Infographic: How Auto Detailers Clean and Restore Tires
Though constantly overlooked, tires play an important role in the overall look of a car. Perfect looking tires can make a car shine and stand out. In addition, beyond being an appearance issue, cleaning and restoring the tires of your car is a maintenance issue. You can protect your tires from weathering and cracking, by cleaning and restoring them periodically. This will also help you maintain their life and safety.
However, as easy as it sounds, any professional auto detailer knows that cleaning and restoring tires can become a nightmare if not done properly. Here are some tips to help you clean and restore tires as a professional auto detailer, once you graduate from your auto detailing training.
How Auto Detailers Clean and Restore Tires
The first steps:
- Always clean the tires first and then move to other parts of the vehicle.
- Clean one set at a time to prevent your cleaning product from drying.
- Don’t forget to loosen the lug nuts on the wheel and jack one end of your car off the ground.
- Make sure to have a strong jet of water nearby, you’ll need it for rinsing the cleaning products.
Did you know that tires used to be white as a result of the zinc oxide added to the rubber for strength?
Extra tips…
- Avoid acids and choose a cleaner that is PH neutral.
- Use a microfiber cloth for drying.
- Stiff nylon brushes are good for scrubbing the tire’s surface.
- Clean your tires thoroughly every 2 to 3 months.
Start cleaning the back of your tire:
- Spray the back of your tire with your cleaning product and allow it to seat for 2-3 minutes.
- Scrub and rinse.
- Repeat on the front and make sure you rinse the wheel thoroughly.
Things to avoid:
- Cleaning all tires at once.
- Using paper towels for drying.
- Strong chemicals that can damage your tires.
Don’t forget to…
- Add a nice final touch using tire dressing.
- Inspect the wheel for tar spots and surface scratches while you apply the dressing.
- Buff scratches out with a polishing compound.
- Wax all the wheels.
- Use some tire protectant to keep the fresh look.
- Add a second coat of dressing if needed.
