You’ve cleaned, polished and waxed your car from boot to bonnet, but it still doesn’t look as good as it did fresh out of the showroom. What’s missing?
We know the answer – it’s the tyres.
That’s right, when they’re exposed to water, dirt, salt and sunlight, tyres can quickly lose that attractive black sheen. And that can have a surprisingly big impact on the overall look of your car, leaving it looking tired and unfinished.
So, how do you fix it?
In our essential guide, we’ll show you how to make your tyres look black again – including the products to use and how often you’ll need to apply them.
Let’s get started.
How to Make Your Tyres Look Black
Rubber isn’t naturally shiny, so you need to treat your car’s tyres regularly to keep the wheels looking their just-bought best.
Sure, regular washing can help. But you also need to use the right products to give the tyres that rich, glossy appearance that can elevate the overall look of your car.
Follow our step-by-step guide below to take your tyres from dull grey to glossy black in a jiff.
- Clean the tyres as normal. A pressure washer can blast away dirt and debris, while we’d also recommend a soft-bristled brush to aggravate stains without risking any damage to the alloys.
- Dry the tyres as best as you can. Paper towel or kitchen roll works well for soaking up water from tyres – or you can leave them to dry naturally.
- If you’re able, remove the wheels from your car. This will make it much easier to apply treatment products without missing any areas. For this, you’ll need a jack as the bare minimum, but we’d also recommend jack stands to maximise safety too.
If you can’t remove the wheels or don’t have time, that’s not a problem, just spend extra time making sure you don’t miss any areas.
- Next, get yourself a tyre treatment product. Simoniz Back to Black Tyre & Trim does a brilliant job of making tyres black again, providing an instant wet look shine while also protecting and nourishing the rubber.
- To apply Back to Black, spray it across the tyre from about 10-15cm, using a sweeping motion to achieve an even finish. The result is a black, glossy tyre that’s protected from UV damage.
And for an even glossier finish, apply 2-3 coats of Back to Black, leaving each to dry between applications.
Bonus tip – Simoniz Back to Black can also be used on faded plastic trim, restoring dull greys to shiny blacks in a single application. How good is that?
How Often Should I Treat My Tyres to Keep them Black?
While Simoniz Back to Black will prolong the glossy black look of your tyres, you’ll need to reapply it every so often to top up the finish and ensure maximum UV protection.
We’d recommend treating your tyres at least once a month to maintain that fresh-out-the-showroom look all year round.
Why Do Car Tyres Fade and Lose Their Black Appearance?
No matter how often you clean them, car tyres will eventually lose their glossy black look they rolled off the production line with. But why is this?
As we touched on before, rubber isn’t naturally shiny, so the surface needs “dressing” regularly to maintain the desired shine.
Tyres are also susceptible to UV damage. They absorb the sun’s rays more than any other part of your car, and this can cause their colour to fade over time.
But long as you maintain and treat them regularly, though, there’s no reason why UV should have a lasting impact on your car’s tyres. Applying a product like Simoniz Back to Black can also help to limit the effects, protecting the surface from UV while also nourishing the rubber.
Think of dressing your tyres like waxing your paintwork. It’s the final touch that not only maximises protection, but also takes the appearance of your car to the next level.
More Help for Maintaining Car Tyres and Wheels
It’s amazing what a difference caring for tyres and wheels can make to your car’s overall look. Not only that, but it can help reduce wear and tear too.
If you’re looking for advice on how to clean and maintain wheels, alloys and tyres, Simoniz has a whole host of products, guides and resources that can help.
Visit our dedicated wheel, tyre and bumper hub to find all our tyre and wheel-related content in one place. That includes product links, guides and other useful resources aimed at helping you take better care of your car’s tyres and alloys.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this guide, and that it comes in useful for helping you make your tyres black again. For more how-tos and advice, check out the Simoniz blog or head to our product page for our full range of car care tools.
