Cleaning Whitewall Tires

Nothing looks better than a clean and bright whitewall tire, and knowing how to keep a whitewall looking good isn’t common knowledge, even among car guys. A simple mistake can kill the looks of a whitewall and the first one can happen before you ever mount the tires on your vehicle. Leaning whitewall tires against each other, or any other tires, can damage the whitewall by allowing the black rubber to smudge the white rubber. When this happens, it’s hard to remove the black rubber from the whitewall, but using the appropriate cleaners will help.

Nearly all American Classic tires are whitewalls, so purchasing a high-quality whitewall cleaner is suggested. Never use chemical or bleach cleaners—natural cleaners, such as Wide White whitewall cleaner or Simple Green are better for the tire. If you’re having a tough time removing stains from the whitewall with cleaners, S.O.S. or Brillo pads will help and 400-grit sandpaper (sanded with water) can be used as a last resort. Without a doubt, frequent cleaning is best for keeping whitewalls in optimal condition. Here’s a quick rundown of the cleaning process:

1. Presoak the tire
2. Clean off loose debris
3. Apply cleaning agent
4. Scrub with brush
5. Rinse
6. Repeat until clean