How to Clean Car Tires

Cleaning your car's tires not only improve the car's appearance, it will also allow you to spot problems with the tread. You should clean the tires thoroughly each time you wash your car. Simply squirting them down with the garden hose isn't enough to get your tires clean. Spend a few minutes on each tire to keep them looking new.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Degreaser
• Water hose with high pressure nozzle
• Car washing soap
• Tire and wheel brush
• Towel
• Tire preservative

1. Spray degreaser over the tire and rim. Let it sit for several minutes to break down the grease and dirt particles on your tires.

2. Rinse the tire thoroughly using a high-pressure nozzle on your garden hose. The closer you get to the tire with the hose, the stronger the water pressure will be, so stand close.

3. Apply car-washing soap to the tire brush and scrub the tire.

4. Rinse the tire and inspect. If there is still dirt or debris on the tire, repeat scrubbing until it is gone.

5. Take care when cleaning the rims or hubcaps, and make sure you use an appropriate brush for the material you have on your wheels. Read the packaging on the cleaner carefully and if you are not sure what type of wheels you have, use one formulated for all wheel types.

6. Rinse off the rims or hub caps.

7. Dry off the tire, including the rims or hubcaps with a towel.

8. Apply a tire preservative by following the directions on the bottle.

9. Repeat the process on each tire.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't let cleaning products dry on the tires. This will just coat the tires and require you to do more scrubbing.
• Make sure to store all cleaners securely and out of the reach of small children and pets.
• Use only products safe for your wheel type. Using the wrong product could scratch or etch your wheels.

Resources

• Find wheel and tire cleaners at Proper Auto Care.