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Home DIY Best Way to Clean Whitewall Tires Properly

Best Way to Clean Whitewall Tires Properly

November 4, 2024 | Victor Lukasso
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This article will show you how to clean and maintain whitewall tires to ensure durability.

As the name implies, a whitewall tire is a type of tire with a thin, circular white stripe beside it. From 1900 to the mid-1980s, they were commonly used in cars, but now they’re making a comeback in modern vehicles.

In essence, unlike modern-day tires, which are primarily pure black, failure to wash your whitewall tire properly will leave the white stripe(s) dirty, marking off as a sign of untidiness. A dirty whitewall tire is often caused by dust, mud, road factors, and frequent exposure to sunlight, which can change the coloration of the tire.

You’ll be learning to accurately wash a whitewall tire to eliminate those brown or black strides that might have refused to come off the white side.

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How to Clean Whitewall Tires

While most car washes will offer this service for a small fee, you could do it for free if you have the following cleaning tools.

  • Detergent and water – void of alcohol and chlorine
  • S.O.S. soap pad
  • A hard scrubbing brush
  • Baking soda and vinegar (for discoloration by ultraviolet rays)
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Once all the necessary tools have been gotten, depending on how dirty the tires are, you can follow the procedure below to start cleaning.

  1. First, pour water on a tire to wet it and apply Detergent before using your scrubbing brush or S.O.S. pad to scrub the rims and rubber surfaces.
  2. You can now leave the tires to dry, exposing the stubborn dirt or discoloration on the white wall.
  3. While you can purchase a whitewall tire cleaner to remove the remaining dirt on the whitewall, we suggest you opt for a cheaper solution that involves mixing baking soda and vinegar and then apply to the white stripes on the tires.
  4. Please leave it to work on the tire for at least 10 minutes before scrubbing it off with a brush and water.
  5. Once the tire looks new, you can apply a tire protectant for maintenance and shield it from sunlight.
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Alternatively, we have the magic eraser, which helps restore your whitewall tires even if oil or stubborn stains attach to them.

Tires with yellowed whitewalls can also be removed with the eraser cleaning pads. You moisten the pad and the tires, then scrub the tire surface with a soft brush. Use at least one pad for each tire for optimal results.

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Summary

Whitewall Tires are classy and fashionable, but the main problem is maintenance and cleaning.

If you’re using a whitewall tire and notice that the white stripes are turning yellow and the discoloration doesn’t go off despite washing it countless times, then you should check out this article.

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You can introduce a whitewall tire cleaner or use the traditional method of mixing baking soda and vinegar to be applied to the tires.

I hope this article helps you clean your whitewall tires effectively.

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Meet Victor Lukasso, the owner of V. Auto Basics. Through this blog, Victor Provides Insights on the latest tips, maintenance, repair, and techniques in the automotive world.

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