How to Get Blue Off White Letter Tires

If you've ever purchased raised white-letter tires, then it was probably a surprise that the tires arrived at your door with blue lettering instead of white. Tire companies often add a protective layer to the white lettering of their tires for shipping purposes. This blue layer is not meant to be permanent. There are a few easy steps to getting the shine back in your new tires. Check out our recommendations below for the best ways to get the blue off your white letter tires.

Why Do My White Letter Tires Have Blue Lettering?

New tires are produced with several oils including conditioners, emollients, and UV protectants. These oils protect the tire and improve its longevity. When tires are stacked during the shipment process, raised white sections of the tire, like white walls or white lettering, are susceptible to oils and residue rubbing off on them.

Residue buildup can scuff and mark your new tires before they're even attached to your car. To fix this problem, manufacturers add a thin blue protective layer to the white sections of the tire before they get shipped. The protective layer ensures fresh, clean tires on arrival, but it can be a little annoying to remove.

How to Remove the Blue From White Letter Tires

A common recommendation for how to get the blue off your new tires is to dose the tire in some brake cleaner. While this will get the blue color to come off, brake cleaner can harm tires. Following the steps below will give you the easiest and safest options for removing the blue from your new tires.

Tools and Supplies Needed:

• All-Purpose Cleaner
• Scrub Brush
• Rag
• Scotch-Brite Pad
• Spray Bottle

Method 1: All-Purpose Cleaner and a Scrub Brush

1. Grab an all-purpose cleaner and spray down the lettering on your tire
2. Take a scrub brush and begin to scrub off the blue layer. Don't be afraid to press hard if you need to
3. Take a rag, mop up the cleaning liquid
4. Polish the tire lettering, removing any remaining blue residue
5. Repeat this process for all four tires

Method 2: Water and a Scotch-Brite Pad

A Scotch-Brite Pad has a much rougher surface than a typical scrub brush. This makes it much easier to remove the blue coat on your tires, but also more likely to damage the rubber if you press too hard.

1. Wet the tire with a water bottle
2. rub the Scotch-Brite Pad across the surface of the white lettering
3. Spray down the surface again with water to wash away any loose residue
4. Use a rag to polish the white lettering
5. clean in between the raised portions of the tire
6. Repeat this process for all four tires

Congratulations, you're all done!

Give Your Vehicle a New Shine by Cleaning Your White Letter Tires

With the blue color removed from your white letter tires, you're ready to hit the road with a new level of polish.

White letter tires have become more popular recently among auto enthusiasts, so if you're in the market for a new set of tires, be sure to check out our extensive selection of white letter tire options across a wide variety of vehicle models.