Protecting your tyres with Tyre Sheen & Sweet Rubber

Way back in 2003 we began our quest to formulate a great tyre shine product. With over 300 tyres on all the cars in our collection, a great product has always been high on the agenda.

Tyre Sheen was our first tyre shine product and gave that lovely matte finish that we wanted. But, with so many requests for a darker tyre shine product, we began work on a more shiny, but still satin finish product that was super easy to use, spreads easy, leaves a nice even finish and is super hydrophobic (mega beading!) so the tyres stay cleaner, for longer. Sweet Rubber is the culmination of a lot of R&D and testing, with the perfect blend of shine/satin, and a satisfingly sweet fragrance.

Tyre Sheen - for a matte finish

We are never happy to just make something like “all the rest”, and gave our chemists a list of things that we disliked and needed to be addressed before we could sign off on the product, which took some 43 separate batches over 7 long years until they nailed it. It's now been over 15 years and 3 big formula upgrades since then, but we have our epically perfect Tyre Sheen. And here is why:

Gives the tyre a perfect, new and natural-looking satin “sheen”.
Will not fling off your tyre onto your car's paint.
Contains specialised oils to help protect and preserve rubber.
Will not affect any painted, chromed, polished or alloy wheels.
It's quite long-lasting and water-resistant.
Quick drying and easy to use.
It smells like jam doughnuts... yummy.
Aussie-made and developed formula, something we are super proud about.

Sweet Rubber - for a sweet scent and darker sheen

We added this great product to our 2021 All Aussie Bucket and had overwhelmingly positive feedback on it, from the finish it leaves, to the sweet fragrance, so we decided to make it a permanent fixture in our product line up. Giving a darker, richer and more shiny look than Tyre Sheen (without being over the top!), if that's the kind of look you prefer for your tyres, we've got you covered with Sweet Rubber. It spreads beautifully and is also extremely hydrophobic, so it'll bead up really well, meaning your tyres will stay cleaner and darker for longer, without attracting extra dirt and dust to the tyres like some tyre shine products can!

What makes Sweet Rubber different:

A highly water-repellent, super hydrophobic formula that bonds well to rubber, for a more uniform application and great lasting protection.
Repels water so well, it creates a more self-cleaning finish, making it easier to keep your tyres clean.
Creates a much darker-looking, lush mid-gloss finish, that car fanatics love.
Resists annoying flinging and slinging onto your car's paintwork.
UV Protection to prevent antiozonant browning of tyre walls.
Easy to use, quick drying and smells pretty damn good.
Will not affect painted, chromed, polished or alloy rims.
Aussie-made and developed formula, by us crazy people who love cars.

Cleaning the tyres

Having a clean tyre will get the absolute best out of Sweet Rubber & Tyre Sheen, and help with application, and longevity.

Spray some Down & Dirty straight onto the tyre and leave it to dwell for a short time, but don't let it dry. Then, with a stiff bristled brush like our Little Stiffy, scrub the tyre thoroughly with a mix of car wash like Dirty Times or Nanolicious Wash and then rinse off all of the excess suds. Dry the tyre with a Dirty Deeds or Twisted Little Sucker cloth and inspect - if it needs more cleaning, repeat the process until the rubber looks bare, ready for some tyre shine application.

If the tyres have significant browning from antiozonant (an additive put into all new tyres to help keep the rubber supple), they may need more than one application to remove all of the brown staining from the rubber. Tyre Sheen and Sweet Rubber both contain additives to help keep the rubber of the tyre supple, so don't stress if you're removing it.

Applying Tyre Sheen and Sweet Rubber

With the tyre clean and dry, spray 6-8 sprays of Tyre Sheen or Sweet Rubber into a foam applicator like our All Sorts applicator and then apply evenly over the rubber surface. Rub back and forth with the All Sorts over the entire tyre, making sure to get into the tyre lettering and any higher side wall sections if you have 4WD tyres.

The All Sorts applicator is a robust tyre shine applicator that makes this job a breeze. Apply more Tyre Sheen or Sweet Rubber if needed (if the rubber is really dry, it will soak it up initially), and wipe it over until you get a nice, even finish. Wipe any excess product from the wheels or white walls with a Dirty Deeds cloth. Allow the tyre to dry for 5 minutes, and that's it!

If you want an even darker and shinier finish, you can apply a second layer after the first layer has dried and cured for 5 minutes.

Common questions

Do I need to wash out my All Sorts applicators after use? Nope! Simply store them in a ziplock bag or similar, leaving the top unsealed so the foam can breathe.
Why are my tyre sidewalls brown? This is from the antiozonant that tyre manufacturers put into the rubber, which helps stop rubber from becoming brittle. Scrubbing with our Orange Agent and a medium bristle brush can help to remove the outer layer of this, then apply Tyre Sheen or Sweet Rubber to remove the brown look and give some suppleness back into the rubber.
Can I spray this straight on my tyres? We don't recommend this, as you'll end up with overspray on the paintwork and glass, an uneven finish that has the potential to fling once you drive. Always apply Tyre Sheen and Sweet Rubber with an applicator like our All Sorts for the best results.
Can I use this on white walls or raised lettering? Both of our tyre protectants are safe on factory white walls and raised lettering, and painted white or red walls that are in good condition.
How should I store my bottle? We always recommend to store these in a cool location in a shed or garage with the trigger turned to the "Off" position to help prevent liquid escaping from the bottle.

You'll love it!

It has been a long road for us to make our Tyre Sheen, and now with the addition of Sweet Rubber, we are pretty proud of and from all the positive feedback we are getting from those who are using it, we are sure you will love it. You will be able to find Sweet Rubber at many of our retailers Australia-wide now.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article please contact us by email - info@bowdensown.com.au or call our office on 1800 351 308.

Love your tyres,

Dan Bowden