Tyre Care
As a car owner, it is your duty to ensure that your tyres are roadworthy and meet all legal requirements. You should regularly check that you have adequate levels of tyre tread, your tyres meet their required tyre pressures and that they are in good condition.
As well as frequently checking your tyres, you should also try to regularly clean your tyres. This is because thoroughly cleaning your tyres will enable you to check your tyres for any signs of damage and it can help you to increase their life and allow for better traction and handling.
Cleaning your tyres is important as it can help to remove any general road debris, such as stones, grit and dirt, from your tyres before they cause real damage.
In addition, whilst driving, brake dust, which comes from the brake pads, accumulates on your tyres and wheels over time. This can cause corrosion and other damage to your tyres, eventually leading to surface pitting. Cleaning your tyres regularly can help to effectively counter this process.
Our step by step guide may give you a better idea of the best way to clean your tyres.
Step One:
Clean the tyres and wheels first when washing your vehicle, as they are the dirtiest part of the vehicle - this will help to prevent spreading grime or splashing already cleaned panels with dirty water.
You should use separate sponges, brushes and water when cleaning your tyres and wheels. You may choose to first hose your tyres to remove larger clumps of dirt.
Step Two:
Next, you should remove any stones caught in the tyre tread. It is important to remove stones and other debris as if left they could work their way in to the casing of the tyre and cause damage.
You can do this by using a flat headed screwdriver to gently release the stones, but it is important that the screw driver head is never pushed in to the surface of the tyre. During this process, it is recommended that googles are worn to protect your eyes.
Step Three:
Spray your wheels with a cleaning solution which will help to break down the dust from your brake pads.
It is important that you make sure the product that you choose is suited for the wheels that you have. If you are unsure which kind of wheels you have, purchase a cleaner which is safe for all wheel types. You should then follow the label on the product when applying the solution to your wheels.
Step Four:
After allowing the cleaning solution to sit on the wheel for the amount of time suggested by the manufacturer, scrub your wheels using a soft brush. If you do not have a dedicated wheel brush, a paintbrush with soft bristles is a suitable alternative.
Make sure that you get in to the crevices of the wheel, where the brake dust gathers as this area is most prone to corrosion.
Step Five:
Rinse your tyres thoroughly with clean water, taking care to ensure that you remove all of the cleaning solution from the tyre. You can use a hose or buckets of clean water to do this.