body is dry, give the wheels and tires a blow or towel, and make sure the rubber is not soaking wet.

#4 Deep Clean Rubber

All the built up tire dressings and grease can make the tires look brown, even after a wash. Using a solvent like acetone will strip off this oily layer and reveal deep black rubber beneath. Use a microfiber rag and a small bit of acetone to wipe the sidewall until it comes clean. Wear gloves and a mask while doing this as it can cause fumes.

#5 Dress the tires

Once the rubber is cleaned, it's time to add some water-based dressing to keep it protected and looking great. Take a foam sponge and apply a small amount and work it over the sidewall until it's uniform. We stay away from cheap big box store silicone and aerosol type dressings as they make a horrible mess, are bad for the environment, and look cheap. Spend a few extra bucks and get yourself a professional-grade tire dressing like Gtechniq T1, P&S Wipe N' Shine or CarPro PERL. These are all water-based dressings and leave a more uniform, factory look to the rubber, and don't sling off or cause ugly brown staining. And they can be cleaned off each wash with the above steps without using the acetone all the time too. Remember, tire dressing is meant to wear off and be reapplied, it's not a permanent treatment. Use these steps after each wash and you'll always have the best-looking rubber on the street!