The best cleaners for tires will remove brake dust, grime, and grease from your tires and add some extra protection against the elements, improving their longevity in the long run. Notable brands include Armor All, Meguiar’s, and Chemical Guys.
Your car’s wheels are the only parts of your car that are in constant contact with the road—and all the mud, water, and other substances that end up on it. So it’s natural that they can easily become the dirtiest part of your car.
If you’re not in the running for a new set of wheels any time soon, a set of clean ones can be the next best thing! That’s why the trusted super app
for car insurance
shopping, Jerry
, has compiled this list of some of the best wheel and tire cleaners to help remove grime, add some shine, and give your wheels some added protection against the elements. What to know about the best wheel and tire cleaners
Tire cleaners are cleaning products designed specifically with your tires in mind. Keeping your tires clean can help reduce wear and tear by fighting off problems like corrosion and ultimately increase your tires’ longevity.
Plus, who doesn’t love the look of a shiny, freshly-cleaned rim?
Wheel cleaners are widely available in auto parts stores and online, and there are all kinds of tire cleaners on the market that come in a variety of forms, from sprays to foams to gels.
The best cleaners for tires will include sealants, conditioners, and protective properties that not only clean your tire but also provide lasting protection after you’re done.
While a product’s quality will heavily depend on its formula, here’s a general overview of how different types of tire cleaners compare:
| | |
|---|
| Easier to apply than gels, but scrubbing is a little more involved than foams | Stronger shine than foams, can have more restorative properties |
| Can be challenging to apply, requires an applicator | Generally offers most durable, longest-lasting shine and protection |
| Easiest to apply, especially compared to gels | Don’t tend to last very long (a few days to a week is common) |
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Whether you prefer sprays, foams, or gels, the following are some of the best and most popular wheel and tire cleaners you can find on the market right now.
Best tire cleaner sprays and liquids
3D Yellow Degreaser
The 3D Yellow Degreaser tire cleaner is a favorite all-in-one spray that’s effective for all tire-cleaning purposes. It’s designed to remove rust, grease, and dirt buildup while adding some extra shine.
Car Guys Premium Tire Shine Spray
Car Guys Premium Tire Shine Spray is a non-greasy product that adds shine, removes grime, and adds ultraviolet protection.
The 18-ounce kit comes with an applicator pad for a smoother application.
Black Magic Bleche-Wite
Black Magic’s Bleche-Wite tire cleaner is a spray designed to take care of brake dust, grime, and film “on contact.”
Bleche-Wite also tends to be a popular go-to for cleaning white-wall tires or adding some extra brightness to wheels with white lettering.
Adam’s Tire and Rubber Cleaner
Adam’s Tire and Rubber Cleaner is a non-foam spray option (with a citrus scent!) that can help you remove oxidation and residues from wax and other previous tire cleaning products.
All you have to do is spray the product on your tires, give them a good scrub with a scrub brush, and rinse.
According to Adam’s, the Tire and Rubber Cleaner can not only be used for your tires, but also to clean rubber and the plastic trim on your car, and even your rubber floor mats.
Chemical Guys Blue Guard High Shine Protectant
Chemical Guys Blue Guard High Shine Protectant offers deep-cleaning power to help condition and restore your tire’s rubber and plastic that can hold up against numerous washes. Chemical Guys also suggests you can use the product for virtually any exterior vinyl or plastic on your car, including on bumpers, window trim, windshield wipers, and door handles.
To avoid excessive overspray, you can use a microfiber cloth to apply to your tire’s surface.
Meguiar’s Wheel Brightener
Meguiar’s Wheel Brightener is a versatile option that’s safe to use on a number of different wheel finishes (but don’t use it on wheels that are aluminum, anodized, or aftermarket).
Application is simple, too: you just need to spray the product on, let it do its work for about a minute, then rinse it off. For dirtier tires, you might still need to add some scrubbing action.
To help you get the most for your money, you can dilute Meguiar’s Wheel Brightener up to a 4:1 ratio.
MORE: How to polish aluminum wheels
Best gels for cleaning tires
Meguiar’s Endurance Tire Gel
Once you’ve already cleaned your tires, Meguiar’s Endurance Tire Gel can provide them with a glossy finish and protection against UV damage and browning that can last through a number of washes.
Armor All Extreme Tire Shine Gel
Gels can be a little trickier than foams to apply, but they usually do a better job, and many users consider Armor All Extreme Tire Shine Gel to be a dependable option that isn’t terribly expensive.
The gel can help provide added protection against cracks and gives your wheels’ rubber an extra layer of protection.
According to Armor All, the shine can last for weeks and help protect against cracking and fading.
MORE: How to get bugs off your car: a handy guide
Best foam cleaner for wheels and tires
Mothers Foaming Wheel and Tire Cleaner
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly tire cleaner, Mothers Foaming Wheel and Tire Cleaner is a popular option under $10.
The foaming spray is designed to clean blackwall and whitewall tires alike, along with a variety of wheel coatings, although it isn’t recommended for aluminum, billet, or anodized wheels and motorcycle wheels.
Armor All Extreme Tire Foam
Armor All’s Extreme Tire Foam provides a “touchless” clean that doesn’t need much extra elbow grease and can provide some protection against cracking and fading. Still, a little extra scrubbing doesn’t hurt if your tires are a little dirtier than average.
After application, adding Armor All’s brake dust repellent can help add some protection against brake dust and other grime for up to a month.
Black Magic Wet Tire Foam
Black Magic’s Wet Tire Foam is another budget-friendly option with a quick and easy application that you can often find for $5 or less.
The spray-on foam will cling to and remove brake dust, mud, and other grime before it dissolves, and according to Black Magic, the shine afterward can last up to two weeks.
How to find savings on car insurance
Want to know something that can make you shine just as bright as your freshly-polished tires? Finding a great deal on your car insurance policy! The Jerry
app can help you make finding those savings faster and easier than ever. If you’ve never used the Jerry app before, this is how it works. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you just answer a few quick questions, and then, Jerry will show you personalized quotes from top insurance providers, all in one spot.
Jerry’s end-to-end support means you can have help setting up your new policy and canceling your old one, and friendly and experienced agents are on standby to help answer the questions you have along the way.
Later, when your policy’s up for renewal, Jerry will automatically find you quotes again to help you make sure you’re still getting a good deal!
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was fast and easy to use. Their customer service was so helpful in helping me navigate the situation my state is dealing with. Now I’m saving an extra $100 every 6 months!” —Tony C.
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