4 Simple Steps to Keep Your Tires Looking and Working Great

Cleaning your car regularly is not just about visual appearance, but functionality as well. Regular cosmetic care keeps your car polished and looking great, and also protects your valuable investment and allows it to last longer. While cleaning your car isn't a hard task, it is crucial that you pay special attention to those hard-to-reach areas such as inside the wheels and around your tires.

Why Cleaning Your Tires Matters

When you neglect to clean your wheels for an extended period of time, brake dust accrues. Brake dust contains an adhesive and carbon fibers, which come from your brake pad and minor metal shavings from the rotor. Along with the excessive heat and wheel friction, this combination is highly corrosive. If you drive every day or quite often, brake dust is constantly being produced; therefore, the best way to keep your wheels protected is to give them a good cleaning.

The following tips will allow you to clean your wheels more effectively:

Step 1: The Rinse

First, rinse your wheels and tires with water to remove any loose dirt or debris. If you are washing your entire car, your tires are the best place to start so that you don't splash onto already clean areas of the car.

Step 2: The Wash

Depending on when you last cleaned your tires, you may stick with the basic soap and water, or you may use a tire cleaner. If it's your first time cleaning your tires or you haven't cleaned them for some time, use a tire and wheel cleaner since the brake dust may have caked on. Also, make sure to choose a cleaner that is suitable for the type of wheels and wheel coating on your vehicle. For example, if you have American Racing Torque Thrust wheels on your car, then you will want to use a fairly mild cleaner; if you have cheaper wheels, it won't matter as much if you use more abrasive chemicals.

You should use a tire brush to gently scrub off the debris. There are a variety of tire brushes available, but you may want to look for one with feathered bristles that will remove dirt and debris without hurting your tires. Always clean each tire and wheel one at a time, and rinse with water when finished.

Step 3: Drying

You may think that drying isn't necessary, but it actually helps to ensure that you got all of the brake dust and also prevents water spots.

Step 4: Wax Your Wheels

This step isn't mandatory, but applying a layer of wax once your wheels are clean can protect their sheen and prevent brake dust from building up.

Check out our blog at Tires By Web for more car care tips!