Keeping your vehicle clean is a major step toward keeping it running like the day you got it. While cleaning on its own can’t replace other maintenance, it can support that maintenance and help prevent early wear on key parts. When it comes to your wheels and tires, there are a few great reasons to make sure you’re regularly washing and polishing.
- It keeps your car looking great
- Helps prevent corrosion by removing road salt buildups and other potentially hazardous materials from areas around the rim
- Provides you with a chance to get a closer look at your tires, so you have a better chance of spotting punctures or other types of damage early
- Reduces environmental wear on the rubber and helps prevent early drying and degradation
- Supports a longer life for nearby parts by reducing wheel well corrosion and other related issues
The short version is that a clean set of wheels and tires will be less likely to throw contaminants on nearby parts of the car and less likely to experience early wear and tear. That’s a good reason to make a serious investment in wash cleaners and exterior care products.
Safety Standards
When you are looking into wash mitts, chamois and other wash and wax accessories, it’s important to choose products that meet environmental and personal safety standards. Harsh chemical cleansers can do damage to your yard and local groundwater as well as your own health and safety, but there is good news. They are getting harder and harder to find. Many of today’s top products are formulated with health and safety in mind.
It’s not just that harsh cleaners and polishing agents can be harmful if handled incorrectly, either. Some harsh cleansers and polishing agents can do damage to the wheels and tires if applied incorrectly, so it’s important to understand exactly what you’re using. In the event you do need to handle heavy duty cleaning agents like buffing compounds, it’s vital that you invest in the PPE and proper disposal techniques to use them safely.
Good Longevity Is Key
When you are looking for a wheel and tire cleaner, the key is to get something that helps encourage long tire life. That means investing in a cleaner that can provide some sort of long-term protection between washes, not just a cleansing at the point where you’re doing the work. The difference is less buildup between washes, a clean look for longer, and lower wear and tear on your tires.
Over-cleaning can cause just as many problems as under-cleaning if you use the wrong product, which is why a safe, effective tire cleaner that also provides a layer of lasting protection is a must for anyone who wants to get the longest life possible from their current set of tires. Alongside proper tire rotation and maintaining the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, it can go a long way toward making sure that your tires outlive their warranty. While you can’t prevent damage from random punctures, you can keep your tires strong and wearing evenly with the right routine.