Cleaning white lettered tires

**Beach15** · 06-07-2002, 08:04 AM

Okay, I give up! We`ve now had our Avalanche with OWL tires for 2 months, and I have yet to see the white letters actually "white", or clean! I wash the wheels and tires off at the same time, usually using a combination of a wheel/tire brush and then a sponge. The main problem seems to be a build up a tire dressings on the letters. I apply dressing at each weekly cleaning, lately using Meguiar`s High Endurance Tire Gel and an Eagle One tire swipe.

What can I use to clean these tires off with so the white lettering is actually visible? What about Bleach-White spray? I`ve seen it at just about every store and it sounds like it might work? What should I do?

**imported_memnuts** · 06-07-2002, 08:16 AM

I have not had white-lettered tires since the early 80`s but back then Bleach-White spray worked very well. The stubborn stains required removal with a steelwool pad. When detailing you must avoid or keep to a minimum the amount of tire gloss applied to the white lettering in order to not discolor. A PITA.

Hope this helps.

**ALAN81** · 06-07-2002, 08:30 AM

I always used steel wool but LIGHTLY and had no problem!

**Scott P** · 06-07-2002, 08:31 AM

I concur on the Westley` recommendation. Their Bleech-White tire cleaner works the best on the RWL tires. Also, as previously mentioned, try keeping tire goop off the lettering, since it will discolor it.

I had RWL tires on my `83 Monte I drove into the ground and Westley`s was the only thing that could get them clean.

**imported_BretFraz** · 06-07-2002, 08:33 AM

ewwwwwww........ please don`t use Westley`s Bleech White. Please...... I`m begging you. That stuff is horrible.

Instead use Eagle One Tire Cleaner. I`ve used it almost every wash for 15+ years. Fantastico! Does just the job you want it to do. Use it with a stiff brush and your tires will look like new. I`ve never ever had a problem with it. I think it`s the best product Eagle One makes, and I use alot of their products.

If you have EFHI, that`ll work too.

In a pinch (and I mean a PINCH) you can use Comet or Ajax with a stiff brush. But that stuff will do just as much damage as Westley`s or Simple Green.

**imported_memnuts** · 06-07-2002, 08:43 AM

Originally posted by bretfraz

ewwwwwww........ please don`t use Westley`s Bleech White. Please...... I`m begging you. That stuff is horrible.

Instead use Eagle One Tire Cleaner. I`ve used it almost every wash for 15+ years. Fantastico! Does just the job you want it to do. Use it with a stiff brush and your tires will look like new. I`ve never ever had a problem with it. I think it`s the best product Eagle One makes, and I use alot of their products.

If you have EFHI, that`ll work too.

In a pinch (and I mean a PINCH) you can use Comet or Ajax with a stiff brush. But that stuff will do just as much damage as Westley`s or Simple Green.

What type of damage? Please expand. This stuff has been around for years and back in the late 60`s,70`s and early 80`s I used this product without problems. Could be that I had hi-performance cars or bias ply tires and/or early radials that did not get great mileage but no damage or discoloration to the white lettering occurred. :nixweiss

There may be better or newer products available today ( as mentioned I have not had white-lettered tires in over 20 years) but this old remedy works and is available everywhere. :wavey

**laynlow** · 06-07-2002, 08:48 AM

The WesleyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s will eat your rims if your not careful, stay away from that stuff. Cleaning white letters is not difficult at all; you just need the right tools.

I am currently using EFHI diluted 1:1 with water. Spray it on the tire and agitate with a stiff bristle brush. Any stiff bristly brush will do, but I have come to like my Viking tire brush. It is contoured and has a handle to keep me from scraping my knuckles. Wally world or Autozone should have it. The EFHI will also remove your dressing if you feel like scrubbing around the tire. I usually just hit the letters and rinse. The tire will look beautiful after I apply dressing again.

Any good tire and wheel cleaner will work, just use one that is safe. EO A2Z would be my 2nd choice. I don`t use spray cleaners to clean my rims, but overspray is a fact of life. That is why I insist the cleaner be safe for the rim too.

**imported_BretFraz** · 06-07-2002, 09:33 AM

Look at the name. Bleach White. It contains bleaching agents that will turn your tires gray with regular use. It will also remove the dye or the agents that makes white letters white. I have experienced this first hand. It`s not pretty.

It`s also a fairly strong formula that can stain your alloy rims if you`re not careful. It damaged a set of hand-polished slot mags on a car I owned years ago. I ain`t never using this stuff again.

By comparison, EO Tire Cleaner has never damaged my wheels and cleans the tires better than Westley`s. As I mentioned previously, I clean my tires every time I wash (and I`m frankly surprised you guys don`t do this too). I *want* to remove all the old protectant from the tires. Nothing on a car gets dirtier than wheels and tires. But tires are porous and need special cleaning which is different than wheels. Hence the use of a specific tire cleaner.

After a wash I want my tires to be as clean as the rest of the car. But I don`t want to damage the rubber or the wheels. EO Tire Cleaner is the only stuff I`ve ever used that`s both effective and safe for regular use. I`ve used gallons and gallons and gallons of the stuff and love it. You know how some poeple are about Zaino? I`m that way about EO Tire Cleaner.

**BradE** · 06-07-2002, 09:48 AM

Bret is right, that particular product will remove the carbon black from the sidewalls of the tires causing a washed out grey look.

**Scott P** · 06-07-2002, 09:59 AM

Wow, I did not know that the stuff was so bad. I guess I`ll stop using it and pick up some EO on my way home.

What`s next? Telling my Rain Dance isn`t any good?

**imported_memnuts** · 06-07-2002, 10:07 AM

It is amazing how things have changed and products have improved and material used to make car parts are more fragile.

Bretfraz`s info is up to date and more valid.As mentioned I have not used white letter cleaning solutions in years but never had my tires bleached by Bleach White. Maybe they used more tire black back in the day? :nixweiss

That is probably why I like older cars. Raw brutal fun without the worry that the tire cleaner will upset the wheels.

Why can`t all these parts just get along?

**imported_Intel486** · 06-07-2002, 11:53 AM

For white letters I use ProWax`s Non-Acid Wheel Cleaner (Use it on wheels and tires). I hit the white letters or white walls with a brass brush. I`ll then go around the whole tire again with a nylon brush.

**Dave N** · 06-07-2002, 12:44 PM

Here`s another vote for EAGLE 1 TIRE CLEANER!!!

I just started using this a few weeks ago, and it works great. Plus, it doesn`t have a harsh smell, so I`m assuming that it`s fairly rim-friendly.

I have RWL tires on my truck, and it really got the lettering white.