It is very important to ensure you clean your tyres on your car as well as the rest of the car because they require a different type of cleaning to keep them in their best condition. You can tell when tyres are in good condition by the colour because unconditioned tyres before they go into the factory are grey, when they have been treated they are black. When tyres are put through the manufacturing process they have products added to them to give protection against things such as UV damage that can limit the life span of the tyres. One of the things added to the tyres is Carbon Black although this only has a limited life span and when it starts to fade away that is when the grey colour of the tyre tends to reappear.

There are protective dressings you can put on the tyres to give them extra protection against the elements. These dressings vary from each brand and there are ones that have ingredients such as petroleum which can be damaging to the tyre material, these also cause the tyre to be sticky making dirt and dust stick to them easily. Here are some signs that the dressing you have for your tyres is damaging and not protecting them:

• Is the colour fading?
• Does it look greasy?
• Is there a sticky brown residue?
• Is there any cracking on the tyre?

The best way to apply the dressing to the tyres is with a clean cloth when the tyres are dry so you can see where the dressing is going properly and ensure full coverage.

Here is a summary of best cleaning techniques:

• You are best to use double the amount of car shampoo you normally do when washing your car. One of the best things to scrub the tyres with is a soft bristled brush, you would then use the brush to scrub on the shampoo dislodging any dirt and grime. You could use a toothbrush to clean in the smaller areas you can't reach with the larger brush.
• Use a hose or power washer to remove any suds and dirt that may be left on the tyre surface.
• Then wipe over the tyre and wheel with a clean towel to dry and remove any left over reside.
• Once all this is done you can then dress the tyre how it is suggested above making sure to use the right kind of dressing to protect instead of damage your tyres.