Drivers install different types of tires, depending on their preferences, to give their vehicles a classic and stylish look.
However, these unique tires, such as whitewall tires, need to be properly maintained and cleaned a little more than standard black tires. So, how exactly do you clean whitewall tires? If you’d like to find out, keep reading!
How To Clean Whitewall Tires?
To clean whitewall tires, you’ll need to use a cleaning detergent and water and avoid products that have harsh chemicals such as chlorine and alcohol. You can also use commercial tire cleaners to get rid of extra dirt, but note that you’ll need to take extra care not to dissolve the finishes.
For more information about whitewall tires and how to clean them, keep on reading for more useful information and interesting facts!
What Is The Best Way To Clean Whitewall Tires?
While standard tires hold so much dirt, it’s hard to know how much debris whitewall tires hold. However, whitewall tires start turning brown or black as a sign that they’re dirty and require some cleaning.
Here’s a guide to get you started:
1. Identify The Cause Of The Dirt
Your whitewall tires could be dirty due to soiling from mud, dust, or other roadside debris. On the other hand, your tires could also be tainted because of ultraviolet rays.
When whitewall tires are exposed to too much sunlight, the white part turns yellow, or the tire develops some cracks. Therefore, once you’ve identified the cause, you can know which products you need for cleaning.
2. Get The Necessary Cleaning Products
To clean your whitewall tires, you’ll need a cleaning detergent, water, scrubs, scrubbing brush, garden hose or sprinkler bottle, vinegar, and baking soda.
3. Have A Basic Clean
Start the cleaning process by mixing the cleaning detergent and water, and using the scrub or brush, clean the rubber surface to remove any grime, oil, or dust particles.
When choosing a cleaning agent, confirm that it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals such as alcohol and bleach, as while such elements do an excellent job when cleaning, they can dry out the rubber surface and degrade the tire much faster.
After you’re done cleaning, rinse the tires with water and leave them to dry.
4. Clean The Sidewall
After cleaning the tire, you can now focus on the white sidewall, which has likely turned yellow due to UV rays.
To get rid of this yellowing, you have to use specific commercial tire cleaners that are meant for this purpose. However, these products can be quite expensive, so if you can’t afford them, you can use household items such as vinegar and baking soda.
If you mix vinegar and baking soda, you can apply the paste on the white sidewall and scrub the dirt off using a brush.
Furthermore, you can clean your tires using the Magic Eraser, which also removes oils, grime, and stubborn stains.
Reapply the cleaning product until you’re satisfied with the results, and for tough stains, you can use a sandpaper or scrub pad to remove excess debris.
Note that since these materials are hard, ensure that you scrub lightly to avoid damaging the tire.
5. Apply A Tire Protectant
After removing all the dirt, you can apply a tire protectant to give your tires a shiny look and protect them against UV rays.
What’s The Best Item To Use When Cleaning Whitewall Tires?
Maintaining whitewall tires requires a regular detergent and water for easy cleaning.
However, to focus on the sidewall, you can use a commercial tire cleaner that makes the area shiny and clean. As well, vinegar and baking soda come in handy to remove yellowing.
Can You Use Bleach To Clean Whitewall tires?
Since bleach is an excellent cleaning product, some car owners ask whether it’s safe to use when cleaning tires.
However, because bleach contains chlorine, it’s not ideal for cleaning your whitewall tires, as the chemical agent could degrade your tires and dry out the rubber surface. Therefore, it’s not advisable to use bleach-based products.
Is Simple Green Safe For Your Whitewall Tires?
When buying tire cleaning products, drivers ask whether Simple Green is safe for tires.
This product is biodegradable and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals such as alcohol and chlorine. Therefore, Simple Green will remove all the dirt, grime, and oil stuck on the whitewall tires without causing any damage to the tire surfaces.
Additionally, this product doesn’t affect the paint or wax on the rims, making them safe for your tires and wheels.
If you are looking to learn more, you can also read our posts on what are whitewall tires, if you can paint tires, how to remove tire marks from cars, and how to soften tires.
Conclusion
To maintain the quality of whitewall tires, you have to keep them clean at all times. To clean whitewalls, you’ll need a cleaning agent, water, a scrub, a commercial tire cleaner, vinegar, and baking soda.
However, when using any of these products, ensure that they don’t contain harsh chemicals that can degrade the rubber material.