Tires bear the weight of an auto and allow for efficient movement. Clean tires speak volumes about the care and maintenance the owner of the auto gives his machine. The condition and overall appearance of your truck or car should always work in your favor when making a first impression.  A sparkling set is very attractive and one should strive to keep them that way. Following these easy steps of cleaning your tires are sure to help you keep your auto in good condition and maintain its appearance for long.

Gather all your cleaning material before you start. This ensures efficiency. Material and equipment needed include:

• A sponge
• Bucket of water with detergent
• Wheel brush
• Wheel sponge
• Tire brush
• Garden hose
• Wheel cleaner
• Mild citric acid
• Microfiber cloth/ clean towels
• Wheel sealant
• Tire conditioner

1. Put pressure on the garden hose opening and spray the tire. This ensures that the loose dirt is removed. Spray the wheel cleaner on both the tire and the wheels.
2. Clean the tires thoroughly with detergent using the sponge. Use the wheel brush to clean the inside and the outside. Ensure that you rinse regularly so as to remove tough stains left after the first wash. For stubborn stains mild citric acid does the trick. Wait for the acid to absorb a while then clean the stain off.
3. Use the tire brush to clean the tire in a circular motion. Clean the tire sidewalls too to ensure the dirt and grease are removed. After that, rinse once so that you may notice the stubborn stains which you should then apply pressure to remove.
4. Rinse the tires thoroughly using the pressurized garden hose, to remove the detergent. After this, use the microfibercloth or clean towels to dry the wheels.
5. Spray your wheels with a wheel sealant (oil based is recommended) as this protects your wheels and makes cleaning them a next time a whole lot easier.
6. To prevent wear and tear and to keep your tires shinning, apply a tire conditioner. Apply it only on the tires and allow it to absorb for a few minutes.

Shiny tires make your car look classy. As you clean your car, do not neglect your wheels and tires. If your tires are cleaned on a regular basis, visits to the mechanic will be a lot less. Cleaning your wheels and tires frequently is not just about keeping appearances – it's preventive maintenance!