How To Clean Your Car's Exhaust Tips And Make Them Shine Again

The exhaust tips – including the fake exhaust tips found on many newer vehicles — are often neglected after a car wash because they are not in the line of sight and can be hard to reach. They get dirty from carbon buildup on the inside, while the outside accumulates dust and dirt, especially after driving in the rain or snow.

Cleaning and getting them nice and shiny is pretty easy, though, and requires just a few tools, similar to what you'd use to clean wheels. All you'll need is some water, car wash soap, gloves, towels, a cleaning brush, metal polish, and steel wool. Begin with a quick wash using a regular car wash soap or wheel cleaner. Wet a microfiber cloth or towel with some soapy water and scrub the inside and outside of the tip to remove any dirt. Use a brush to clean the inside of the tip more thoroughly, and apply a degreaser if needed. While washing the inside and outside of the tips, ensure the water doesn't get deep into the exhaust — especially if you're using a pressure washer — and spray at an angle. If the cloth hasn't cleaned the tip well enough, use 000 or 0000 fine steel wool with some soap on both the wool and the tips, and rub them for a few minutes to restore shine. Note that steel wool shouldn't be used on powder-coated or painted tips, though.

If your car has chrome exhaust tips, you can apply a metal polish to give them a clean, bright finish. Put a small amount of polish on an applicator, rub it onto the tips, then buff them with a microfiber cloth.

Now that you've cleaned your exhaust tips, you don'twant all that effort to go to waste, right? There are actually a few ways to keep them shining brightly for a long time and save you from the hassle of repeatedly washing them.

After washing and polishing your tips with the right product, you can preserve the shine by applying a protective treatment — some detailers use a graphene coat to retain it better. One alternative is ceramic coating, and another is a wheel sealant. Wheel sealants are typically used to stop brake dust and dirt from sticking to the rims, and they can offer the same kind of protection on exhaust tips.

Before you inspect and clean your car's exhaust tips, make sure you're wearing gloves, as the chemicals in polishes and sealants, as well as grease, dust, and carbon buildup, can leave residue on your hands. And of course, don't forget to let the exhaust tips cool down before you touch them.