Tires, general cleaning speculation

[b2089]

What do you use, and yes I know this has been touched on before. Updates are always nice:)

Personally I don't like my tires to shine at all. I want a deep black that looks like a total absense of refleaction. Hence I usually just wash them and let it go. I have used armor all before and wiped it off though and gotten a good look with that, and since my tire expectations are low it doesn't bother me when they don't shine anymore.

The no touch stuff works well, for a day or so. Unlike the armor all though they don't seem to clean. With armor new dirt and residue slowly starts getting on the tires, but the no touch products seem to cover up the dirt so after a day or so it reapears and completly ruins the look.

Colored gels, anyone tried them? My local autozone had a few colors that would give your tires a faint metalic tint, red on a red car for example. I think it'd be neat for a show or special occasion, but not everyday.

I think most of the roducts that are to shine tires make them look greasy, but I've been told that most of that is in the aplication. Meguirs for example recomends heavier wiping to acheive desired levels of shine.

What have I missed? Where am I wrong in my speculations?

[03xGAxSE]

tire cleaning and tire dressing is 2 seprate things

for tire, wheel and wheel well cleaning i use a white wall/non-acid wheel cleaner mixed with degreaser

for a shine, they are all just grease, its just personal prefrence

i use "purple dressing" by car brite no need to wipe (although i do any ways so doesnt sling as much although it hardly does anyways) and it lasts about a week and a half even with daily highway driving

but i think car brite is for detail shop supply only, maybe its on the net somewhere

ps: if you find it somewhere car brite's "purple passion" wash and wax is the stuff to buy...

[RocketFast321]

I use this industrial green cleaner on the hub caps and tires. Before that i use mean green that they sell at the dollar store. I don't use tire shine, a clean tire is a happy tire to me

[Detailed Image]

If your looking for a nice matte finish, similar to a new tire look... you're best bet is to use Poorboy's Bold 'n Bright or 303 Aerospace Protectant. Neither one will sling and are safe for tires unlike the silicone based dressings that are out there.

[Fastlanev6]

I'm the same way with not wanting my tires glossy. I used to use Tire wet but it always picked up dirt and made it more difficult to clean off. I also tried this turtle wax brand stuff you apply with a sponge and that did the same thing.
When I clean my tires, I just use that powder cleaner with bleach (like ajax or something). It really worked on my old raised white letter tires, and it got all the grease off the tire. I scrubbed it with a scrub brush. If theres any spots I missed I could just buff it out with a rag. I dont know if this is the best way but its what worked for me. :D

[30thAnnGAGT]

Most of the gels/dressings end up flinging themselves back onto the car anyway. Which is why I really don't like them in the 1st place. I too just like a deep black look to my tires. What I've found works really well is a product called Tetlys bleach white. It really does a good job cleaning them.

[Subtle_Cynicism]

I use Blech-White all the time and scrub my tires with a scrub brush to get the crap off of them.

I like shiny tires that make a statement, but Im done with tire dressings and gels and whatnot. I don't care what it is, they are all greasy and somehow, always end up on the side of my car, and, even worse, collect just about every particle of dirt imaginable, and grease up to the point where I have to Blech-White my car two or three times per tire.

No more dressings.

[XoticGA]

I love juicy sexy tires :)

[RickHigginsHtbr]

for a semi-gloss looking tire, i used Meguiars NXT interior spray... lasts about 3 weeks with daily driving, doesnt pick up much dirt....

[04GASE1]

whestley's bleche-white on tires and wheels, cuts brake dust like a mother