Whiteish Coating or Residue on Tire Sidewalls

[TxDon]

When I got this car the tires were billed as new and looked black and shiny but now they have a whiteish residue on them and look bad. The residue kind of wipes off but not completely like it is a bit sticky. I'm assuming they sprayed some gunk on the tires as part of a detail but I have no idea what. I had something similar on some BFG T/A's on another car, it would wipe off but keeps coming back. Has anyone had this problem and if so how did you clean it off? I'm going to start scrubbing tomorrow!

 

[69a100]

I think everybody has some type of complaint about crap on tires, I know I do. I do know that Wesley's Bleach White or any other type product and a stiff bristle brush works super for cleaning them. I guess it's just part of owning a car? I will be watching this. Good Luck

 

[mmissile]

Scrub the crap out of them, and try Jax Wax, Super Blue. Makes tires look new....not slimy, new.

 

[MoparMitch]

Go to your local parts place and buy a can of More Shine less Time made by a Company called Stoner. You will be back for more.

 

[Coyoteduster]

Bleche White. Nothing better for cleaning/maintaining your tires, been using it for years.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...gn8XNBiOsR19mOamg&sig2=hLrGZKKZSPmWCaJnnkiOOA

 

[Photon440]

Sometimes what you're seeing is just rubber additives that naturally come to the surface to do their job. This is from a FAQ from Meguiars:


Most people don't give a lot of thought to their tires except for how they look. Truth be known, your tires are designed to perform under extreme conditions of heat via kinetic energy transfer, high speeds for long periods of time and incredible forces of torque and flexing. That's a lot to ask from a chunk of rubber, inflated with air like a cream filled donut.

The science behind the modern rubber formulas used by major tire manufactures today is both complex and interesting. The rubber itself contains and ingredient called Antiozonant.

Antiozonant is an ingredient that helps to prevent the exterior rubber surface from cracking, checking, oxidizing, and deteriorating. The rubber is designed in such a way as to constantly work its way to the outside of the tire and as such, continually replenish the exterior surface with fresh antiozonant.


Also, an article about 'tire blooming', discussing the brown powder that forms on tires:
http://www.drbeasleys.com/blog/2013/07/11/why-are-my-tires-brown/

 

[TxDon]

Never heard of Antiozonant or tire blooming but it does sound like what I've got. I'll let you know how it cleans up.

 

[GetX'd]

I hope the above works for raised white letters as well. I just bought new tires and they say not to let the black walls touch the white lettering. Tough to get the black off the white lettering. Too late..... Need a recipe for cleansing.

 

[idrivemopar]

I started using bleach-white because the BFG's I bought had some brown/yellow color to the raised white letters, and I wasn't happy with how they looked. I first used it with a clean towel and it did pretty good, but the rear tire letters were more yellowed, so I then used it with "0000" steel wool, and they are now bright white!

 

[Photon440]

Just a note about using fine steel wool - if any tiny particles of the steel are embedded in the white, it's possible for them to rust and leave a brown spot. Better to find some stainless steel wool, or use an abrasive like a scotch-brite pad.

 

[idrivemopar]

That's a good point, and I thought the same thing, so I inspected the lettering under magnification to make sure nothing stuck in them. The scotch-brite pads turned the letters green when using with bleach white, so I opted for the super fine steel wool. I think next time I will try using a magic eraser with the bleach white, but hopefully now since I have removed the yellowing and dark marks, they should be easier to maintain white.

 

[Coyoteduster]

Just a note about using fine steel wool - if any tiny particles of the steel are embedded in the white, it's possible for them to rust and leave a brown spot. Better to find some stainless steel wool, or use an abrasive like a scotch-brite pad.

Interesting ...., I have used Brillo pads on my white letters for years and have never noticed this happening. :eusa_think: ( ...but I do go back over them with the Bleche White)

 

[Dako]

As a kid of the 70's/ 80's I lived by ArmorAll, until a buddy showed me the results of a good General Purpose cleaner like Simple Green, and a quality scrub brush. I now use 'Purple Power' due to it's citrus base and better smell. Anyway's, no product afterwards, a lot LESS effort, and they look like, well...brand new white letter tires when done.

 

[TxDon]

I started using bleach-white because the BFG's I bought had some brown/yellow color to the raised white letters, and I wasn't happy with how they looked. I first used it with a clean towel and it did pretty good, but the rear tire letters were more yellowed, so I then used it with "0000" steel wool, and they are now bright white!

I've used good old SOS pads for years on whitewalls and white letters, works great.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, I tried some scrubbing today with lousy results. I didn't have any of the products mentioned above so I tried my old standby, Fantastik cleaner and a bristle brush - didn't do a thing. When the residue is dry you can scrape or rub some off, it's pretty thick. Plain water does nothing, I even wiped a section with brake fluid (a tire trick from WAYYY back) but also no good. I ran out of time so I coated the tires with Armorall but that probably just added to the problem. When I get a chance I'm going to try dry-brushing them to see if that will remove all the coating, I may also try SOS soap pads.

 

[miller]

Yeah, I need to break out the pads for my tires. 10 years old, and still have the new 'bluish' coating on 'em.

McKinney, huh? Just down the road from me...Tom Bean, Tx. Probably about time to say hiya!

 

[Coronet 14]

I use this stuff to clean my tires.

 

[Sonny Black]

Someone:iamwithstupid: tried to shine them with a petroleum product!.....

lacquer thinner will fix that!...then a little tire black

 

[TxDon]

Someone:iamwithstupid: tried to shine them with a petroleum product!.....

lacquer thinner will fix that!...then a little tire black

What type of "tire black" works best and doesn't leave a buildup like I have now?

 

[TxDon]

Success! Thanks to Sonny Black, I used lacquer thinner on a rag on my goopy tires. It cleaned everything up great and very easily and left a clean matte surface. I still have to find a good "tire black" but now have a great surface to start with.

 

[1962polara]

So after this I'm wondering if 'Antiozonant' is just salesman BS ?
Sonny's tip with thinner would seem to fix any problems with cleaning the tyre surface.
And I have yet to read anywhere where a tyre is leaching out Antiozonant.

Reminds me of the brain cloud Tom Hanks had in "Joe Versus the Volcano" lol