Custom wheels for your car, truck, SUV or van can look great for years—that is, if you take care of them. Here, you'll find some tips to help you store your custom wheels and tires when they're not on your vehicle.

Find a Place to Store Them

The first thing to do is to find an area large enough to store the wheels and tires. You will be able to stack them on top of each other, but that will still take up a fairly substantial amount of space. Where you store the wheels and tires needs to be cool, dry and out of direct sunlight. If you don't have anywhere around your home to store them, consider leasing a small storage unit. Chances are, the wheels and tires aren't the only things you're struggling to find the space for; you might as well get it all out now while you're thinking of it.

Clean and Treat the Wheels and Tires

The cleaner you get the wheels and tires before you store them, the better they'll look when you retrieve them. Use wheel and tire cleaning products to get all of the dirt, grime and brake dust off of the wheels. Don't forget to clean the back-side of the wheel as well as the front.

After you get the wheels and tires clean, apply tire-care products to the tires. Read the label, though; some products aren't meant to be used before the tires are put into storage for months. The wrong products may lead to dry-rot issues.

Store the Wheels and Tires

Now, everything is clean, dry and polished, it's time to put them away. Don't lay the first wheel and tire directly on the ground. Use a sheet of wood or a wooden pallet to keep the tires off of the concrete. The pallet will allow air to continue moving around the wheels and tires and protect the condition a bit better.

The tires can be stacked on top of each other, but it's still best to separate each one with a sheet of wood or thick cardboard. This will help to lessen the likelihood of impressions in the tires toward the bottom of the pile.

You can keep your custom wheels and tires looking great; just remove them during the bad-weather months and store them until the storms have passed. Contact custom wheel providers to learn more about other common maintenance practices.