To keep your vehicle in the right shape, you have to clean it and ensure that it looks neat. The cleaning of tyres and their upkeep is as important as cleaning the external and internal body parts of the vehicle. A good tyre shine will push the individuality you might be planning to express. And in addition to enhancing your vehicle’s visual appearance, it will protect the tyres from weathering and cracking. Brushing is important in the shine application process.
Caring for the tyres
Tyres are among the valuable parts of your vehicle. The power from the transmission system and the engine ends up on the wheels and the tyres control the whole weight of your car. Good tyres will ensure strong and proper grip when driving and still enhance the appearance when the car is on the road. Because tyres have to experience large amounts of friction, they might wear out faster, especially when the local roads are in bad condition. To enhance their visual appearance, you have to clean and shine them properly.
A good tyre shine will help make the tyres attractive and create a slick protection barrier from the stubborn road films, brake dust and other materials that might build up on the tyres. After applying the right tyre shine, you will be certain that the cranny and nook of the tyre sidewalls are free from debris and materials that dull their shine and appearance. That guarantees a glossier shine that will make the car remain in its best appearance.
Application of the Brush on tyre shine
As we have stated, the wheels are the shoes of your vehicle and so the tyres represent the laces. After you have spent your day cleaning the wheels, the fresh black tyres will give the vehicle its best appearance. However, the appearance will roll-off according to the miles you cover, which means that you will have nice clean shoes at the end of the day but very dirty laces. By understanding the process of cleaning and dressing them up, you will manage to keep them looking fresh in addition to prolonging their life.
Your first step should be to clean the tyres thoroughly because they will have collected debris when rolling and more dust when braking. The pollutants will find their way deep into the pores and make the rubber appear grey and dirty. A hose or a pressure washer will not rinse off the pollutants.
Tools & Equipment
- To be sure that the tyres are clean you will require:
- A quality stiff-bristled brush (SBB)
- All-Purpose Cleaner or Degreaser
- A bucket of soapy water and another one full of clean water
- Tyre dressing
- Tyre dressing applicator
Steps
1 – Wet the tyres
Start by wetting all the tyres with your hose and then apply the degreaser or all-purpose cleaner generously on every tyre. You can use the degreaser to full strength but a dilution of 2:1 or 3:1 will be effective too. Allow the degreaser to settle as you fill the buckets with water.
2 – Agitate the sidewalls
During a sunny or hot day, remember to fill up the buckets before applying the degreaser to ensure that it does not dry on the tyres as it will cause irreversible damages if it dries on the tyres. Your next step should be to agitate the sidewalls of your tyres with the brush and rinse the stiff-bristled brush with every few swipes on your vehicle’s tyres in the bucket containing clean water.
3 – Clean with the soapy water
Use the soapy water to wash all the tyres so that you can neutralize the residues from the degreaser and then rinse them with your hose. Complete one tyre at a time and leave it to dry as you work around the other three. It is also the best time to check the pressure of all the tyres.
4 – Apply the shine
After all the tyres are clean, give them the fresh appearance and safeguard them from the destructive UV rays. Even though you have a chance of choosing the shine level depending on your preferences, you have to choose the best type of dressing.
Before you apply the shine, you have to dry the tyres with a towel. Choose a towel that you do not use on the other parts of your vehicle because it might scratch the paint or clear coat with the dirt it picks up from the tyre. Ensure that the sidewalls are completely dry as the treaded parts are hard to clean so focus on the visible sidewalls.
Use tyre gel
If the tyres are still brown after cleaning them thoroughly, use a tyre gel to get the original rubber black shade. The market offers a wide variety of gels but you will need a sponge to apply most of them on the sidewalls of your vehicle tyres. After the application, you have to rinse it off immediately to avoid its drying. Tyre gels will undo any rubber browning regardless of the age. For the best results, you have to apply the gel to a clean tyre.
Picking Tyre Shine
Read the label when selecting a tyre dressing and stick to those that do not contain silicone. A water-based tyre dressing will not provide an immediate shine but it is easy to maintain. Remember to apply a thin even coat on all tyres using the sponge and do it as if you are painting the sidewalls. When using a water-based dressing, you can apply several coats to get better shines. Follow the manufacturers directions and allow it to dry before you drive the vehicle.
You can also use a clear coat in place of the tyre dressing. The coat will form a glossy protective layer on the rubber. Tyre coatings are long-lasting and they will, therefore, protect the rubber for several months including in the extreme weather conditions. Use the supplied sponge to apply the coating on all sidewalls. To get a shiny appearance, you do not need much of it. Follow the manufacturers directions when applying.
Summary
Before you drive the vehicle, you have to wait for the newly applied coat to dry. Depending on the brand of coat you choose, the drying might take 1 hour or more. After it has dried, use the offered microfiber towel or buffing pad to buff off the tyre coat. With that, you will get a perfect look to provide that you follow a circular buffing motion
