What to Use for Cleaning Yellowed Tires?
2 Answers
When tires turn yellow, you can use a high-quality hard-bristle brush, citrus degreaser, V3 iron remover, or tire care products for cleaning. Additional information: Reasons for car tire yellowing: 1. Brake pad metallic rust powder: Since brake pads contain iron, they wear down and produce powder during braking. When this powder comes into contact with water, it forms rust water that flows onto the tire sidewalls. Over time, the sidewalls will turn yellow. 2. Dust stains: If tires frequently travel through construction sites, their sidewalls are prone to yellowing. Without regular vehicle washing habits, earth-yellow stains can penetrate the tire rubber, making them difficult to clean, though this represents normal yellowing. 3. Tire wax oxidation yellowing: New tires are coated with a layer of tire wax. For vehicles often parked outdoors, sidewall yellowing occurs because the wax oxidizes and yellows under high outdoor temperatures. Another scenario is when using low-quality tire wax, which can also cause tire yellowing. 4. Premature oxidization of care products: Premature oxidation of care products leading to yellowing is an abnormal phenomenon. Typically, when care products are applied to uncleaned tires, it accelerates their oxidation, resulting in yellowing. 5. Premature rubber aging: This phenomenon mostly occurs when cars are parked under direct sunlight for extended periods, causing the tire rubber to age prematurely and turn yellow.
As someone who's been in car maintenance for years, yellowing tires are a common sight, mainly caused by oxidation or dirt buildup. The solution is quite simple: first, spray with commercially available tire-specific cleaner, wait a few minutes, then gently scrub with a soft brush, and finally rinse with clean water. If you don't have professional products on hand, a homemade mixture works well too: mix baking soda with warm water to form a paste, apply it to the yellowed areas, wait ten minutes, and then brush it off. Be careful not to use strong acidic substances, as they can damage the rubber. For prevention, I make it a habit to wipe the tires during weekly car washes and park in shaded areas to avoid UV rays, which helps prevent yellowing and extends the tire's lifespan, keeping the car looking newer overall. Applying tire protectant after cleaning can further enhance the effect, killing two birds with one stone.
