Whitewall tires are a classic aesthetic element that enrich your vehicle with an old-school charm. Decades ago, all tires used to be white since they were made from zinc oxide. However, that tread compound was prone to premature wear. Carbon black tires were the superior replacement and provided better traction and rubber conservation.
Still, you can’t argue against the killer looks of whitewall tires to this day — but only if you keep them clean. If you’re a man of culture and have whitewalls installed on your car, here’s the cleaning guide you’re looking for. Let’s get into it.
Cleaning Whitewall Tires — Here’s What You’ll Need
Let’s be honest, white isn’t the ideal color to be rolling on the ground. You can imagine how quickly whitewall tires get dirty, but just a little extra effort can go a long way in keeping your tires clean.
The tools you need are:
- A garden hose or pressure washer
- Scrub brush
- Whitewall tire cleaner
- Steel wool pads
How to Clean Whitewall Tires
Let’s start off with an important note: DO NOT use household soaps and cleaners on your tires. Any product that contains alcohol or chlorine will damage your whitewall tires pretty severely. In order to conserve their tread, make sure you use a cleaner that’s specifically meant for cleaning whitewall tires. To avoid any long-term impact of chemicals on your tires’ tread, your best bet is to use an all-natural whitewall cleaner.
Start by wetting your tires and pre-rinse it with a wet steel wool pad. Then, spray some whitewall cleaner on the tire and wipe it with your steel wool pad. Spread the cleaner around with an initial scrub and let the cleaner sit on the white wall for a bit. It’ll take about 5 minutes to break down the dirt and enhance the white shine. From there, get rinsing!
Give your whitewalls a vigorous cleaning using your scrub brush. You’re gonna have to scrub hard for the best results, so make sure you’ve got enough elbow grease to spare!
Keep rinsing the tires with water every few minutes and reapply the cleaning product until you’re satisfied with your tires’ whiteness and shine. On the last round, rinse the tires thoroughly using a pressure washer or a water hose.
Make sure you repeat this entire cleaning process at least twice a month to preserve that hard-earned shine on your whitewall tires!
Tough Stains
Whitewall tires can sometimes have stubborn stains on a few spots. They might be yellow or brown, and a nightmare to clean. Typically, it’s nothing but a built-up layer of grime and dirt, so you’ll have to get after it with a light hand to make sure you don’t damage the tire in the process. Sand it down with your steel wool pad through gentle scrubbing until you see bright white color.
Bonus Tip for Extra White Tires
If you want a super white shine, here’s a bonus tip for you — use baking soda! After you’re done cleaning your whitewall tires, sprinkle some baking soda onto a damp sponge or cloth and wipe your whitewalls with it. You can rinse and repeat this process as many times as you want for desired results.
