Cleaning gum wall tires (specifically Compass)

[mattyNor]

So this is admittedly extremely silly and probably fairly pointless but ignoring all that.... I put a pair of gumwall Compass tires, extralite cassing, on my bad weather bike but after using them through the winter the mixture of salt, dirt, and whatever else has left them kinda more grosswall than gumwall. Is there any easy way to clean them and get them back to the original colour?

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[Shrike]

I was recommended WD40 here before. Didn't get round to trying it though. Maybe I'll try it tonight now you've put it back into my head

[Broady]

This is my main reason for getting discs.

[mattr]

I just used hot soapy water and elbow grease.
Added bonus is that the rims were also spotless.

[Ltyarbro42]

Bleche-white

[kidrob]

This is my main reason for getting discs.

I really don't see the connection between dirty gumwalls and brakes.

As for cleaning the gum walls: viewtopic.php?p=1350908#p1350908

[hmai18]

As for cleaning the gum walls: viewtopic.php?p=1350908#p1350908

On a rim brake bike, residue from the pads mixed with whatever crud is accumulated from the road surface will end up on the sidewalls. This is less of an issue with disc-braked bikes.

[Zakalwe]

I was recommended WD40 here before. Didn't get round to trying it though. Maybe I'll try it tonight now you've put it back into my head

Do you really want to be putting WD40 on your tyres?

[Broady]

This is my main reason for getting discs.

I really don't see the connection between dirty gumwalls and brakes.

As for cleaning the gum walls: viewtopic.php?p=1350908#p1350908

Brake pad dust mixed with rain completely blackens gum / tan sidewalls.

[Shrike]

I was recommended WD40 here before. Didn't get round to trying it though. Maybe I'll try it tonight now you've put it back into my head

Do you really want to be putting WD40 on your tyres?

Maybe, maybe not. If you've done any research into this you'll find there's no definitive answer.

Go-karters used to use it on their tyres for grip until the practise was banned. You can see results showing magazine recommendations and rumours about the army using it for tyres too.

It's not a lubricant and shouldn't be absorbed by the tyre compound, so as long as it's not on your brakes then it'd be worth testing. You wouldn't be spraying it all over the place like a mad pirate anyway, you'd be spraying on a cloth and treating the sidewall area of the tyre. Preferably dismounted from the wheel.

Didn't get a chance last night, too tired, but after reading more about it I'm curious about how it affects grip as well as how well it can actually move difficult oil stains. If i have a go I'll post before and after pics and maybe even rub the rear tyre down and take it for a spin around the block to test grip. This weekend or next.

[Broady]

I once put a Vittoria Corsa in the dishwasher, came out nearly whitewall as opposed to gum.

[Marin]

Dishwasher? Cool idea. I actually bake my Veloflexes in the oven before installing so speed up the ageing. Anyone got more kitchen ideas?