What is the best tire cleaner?

[pfix]

I just bought the Griots Rubber Cleaner and so far I am not impressed. I used it on my hunting truck with very dirty tires from a mix of Megs Hot Shine gel and gravel road dust.(Very nasty mix!).I sprayed a liberal amount of product on to dry tires.It cleaned some but not all of the grime from the tires even after a good scrubbing with my stiff tire brush. It performed about the same as simple green at 1:1 ratio.

I also used it on my low profile tires on my C30R Volvo with Megs Hot shine minus the gravel dust and it did not do much at all.

Now that I have said that, it may be the way I am using it. Truck: It was hot out and the cleaner tended to dry very fast forcing me to scrub quickly instead of letting it dwell and then scrubbing.

Car: tires were wet when I sprayed it on. I am a tires last guy during a wash and I tried to apply the product liberally but I think the water killed the cleaning power.

I am not ready to give up on the product yet, but I think ARO may be a better fit for me since my tires are generally cleaned last and are wet.

 

[Erik Mejia]

This is one I havent heard of. Where do you get it?

I purchase it at 99 cents stores.

Here is a link to the product:
LA's Totally Awesome Products - All Purpose Cleaner

Check there "Store Locator" section for more info on locations that carry it.

 

[Old Tiger]

I purchase it at 99 cents stores.

Here is a link to the product:
LA's Totally Awesome Products - All Purpose Cleaner

Check there "Store Locator" section for more info on locations that carry it.

Thanks Eric. I dont recognize any of the stores. Mnot be available here in the sticks!st n

 

[Chris Thomas]

Bleche white is great and available at Wally World, but Power Clean is hands down the best I've used. Just clean your tire with your old stuff then hit it with Power Clean to see what it left and then you'll be sold.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

LA's Totally Awesome @ 2:1 works wonders on dirty tires. It's dirt cheap and provides great cleaning ability. I've been using this lately.:xyxthumbs:

Do you only use it on tires?

 

[Erik Mejia]

Do you only use it on tires?

I've used it on carpets, and engines with good results, but really only dedicate it for tires. It's a good APC, and the price is right. I always felt like I was wasting my other APC's when I used them on my tires, especially since I clean and dress them weekly. This was the fix, good cleaning and low cost. If the tires are really dirty and you want to boost cleaning then use it neat. At 2:1 dilution this meets my needs.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I've used it on carpets, and engines with good results, but really only dedicate it for tires. It's a good APC, and the price is right. I always felt like I was wasting my other APC's when I used them on my tires, especially since I clean and dress them weekly. This was the fix, good cleaning and low cost. If the tires are really dirty and you want to boost cleaning then use it neat. At 2:1 dilution this meets my needs.

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Rsurfer]

Ron, what would you use to clean, wax, seal et cetera the polished, chrome Porsche rims on a 96 turbo?
Thanks![/QUOTE
I just use soap and water with a Daytona and boars hair brush (just got my wheel woolies in) as my wheels are always sealed. I use a foam applicator to apply wheel waxes/sealants and wipe with a mf towel. I have tried a dozen wheel waxes and sealants on my chrome wheels and they all pretty much work. Good reviews on Gords metal polish. My wheels get sealed every month so durability is not an issue with me.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Ron, what would you use to clean, wax, seal et cetera the polished, chrome Porsche rims on a 96 turbo?
Thanks![/QUOTE
I just use soap and water with a Daytona and boars hair brush (just got my wheel woolies in) as my wheels are always sealed. I use a foam applicator to apply wheel waxes/sealants and wipe with a mf towel. I have tried a dozen wheel waxes and sealants on my chrome wheels and they all pretty much work. Good reviews on Gords metal polish. My wheels get sealed every month so durability is not an issue with me.

Good stuff.

However, a lot of people will seal their wheels, then use a wheel cleaner the following week that will strip the sealant.

 

[CEE DOG]

I've been using Griots rubber cleaner for awhile on tires but I really like how clean my ARO gets them and I think its ARO on the tires from now on when I want a real thorough cleaning.

On Sky-
Usually I use my leftover Ultima wash dumped into my wheel bucket to clean my wheels. Every 6-8 weeks I give the wheels a cleaning with actual wheel cleaner (not that it's actually needed). I figure why not since I am resealing the wheels.

Been using UTTG around the car and I love how well it lasts on the rims. My new favorite wheel sealant.

 

[BobbyG]

Meguiar's Super Degreaser diluted 5:1.

I also have a nice sample of ARO that I'm dying to try.

 

[Showroom Shine]

As I have said before. Whestley's will damage tires with extended use.It's an old product that works,but is very strong. May even be corrosive.
Of late I have be using Awesome. Which is also very strong. You can get it at the $1 stores. May have to do a little research on it also! Just my 2 cents!

 

[trhland]

As I have said before. Whestley's will damage tires with extended use.It's an old product that works,but is very strong. May even be corrosive.
Of late I have be using Awesome. Which is also very strong. You can get it at the $1 stores. May have to do a little research on it also! Just my 2 cents!

i use bleechwite and it probably is strong but i replace my tires every 4 years anyway . so its fine. bleech wite is the only thing that gets my white rasied letters white..

 

[Tom Weed]

I vote for ARO, that stuff works great!

 

[Showroom Shine]

i use bleechwite and it probably is strong but i replace my tires every 4 years anyway . so its fine. bleech wite is the only thing that gets my white rasied letters white..

Understood!
Try the Awesome from a $1 store on a rag. Just rub lightly and see how white they get. I had white raised lettering on my previous vehicle. So I have tried this. I would bet if you looked closely you will see that the Westley's is making the black rubber light or grayish looking. :xyxthumbs:

 

[Kurt_s]

Ron, what would you use to clean, wax, seal et cetera the polished, chrome Porsche rims on a 96 turbo?
Thanks![/QUOTE
I just use soap and water with a Daytona and boars hair brush (just got my wheel woolies in) as my wheels are always sealed. I use a foam applicator to apply wheel waxes/sealants and wipe with a mf towel. I have tried a dozen wheel waxes and sealants on my chrome wheels and they all pretty much work. Good reviews on Gords metal polish. My wheels get sealed every month so durability is not an issue with me.

Thanks for your suggestions. How do you like the Wheel Woolies? I've heard good things about the Gords too. The videos cracked me up.

I ended up using Wheel Guard for the sealant. I figured that the wheel sealants were pretty similar, and Wheel Guard is easy on and easy off for me with a foam pad and MF towel.

 

[CEE DOG]

Thanks for your suggestions. How do you like the Wheel Woolies? I've heard good things about the Gords too. The videos cracked me up.

I ended up using Wheel Guard for the sealant. I figured that the wheel sealants were pretty similar, and Wheel Guard is easy on and easy off for me with a foam pad and MF towel.

Kurt, if you have any UTTG try it on your rims. Wipe on, walk away, lasts forever

 

[Kurt_s]

Kurt, if you have any UTTG try it on your rims. Wipe on, walk away, lasts forever

Corey, You are becoming the Ultima Guy. :laughing:

I was thinking of PB Trim Restorer for the black trim on my bimmer. I can bring out the black finish with a few things but nothing really long term. Will the UTTG help restore the dark black to the trim and last? Then I would have both a trim product, a new rim sealant option and who knows what else. How about using it as a sealant on headlights?

The Wheel Guard lasts reasonably well unless you start using wheel cleaners. I use soap and water and often prespray the wheels with diluted ONR before brushing with good results.

 

[Kurt_s]

Bleche white is great and available at Wally World, but Power Clean is hands down the best I've used. Just clean your tire with your old stuff then hit it with Power Clean to see what it left and then you'll be sold.

I ended up using Power Clean (100%) the other day to get the Armor All goo off a friend's tires. I worry about damaging the rims with APCs like Power Clean. Do I need to worry?

I have to admit, Power Clean is an incredible APC but a bit expensive compared to APC+.

 

[CEE DOG]

Corey, You are becoming the Ultima Guy. :laughing:

I was thinking of PB Trim Restorer for the black trim on my bimmer. I can bring out the black finish with a few things but nothing really long term. Will the UTTG help restore the dark black to the trim and last? Then I would have both a trim product, a new rim sealant option and who knows what else. How about using it as a sealant on headlights?

The Wheel Guard lasts reasonably well unless you start using wheel cleaners. I use soap and water and often prespray the wheels with diluted ONR before brushing with good results.

UTTG will darken the trim and will last for a long time. I'ts a beauty on trim! I'm not sure how faded the trim is your looking at. If its bad enough I would assume you need PB TR. I'm going to use some PB TR and some UTTG on a severely faded bumper this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes and my findings. I haven't used it on headlights and not sure about that. I use WG Plastik surface sealant for them. A lot of people use whatever paint sealant they are using for paint on the headlights as well.