How to Clean Tires

As you prepare for cleaning tires, get all the supplies together.

You’ll need:

• A bucket of warm water
• Hose with a spray nozzle
• Towels or rags
• Soft cleaning brush
• Tire cleaner
• Wheel wax (optional)

Refer to your car's owner’s manual for any specific details about cleaning its tires and wheels.

Before you get started, touch one of your tires. Make sure it isn’t still warm from being on the road. Cleaning hot tires and wheels can damage them.

As you clean, concentrate on one tire at a time. Rinse and wash it before moving on to the next tire.

Use the spray nozzle of a hose to rinse one of your tires. Spray the water from different angles. Your goal is to get as much goop off the tire as you can.

After rinsing the tire, it’s time to clean it. Use a brush with soft bristles and a mild tire cleaner. The best tire cleaner is one intended for tires. Using car washing supplies instead of dish soap or other cleaners not intended for automobiles can help prevent damage to your car.

For built-up dirt, put the cleaner on the tire and leave it for a few minutes before scrubbing. As you work, keep the tire wet with warm water from the bucket. Use a soft brush with a long handle to clean the area between the tires and the body of the car. Different types of car brushes are available for detail work as you clean tires and wheels.

Clean the rubber of the tire before working on the wheel. Use a brush or soft cloth to wipe the wheel with automotive soap and warm water. Using a hard-bristled brush or rough rag can scratch the wheel’s finish. A smaller wheel brush allows you to get into the smaller sections of the wheel to remove dirt.

Rinse the soap off the wheel. Do a thorough job to avoid spots caused by leftover cleaner.

Get any remaining soap off the tire and wheel with one last rinse with the hose nozzle. Clean your brushes, too.

Dry the tire and wheel completely. Use clean cloths, like towels or rags.

Make cleaning your tires a regular part of your car washing routine. The more often you wash your tires, the easier the job will be. Keep car detailing supplies on hand so you can clean your tires and your car's interior regularly.

Experts recommend cleaning tires at least twice a month. Depending on the conditions where you drive, you may want to tackle tire cleaning more often.

As you wash the tires and wheels, check their condition. Is there damage that needs attention?

Don’t reuse the towels or rags you cleaned your tires with to wash other parts of your car. They could transfer grit and metallic brake dust.

If dirt has built up in the wheel wells, you may want to use a pressure washer instead of a hose to clean them.

If you have custom wheels, you should use extra care when washing them. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for specifics.

To keep aluminum wheels in peak condition, you can apply a coat of wheel wax. Though you can use car waxes, you might prefer to use a product intended for wheels. Follow the directions on the label. For the best results, wax your car’s wheels every three months or so.