Armor All Extreme Tire Shine
Sometimes more is not better

Armor All Extreme Tire Shine is a very popular tire dressing for anyone looking for intense shine. Some people love the extreme shine, while others like a more subtle approach to dressing on their tire sidewalls.

But having side walls so shiny you need sunglasses to look at might come with some drawbacks. Most extreme shine products are notorious for being gooey, messy, and throwing plenty of sling onto your car paint.

If all you want is extreme gloss and shine on your tires, then you can run with the Armor All extreme tire shine. But if you are the least bit concerned with any of the possible drawbacks associated with these hyper shine products than I strongly suggest you keep reading.

Armor All Extreme Tire Shine:
Two Options

When it comes to Armor All, you have two options for extreme tire shine:

• Original Extreme Tire Shine
• Podium Hybrid Tire Shine

Armor All Extreme on Amazon

• 2-Pack Value Bundle: Double up and keep more cash in your pocket 
• Ultimate Wet-Black Brilliance: Dial up an extreme, mirror-like shine every time 
• Trusted Armor All Protection: Fortified formula guards your tires from daily wear 
• Enhanced Gloss Boosters: Extra polish agents deliver deep, reflective black 
• Complete Tire Care: Conditions and nourishes rubber to preserve that fresh-off-the-road look 
• Element Shield: Defends against UV damage, cracking, and fading for lasting appearance

Armor All Hybrid Tire Shine on Amazon

• Engineered with Oracle Red Bull Racing: 16 fl oz of Armor All Podium Series Hybrid Ceramic Tire Shine, co-developed to meet the rigorous standards of an elite Formula 1 team Enduring 
• Ceramic Shield: Advanced SiO₂-based formula builds a long-lasting barrier against the elements 
• Mirror-Like High Gloss: Premium synthetic polymers deliver an intense, showroom-ready shine Drip-Free,
• Self-Leveling: Clings instantly—no runs or streaks—and smooths itself out for a flawless finish 
• Up to 4 Weeks of Shine: Holds its luster through multiple washes and rainy days 
• Precision Spray Application: Ergonomic trigger ensures even coverage and a consistent high-gloss result 
• Ultimate Finishing Touch: Completes your wheel and tire care routine with protection, shine, and a bold, woody aroma

Armor All Extreme Tire Shine:
What you need to know

These Armor Extreme tire shine products are not for everyone. This is what you need to know at a minimum::

• Perfect you are just chasing after that "extreme shine" appearance
• Both products will still produce that unwanted tire sling (although many people simply don't care of these products would never last on the market)
• Everything in life has their pros and cons -you get extreme shine, but trade off in other types of performance
• I prefer, and always have, a water based tire dressing

Solvent Based Versus Water Based Tire Shine

There is no shortage of tire dressings from which to be overwhelmed by! From brightly colored packaging to sexy names, even the most experience car enthusiast will find a dizzying array of tire dressings from which to become separated from their money.

Tire shines come in (2) basic varieties:

1. Solvent base
2. Water base

Solvent based tire dressings use some type of solvent as the "carrier" for silicone. Silicone is the accepted ingredient used in tire dressings as the ingredient that creates shine as well as offer a level of protection or conditioner for your tire.

Silicone by itself would be very impractical to be sold exclusively as a tire dressing for many reasons, and therefore is formulated into tire shine products that allow silicone to be applied to your tire sidewall in a way that offers a good user experience, as well as a good end result.

Are Solvent Based Or Water Based Tire Shines Better

Solvent base tire dressings like the Armor All Extreme tire shine are all about shine. Unlike water base tire dressings that can also produce healthy amounts of gloss and shine, solvent based tire shine products reign supreme for extreme shine!

If you go through the checklist above, you should be capable of coming to a conclusion as to which type of tire shine represents the best fit for you.

What Is The Difference Between Water Based and Solvent Based Tire Shine

It's all about silicone. Silicone is the ingredient needed to create the shine you are looking for. Solvent based tire dressings use a solvent (solvents come in endless varieties. Some are very dangerous to your health, some are less dangerous) as the molecular "carrier" of the silicone in creating the formulation.

As you can likely guess, water based dressings use a water molecule as the carrier of the silicone in their formulation.

Solvent based dressings have a few advantages if you are chasing hyper shine over their water based counter parts, but solvents tend to be damaging to both the rubber composition of your tire along with your health.

Many solvents that were once used to create tire shine products are now illegal in most states or countries. This is why many of the products in this modern world we live are made using water instead of harmful solvent ingredients.

Since water and silicone do not mix well together (think of vinegar and oil in the form of a vinaigrette salad dressing) additional ingredients in the form of surfactants are need to help bind the silicone and water together.

These ingredients are homogenized to create a nice emulsion (mayonnaise is a form of emulsion consisting of egg yolk, oil, and vinegar) which then becomes the final product like the Armor All extreme tire shine.

How Do You Use Armor All Extreme Tire Shine

Most solvent based tire dressings suggest you spray the product directly onto the tire sidewall. This allows the product to go straight from the bottle onto your sidewall and creates an extra thick layer.

Many of the solvent based tire dressings have a thicker consistency due to the solvent content and do not respond as well when using a traditional applicator sponge. Once again, most people reach for a solvent based tire shine to create that hyper shine look.

The problem with spraying any tire shine directly onto your tire is this thing called over spray. It is impossible to control the spray pattern precisely so that the tire shine only goes onto your tire sidewall.

This means that your wheel and surrounding paint will get over spray on them which will require more time and effort to clean these areas off. Intense shine in the form of the Armor All extreme tire shine is not likely something you want on either your wheel nor your paint!

Armor All Extreme Tire Shine:
What Would Darren Do (WWDD)

Many people find themselves simply overwhelmed by the endless choices and endless voices all screaming for their attention. For this reason many of my long term followers simply want to know what I would do if I was them.

And for this reason I am going to tell you what I do both for my personal cars and as a professional detailer.

Chemical Guys VRP on Amazon

• Showroom-Ready Shine & Defense: VRP breathes new life into vinyl, rubber, and plastic with a deep, high-gloss black finish—while guarding against scorching heat, UV rays, and severe weather 
• Fade Reversal & Crack Prevention: Conditions and rejuvenates surfaces to restore rich color and help stop cracking, peeling, and premature aging 
• Clean, Water-Based Formula: Delivers a wet-look sheen on interior and exterior trim, plastic, rubber, and tires—no greasy residue or sling 
• Fast-Dry, Dust-Repellent Finish: Absorbs instantly to leave surfaces smooth and non-sticky, actively repelling dust, dirt, and road grime Instant, 
• Effortless Application: Just wipe on and buff off for a deep-black, factory-fresh look on tires, dashboards, door panels, bumpers, and more

Adam's Graphene Dressing on Amazon

• Deep black satin finish that seals and protects your tires against water, dirt, and contaminants for a like-new look that lasts 
• Water-based, zero-sling formula that cures over time, making cleanup between applications a breeze—apply with a sponge or directly spray onto tire face and treads
• Cutting-edge graphene-oxide ceramic resins deliver curing-coat performance in a traditional tire dressing for enhanced durability and shine 
• Proudly made in the USA and backed by Adam’s 110 percent satisfaction guarantee—if you’re not thrilled, we’ll make it right

Water Based Dressings Don't Make Sense

When I first learned about water-based tire dressings, I assumed they’d be inferior and wash away at the first car wash. I figured “water-based” meant water-soluble—until a formulator showed me how they mirror latex paint technology.

Latex paint, though water-based, won’t wash off once it dries because it forms a tight, water-resistant film. This tire dressing works the same way: its finely tuned emulsion cures to resist water and endure for weeks.

Beyond tire shine, its versatility means I no longer need separate products for exterior vinyl trim or interior plastics. One formula tackles all those surfaces with lasting protection and gloss.

Best Tire Dressing Applicator

If you choose one of the water based tire dressings I recommend, you will also want one of these applicator sponges that I discovered from a completely different industry.

Most "professional" tire dressing applicators simply suck. I love this sponge as it is the best tire dressing applicator sponge I have ever used and I cut it in half so I get two for the price of one.

If you decide to get the Armor All extreme tire shine you can still use this applicator sponge, but the solvent based dressing of the Armor All product will likely turn this rock hard after the dressing dries on the sponge.

Solvent based tire dressings have always been a problem when it comes to applicator sponges in general.

Turtle Back Sponge Applicator on Amazon

• Two for the price of one!
• Variable edges allow you complete control when applying tire dressing

Darren's Tips: When I get this sponge in the mail, I immediately cut in half. When I use it (you can use it with any tire dressing of your choice) I get it completely wet and then wring out all excess water as tightly as I can.

I always apply the tire dressing directly to the face of the sponge (this prevents any over spray from getting onto my car) and then apply a nice coat to the tire sidewall. Once I am satisfied with the first layer of dressing I allow to dry.

If I want additional shine, I come back in and apply a second coat.

Armor All Extreme Tire Shine Summary

Before you go I want to add some additional pointers when dealing with any tire dressing specifically. A topic most people consider very trivial is actually worthy of some additional tips:

• Any time you spray tire digressing directly onto a tire sidewall, you WILL get unwanted over spray on your car
• Not all tires are created equal! Some tires simply have inferior rubber compositions and no tire dressing in the world can compensate for poor "material composition" of tires. This means if you are looking for extreme shine and you can't find a dressing that delivers on this, it might be due to your tires
• When I am going to dress my tires, I get the applicator sponge completely wet, then wring out as tightly as I can before I apply any dressing
  
• As a rule, I rinse out the sponge applicator after each use with basic tap water and then set the sponge to dry for next use
• It is important to clean your side walls prior to new applications of dressing (this goes for any and all tire dressings) I see way too many people who do not clean the side wall properly and then add more layers of dressing atop old layers of dressing. This will only make a big, greasy mess down the road. If you have excessive tire dressing build-up already, I recommend using acetone and a cloth to remove all the old dressings on your side wall. This allows you to begin fresh!

At this point you should not only be a much more informed car owner, but possibly come away with a different decision of tire dressings than when you first arrived here.

Regardless, I wish you much success in your detailing efforts!

Sincerely,

Darren Priest