5 Truck Tire and Wheel Cleaning Tips
In 2019, American customers bought about 12.2 million new light-duty trucks and another 529,500 heavy-duty ones.
Whether new or old, many people use trucks for heavy-duty tasks, and they often get quite dirty. As long as the paint job isn’t all scratched up and terrible, it’s rather easy to get the body of a truck to shine again.
But how do you get a truck tire and wheel to shine? The wheels are often where the truck gets the dirtiest and isn’t the easiest area to clean.
Read on for some excellent tips on getting those tires and wheels to sparkle once more!
1. Pick Your Poison
The first step is to choose an appropriate cleaner for your wheels. Wheels can be made from aluminum alloy or steel and finished with a number of coatings, including chrome.
Cleaners that are safe for one type of wheel may cause damage to another type. Be sure to choose a cleaner that says it can be used on your type of wheels.
What if you don’t know what type of wheels you have? There are all-purpose products that can be used for all types of wheels, although they may not clean as well as a specialty product.
Have black rims? Check out this article on keeping those bad boys looking like new.
2. Use the Jet Stream
To remove loose particles (and loosen a few more) spray the tire and wheel with a strong stream of water before you begin. This will get the big stuff out of the way and make the process easier.
3. Spray It On Thick
Douse your truck tire and wheel with your chosen cleaner and let it sit for a minute or two to help penetrate the dirt and brake dust. Don’t spray it on more than one wheel at a time. Letting it sit for too long will allow the cleaner to dry and cause more problems.
4. Scrub It
With a soft-bristled brush, gently scrub the wheel and tire to fully dislodge the built-up dirt and brake dust. Special wheel and tire brushes work best to more easily clean in between each of the spokes.
Rinse off the tire and wheel with water. Don’t forget to dry it well with a microfiber towel. This will help prevent water spots.
5. Wax and Dress
Your wheels are constantly exposed to dirt, brake dust, and more that will dirty them quickly. Applying a protective coat of wax will make it harder for dirt to stick, keeping your wheels cleaner for longer.
The final step is to dress your tires, a process similar to waxing for wheels. The right dressing can make your tires look like new. Just be sure not to put it on too thick or drive before it completely dries. Otherwise, the dressing can fling right off your tires!
A Sparkly Clean Truck Tire and Wheel Makes You Smile
Never fear cleaning a truck tire and wheel again! With these tips you can get your rig shiny and sparkly once again.
Eventually, those tires and wheels will get old enough that their sparkly days are over. When it’s time to replace them, be sure to check out our extensive catalog!
