Restoring White Lettering on Tires

[IZRSSS]

White shoe polish??

Now your talk-in. But I thinkin maybe bird poop. Doesn't it dry white

Keep em com-in. I have 5 vehicles or 20 tires & 4 spares. I'll try em all...  

I think that's called hoarding.

Yep, if they were all First Gens. Unfortunately 3 of the other 4 are crapola.

In all seriousness guys, you've given me good information. Much appreciated & happy egg day!

[camaronut]

I use a small white cotton sock, put it on the hand you use to write with....

Spray a small amount of Glass Plus or any windshield / window cleaner on the sock and use your fingers to clean-off the white letters on your tires.....

No water needed.....works all the time for me....

Then use another sock to put on some Armor All low sheen onto the tire....

[68camaroz28]

Another vote for Westleys. I have used it for decades. Great stuff. I spray on and use a bristle brush. Makes the white letters white and the black tire black!

X3 or 4 for the Westleys as it does work well and also on house items.... Back in 1959 my uncle had a new Plymouth Conv. and he used ajax with a brush to clean the white walls and one of those large bars of ivory soap on the white conv. top. Another item that might assist is good ol' Clorox Bleach. Had some water stains years back in the plastered ceiling from leaks due to snow melting/freezing on our roof. That bleach treatment worked fairly nice. What the heck Marty, I'd try some bleach on a Q-tip and see how that works.

[tmodel66]

 Comet and a Brass brush is a good starter.

[lakeholme]

Thanks Phil. I checked it out on line and Its seems like good stuff. Do you know if anyone else besides ACE carries it?

BTW...would fine sand paper be out of the question?

Wally World and plenty of auto parts stores carry it on the east coast. BTW, don't let it stay long full  strength on chrome, etc.

[IZRSSS]

Westley's Bleach White it is. I'll check with the local auto parts stores to see if I can find it. If not, I read somewhere that Walmart might carry it. Shouldn't be to hard to find because I think its a Black Magic product. That stuff is at most auto parts stores.

The other one that caught my eye is Lestoil. I like what Doug said about this stuff. Evidently it can bring old rubber back from the dead. Did some digging on that one also and it looks like Home Depot might have it.

Anyway, these have to be good because both require the use of a HazMat suit to apply.

I plan to file all of these away for safe keeping. I'm sure all of them will come in handy down the road. Thanks again for all the good ideas!

[69glacierblue]

I used SOS pads & water back in the late 70's.  Worked well then, works well now.  I get the same thing with my tires.  Have to scrub 'em about every 4-6 months or so but only takes a few minutes for all four.

[Oaklyss]

I use Lacquer thinner. Just wipe the letters and they come out perfect!

[ZBM 100]

X2 pumice stone or even a loose grinding wheel most all white lettering is thick,think of it like taking off a layer of skin. Rub the snot out of it then wash should be good as new.

[pjbizjak]

WESTLEY'S BLEACH WHITE IS ALL YOU NEED. SPRAY THE WHOLE TIRE ONCE OR TWICE, IT BLEACHES THE WHITE LETTERS AND ALSO REMOVES ALL THE ROAD GRIME FROM THE TIRE ITSELF. BE CAREFUL ON ALUMINUM RIMS.

PETE
68 Z/28 04A RALLY GREEN

[jdv69z]

I'm laughing as I read this, because back in my youth (early 70's) I worked at a car wash. We had this "stuff" (chemical) we called "elephant p---" because it was lime green. We'd mix a powder with water in one of those pump up spray cans, and after covering the white walls on the cars with it, we spray it off with the high pressure water spray guns we had. The white walls/lettering would clean up like new, and it was quick and easy. I'm laughing because I'm sure whatever it was we were using has been banned by the EPA by now. But boy, it really worked. I use Wesley's Bleach white now as well, but it does not compare the "stuff" we used back then at the car wash. Maybe I'm lucky to still be here, ha ha!!

Jimmy V.

[TX-302]

Simple Green with a scrubby also works.... and it's safe on your tires and wheels.