When tires are left uncleaned, not only are they unsightly, they can also get damaged. They also won’t be able to grip and balance well on the road. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend a lot to maintain their cleanliness, as long as you know how to clean tires with household products.
Just read the information below.
Table of Contents
- 7 Methods to Clean Car Tires With Household Products
- 1. Degrease With Lemon Oil
- 2. Degrease Aluminum Wheels With Baking Soda and Dishwashing Soap
- 3. Clean Tough Stains Off Wheels With Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
- 4. Clean Rust Off Screws and Lug Nuts With Coca-Cola
- 5. Clean Rust Off Chrome Wheels With Vinegar and Water
- 6. Clean Rust Off Rims With Cream of Tartar Paste
- 7. Lubricate, Protect, and Add Shine With Baby Oil
- Conclusion
7 Methods to Clean Car Tires With Household Products
1. Degrease With Lemon Oil
What You Need:
- Lemon Oil – Using lemon oil along with the other ingredients listed for this method would be the best way to clean tires with household products. Just the lemon oil itself makes an excellent ingredient for a tire cleaner, as it’s good at degreasing, can make tires shine, and even leaves a nice scent.
- Dishwashing Soap – Dishwashing soap will also help in degreasing the tires.
- Borax – Borax has cleaning properties that make it an excellent all-purpose cleaner that can also be used for tires.
- Warm Water
- Brush
- Towels
Step 1: Prepare the Natural Tire Cleaner
In two gallons of warm water, pour in 30 ml of dishwashing soap and 50 ml of borax and mix them. Then, while continuously mixing them, pour in 15 ml of lemon oil.
Step 2: Clean the Tires With a Brush and Towel
Dip the brush into the cleaning solution and use it to clean the tires. Afterwards, dip a towel into the solution, wring out the excess moisture, and again clean the tires with it. Then use another dry towel to remove the cleanser from the tires.
2. Degrease Aluminum Wheels With Baking Soda and Dishwashing Soap
What You Need:
- Baking Soda
- Dishwashing Soap
- Warm Water
- Sponge or Rag
- Brush or Toothbrush: A brush could be used for cleaning tough-to-reach areas.
- Towels: Towels are needed for drying.
Step 1: Prepare the Homemade Tire Cleaner
Mix a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid with a gallon of warm water. Then dip the sponge in the mixture. Afterwards, sprinkle some baking soda on it.
Step 2: Clean With the Solution
Scrub the tires with the sponge using circular motions. Make sure you clean all surfaces. Scrub the dirt and grime off the tough-to-reach areas with a brush or toothbrush.
Step 3: Rinse and Dry the Tires
Rinse the tires with warm water starting from the top. Then dry them immediately with a towel.
3. Clean Tough Stains Off Wheels With Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
What You Need:
- Lemon Juice
- Baking Soda
- Warm Water
- Spray Bottle
A spray bottle would be needed for applying the cleaning solution onto the tires.
- Towels
Towels would be needed for rubbing baking soda onto the tires and for wiping the tires dry.
Step 1: Prepare a Lemon Juice and Warm Water Mixture in the Spray Bottle
Pour a cup of warm water and two tablespoons of lemon juice into the spray bottle. Then shake the bottle well.
Step 2: Spray the Wheels and Rub Baking Soda on Them
Spray the lemon and warm water mixture all over the wheels. Then put ½ cup of baking on the wheels, and use a clean towel to remove dirt from them.
Step 3: Dry the Wheels
Dry the wheels using other towels.
4. Clean Rust Off Screws and Lug Nuts With Coca-Cola
What You Need:
- Coca-Cola – The phosphoric acid and carbonation in Coca-Cola make it capable of removing tarnish from copper, chrome, and metal alloys. You may not know this, but Coca Cola can even be used to degrease pans.
- White Vinegar – You can clean car tires naturally with white vinegar, as it’s an effective natural cleaner that can get rid of grime, grease, and dirt with its acetic acid.
- Dishwashing Soap
- Water – Cleaning tires with vinegar and dishwashing soap will also require mixing with some water.
- Spray Bottle
- Brush
Step 1: Prepare a DIY Tire Cleaner and Coke Spray
To create the DIY cleaner, mix a cup each of dishwashing soap and vinegar into a bucket of water. For the Coke spray, simply pour a cup of Coke into a spray bottle.
Step 2: Clean the Rust With Coke
Spray Coke on rusty surfaces. Leave it to sit to take effect. Then scrub out the rust with a brush.
Step 3: Clean the Tires With the Tire Cleaner
Clean the tires with the DIY tire cleaner. Rinse the tires well and dry them with towels.
5. Clean Rust Off Chrome Wheels With Vinegar and Water
What You Need:
- White Vinegar
- Water
- Spray Bottle
- Sponge
Step 1: Prepare the Cleaning Solution
In a spray bottle, pour in a one-to-one ratio of white vinegar and water and shake it well.
Step 2: Clean the Surface Contaminants With the Solution
Spray the vinegar and water solution onto the wheels and scrub them thoroughly with a sponge. If necessary, redo the cleaning until the wheels are completely clean.
6. Clean Rust Off Rims With Cream of Tartar Paste
What You Need:
- Cream of Tartar
- Cream of tartar is capable of removing rust.
- Wheel Brush
Instructions:
Apply the cream of tartar paste onto the rusty rim. Then work the paste onto the surface with a wheel brush to remove the rust.
7. Lubricate, Protect, and Add Shine With Baby Oil
What You Need:
- Baby Oil – You can make a homemade tire shine with baby oil. This substance can also keep the tires clean for longer.
- Dishwashing Soap – The addition of dishwashing soap in the mixture helps to clean the tires.
- Water
- Spray Bottle – The solution would be sprayed on the tires with a spray bottle.
- Towels – Towels are required for wiping the tires clean.
Step 1: Prepare the Solution in a Spray Bottle
Pour ½ cup of water, three drops of dish soap, and a cup of baby oil into a spray bottle. Then shake the bottle well.
Step 2: Clean the Tires With the Solution and a Towel
Spray the solution on the tires. Then use a towel to wipe them clean.
Conclusion
Now that you know what to clean tires with and how to clean tires with household products, remember and complete the steps as often as needed to keep your tires in good condition and safe for driving.
If you have any opinions or questions about this article, you’re more than welcome to leave them in the comments. It would also be great if you shared this article to help spread these tire cleaning hacks.
Furthermore, if you want to clean car tires as a professional, don’t forget to read this guide. Moreover, some related posts about tires & wheel you can explore, such as:
