Tire Cleaning Issues

[Mattman1]

Hello All - I have long enjoyed working on and keeping my cars looking good. Recently I've started having issues with cleaning my tires and I've never seen anything like this.

I have a nice set of Michelin LTX M/S 2 blackwalls but no matter what I clean them with, I see scratches and leftover dirt that seems soaked into the tire.

I've used simple green, bleach white, bleach black, megs tire cleaners. These all appear to start dissolving the brake dust like one would expect, but after washing it off, it's still dirty looking. I've never had issues with other tires, and these being really high end, I didn't expect problems with these, but ....

I've tried using a nylon tire brush and that seemed to leave heavy scratching. So, I just use an old wash mitt now. I even go over the tire with car wash soap and the old mitt after letting the tire cleaner start working.

It looks ok if I cover it with a tire shine, but it bugs me to spray that on when the tire doesn't look clean to begin with.

Thanks for any ideas!

[Setec Astronomy]

Hmmm....I wonder what else you could try?

[Bunky]

I have some Michelin LTX M/S tires and when clean they do not look like clean rubber.

What I actually see is a two tone finish. The outer 1/2 is a different shade than the inner half. It has to be related to the molding process. This rubber also is finickier about tire dressings. Some smear on especially with the large smooth areas so not easy to trap dressing like heavily ribbed tires (like Michelin passenger tires).

I use Mothers to keep them clean as possible but they are rarely perfectly black rubber. It is not dirt.

[refreshauto]

read this thread on a recent review about mothers tire cleaner that just wipes off with a towel

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/83375-review-mother-s-back-black-tire-renew.html

[Mattman1]

Thanks for the help guys. I may try out that Mothers product. It's good to know I'm not the only one experiencing this.

Thanks!

[swanicyouth]

Once the tires are clean, it's not a big issue of they don't look "perfect"...dressing will hide that well.

The thing is to get them CLEAN. The Mother's stuff works well, so does Tuff Shine Tire Cleaner. If using TSTC, I recommend diluting it 1:1 with water - it will go farther and still cleans very well.

In your case I'd go with Mother's, because no scrubbing is needed and your mentioned the tires became scratched from scrubbing.

You can easily check if the tires are clean, by applying your dressing with a light color applicator. If the applicator stays clean - tires are clean. If not, the dressing will emulsify the dirt and it will come off on the applicator black.

If the applicator stays fairly clean - yr good.

[MPBGT]

I have some Michelin LTX M/S tires and when clean they do not look like clean rubber.

What I actually see is a two tone finish. The outer 1/2 is a different shade than the inner half. It has to be related to the molding process. This rubber also is finickier about tire dressings. Some smear on especially with the large smooth areas so not easy to trap dressing like heavily ribbed tires (like Michelin passenger tires).

I use Mothers to keep them clean as possible but they are rarely perfectly black rubber. It is not dirt.

I had the same experience with my Michelins

[trekkeruss]

If you want to guarantee that the tires will be black before your dress or coat them, you can use Tuf Shine Black Restore. As a matter of fact, I have been using Black Restore alone with no coating or dressing, and my tires look great. Black Restore makes them black with just a bit of gloss without looking wet. Plus it lasts for a couple of months.

[JWilliams.RadiantDetail]

Another Tuff Shine recommendation, I bought a regular sized bottle, and after using it twice I'm ready to buy the 1 gallon concentrate. I want to try the Mothers too, but Tuff Shine is the best I've used. If that won't get the tire clean nothing will. Also the Tuff Shine brush is by far the best tire cleaning brush I've used, and they only cost $5.

[UglyBetty]

Hello All - I have long enjoyed working on and keeping my cars looking good. Recently I've started having issues with cleaning my tires and I've never seen anything like this.

I have a nice set of Michelin LTX M/S 2 blackwalls but no matter what I clean them with, I see scratches and leftover dirt that seems soaked into the tire.

I've used simple green, bleach white, bleach black, megs tire cleaners. These all appear to start dissolving the brake dust like one would expect, but after washing it off, it's still dirty looking. I've never had issues with other tires, and these being really high end, I didn't expect problems with these, but ....

I've tried using a nylon tire brush and that seemed to leave heavy scratching. So, I just use an old wash mitt now. I even go over the tire with car wash soap and the old mitt after letting the tire cleaner start working.

It looks ok if I cover it with a tire shine, but it bugs me to spray that on when the tire doesn't look clean to begin with.

Thanks for any ideas!

I have the exact same tires, and have experience the same frustrations in the past. However, I think I can help you.

I have two recommended cleaners, I'm partial to the second one.
1. Tuff Shine tire cleaner, using the tuff shine brush. The brush is the perfect texture for cleaning tire, especially those tire with ribs on the sidewalks.
2. Detailers Exterior Cleanse All, diluted 1/1, again using the Tuff Shine brush.


Here are some pics of mine.....

Dirty tire, not really, but it used to be browning until I started using DP-ECA (Detailers Exterior Cleanse All)
29413
29414

Sprayed with DP-ECA
29418
29419

After brushing using the tuff shine brush
29422
29423

Scrubbed and sprayed with Tuff Shine tire cleaner after DP-ECA for good measure (probably didn't need to)
29424

Clean tires....
29425
29426
29427
29428
29429

After Tuff Shine coating, I believe the first two or three pics are after one coat, the latter pics after two coats.
29433
29434
29435
29436
29437

[UglyBetty]

More pics after TUff Shine Coating...

29438
29439

Not sure how I got those extra/duplicate pics in my previous reply.

Hopefully my reply helps though.....

[Mattman1]

Wow those do look good - thanks for sharing

[UglyBetty]

Great, glad I could help!

The tires are approximately 5 years old with 40,000 miles on them and have been thru plenty of mud, snow, etc........so although the truck is somewhat of a garage queen, it does get used and abused! The tuff shine coating may scuff if you are in sand, mud, etc....but for normal road use it's fine, and super easy to keep clean.

[KillaCam]

My mom has those same tires on her Tahoe with the same issue. The inside part of the tire looks more brown and dirty no matter how clean they are. I would try the tuff shine after a thorough cleaning and be done with it.
Even though they aren't the best looking rubber their durability makes up for it. They last forever.

[MPBGT]

They are awesome tires, I had them on my wife's grand Cherokee. I wanted them for our expedition but the cost of the bigger tire was just too much. I went with some highly rated yokahamas.