Tyre Care
Tyres are a feature of the vehicle the can really stand out especially of not presented well. A detailed car without clean and dressed tyres can look incomplete.
Why do my tyres look brown?
During day to day use and storage, tyres are exposed to dirt, water, oils, sunlight and ultra violet light (UV) and all are attacking the tyre. This exposure, especially to UV leads to drying and cracking of the tyre. To combat this tyre manufacturers add plasticizers in the rubber compound formulations in form of antiozonants & antioxidants. These keep the tyre soft and supply so it can react to the forces placed on it while driving.
These antiozonants continually feed to the outer of the tyre to keep it nourished, however when they are in contact with ozone they oxidize and turn brown. This is knows as Tyre Blooming and is a sign that your tyres are doing what they are supposed to.
How do I clean the brown off my tyre?
The first step to rejuvenate the appearance of your tyre is to remove the blooming or browning on the sidewalls of your tyre. Here an all purpose cleaner or dedicated tyre cleaner work extremely well and include:
Spray your favorite cleaner onto the tyre and allow it to sit for a few minutes without drying on the surface. Take a soft brush such as (Vikan Short Handle Wheel Brush, Concours Tyre and Wheel Brush) and lightly brush the tyre to work the browning off the surface. Rinse off the cleaner to reveal a deeper darker tyre. Don’t forget to dry your tyres before dressing for maximum impact and durability.
Here we have tyre that has half untouched side which is dull and faded and the half cleaned and dried which is black and ready for dressing. 
There are a few different types of dressings which are generally solvent or water based. Heavy solvent based dressing can give a glassy look on your tyres, however the silicone used in these dressing can actually dry out the tyre and cause increase the blooming of the tyres rather than preventing it.
Water based dressing can be more beneficial to the tyre by adding a layer of protection the surface of the tyre, preventing the blooming and help nourish the tyre without drying it out.
How do I stop tyre dressing from flinging all over the side of my car?
As we discussed earlier, we are wanting a tyre dressing that is also absorbed into the tyre to help prevent blooming. Using a water based dressing will allow this to happen as well as prevent sling on the sides of your car.
A useful tip;
• Always ensure your tyre is dry before applying a tyre dressing so that it can be absorbed into the rub.
• Try applying 2 coats, a thinner coat and then a thicker coat. The first will be absorbed by the tyre and second will coat the surface, act as a protectant and preserver as well is give that deep black look we love.
Tyre Dressing are available in different varieties depending on the look you are after. For a natural look you can try CarPro PERL (diluted 2:1), Lexol Vinylex, Swissvax Pneu or Zaino Z16. For a satin look try Poorboys Bold & bright and Bold & Bright GEL, CarPro PERL or Polishangel Honey.