If you care about your vehicle’s performance and safety, then how and where you store your tires during the cold months is just as important as how you drive.
Tires are carefully engineered components that can wear down, crack, or even fail prematurely if neglected in storage.
This post walks you through six essential tips for storing your tires the right way when temperatures drop. These tips apply whether your tires stay mounted on the vehicle or you are putting away a full set in the garage.
We will cover winter, all-season, and performance tires, with practical advice for protecting their lifespan and condition.
1. Clean, Inspect, and Label Your Tires Before Storing Them
Start by washing them with warm water and mild soap. Brake dust, road grime, salt, and even mud can cling to the surface and cause premature aging if not removed.
Pay attention to both the treads and the sidewalls. After washing, dry each tire completely to prevent trapped moisture from corroding the wheels or rubber.
While the tires are clean and dry, inspect them thoroughly. Look for uneven tread wear, small punctures, or cracks along the sidewall. Spotting these now gives you time to address them before spring.
Lastly, mark each tire with its previous location—front-left, rear-right, and so on. Use chalk or masking tape and a marker. This makes it easier to rotate tires for even wear when you put them back on.
2. If You Can, Take the Tires Off the Vehicle
Leaving tires mounted on a parked car through the winter may sound harmless, but it is far from ideal.
When a car sits for long periods, the weight of the vehicle compresses the part of the tire touching the ground. Over time, this creates flat spots that ruin the tire’s shape and balance.
If you have winter tires on the car, store your all-seasons separately. If your car is not going to move all winter, consider using jack stands to take the weight off the tires.
If that is not possible, at the very least, move the car slightly every few weeks to shift the pressure to a new contact patch.
Pro tip: Performance tires are especially vulnerable to flat-spotting in cold weather. If you drive a car with summer or ultra-high-performance tires, take them off the car and store them indoors.
3. Store Tires in a Cool, Dry, and Indoor Location
Where you store your tires matters more than most people think. Rubber is sensitive to temperature, humidity, light, and ozone.
That means you want to avoid garages with extreme heat or cold swings, damp basements, and anywhere near appliances like furnaces or electric motors.
Ideal storage spaces are:
- A dry basement or interior closet
- A temperature-stable garage
- A climate-controlled storage unit
Never store tires in direct sunlight or near windows. Ultraviolet light degrades rubber, making it more brittle over time.
Also, keep them away from ozone sources like generators or compressors—ozone causes fine cracks in the sidewalls that can be hard to detect until it is too late.
If you must store tires outdoors temporarily, keep them off the ground on wood planks or pallets, cover them with a tarp, and make sure there is ventilation so moisture does not build up.
Did you know? Even parking on concrete can accelerate rubber breakdown. Always use a rubber mat or cardboard barrier between the tire and the floor.
4. Stack, Stand, or Hang: Do It Right Based on Tire Type
How you position your tires during storage depends on whether they are mounted on wheels or not.
If the tires are mounted on wheels:
- Store them stacked horizontally—one on top of another
- You can also hang them on tire hooks
- Do not store them standing upright for long periods
If the tires are unmounted (off the rims):
- Store them standing upright, side by side
- Rotate their position monthly to avoid flat-spotting
- Do not stack them or hang them
Regardless of how you store them, try to wrap each tire in an opaque plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal it tightly. This protects the rubber from moisture, ozone, and airborne contaminants.
Why this works: Rubber is like skin—it breathes and dries out. Protecting it from air and UV slows that aging process dramatically.
5. Check and Maintain Tire Pressure—Even in Storage
If you are storing tires on your vehicle, tire pressure still matters. Cold air causes pressure to drop (roughly 1–2 PSI per 10°F), and underinflated tires lose their shape more easily. Low pressure also makes sidewalls more vulnerable to cracking over time.
If the tires are stored off the vehicle, check them when you first bag them and again before reinstalling. Do not inflate unmounted tires to full pressure during storage. But do note their condition and shape—especially if you have high-performance or specialty tires.
Also, make a habit of inspecting stored tires once a month. Check for:
- New cracks
- Changes in texture
- Loss of flexibility
If a tire sidewall looks faded, brittle, or develops any bulges, it is likely compromised and should be replaced before reuse.
Bonus tip: Before you reinstall any set of stored tires, have them balanced and aligned by a tire technician. It is a small cost that can prevent wobbling, uneven wear, and poor handling.
6. Know How Different Tire Types Handle Storage
Not all tires react the same way to long-term storage—especially in winter. Understanding how your specific tire type responds to temperature and storage conditions helps you tailor your approach.
Winter Tires: These are built to remain pliable in freezing weather. If you are taking them off for the summer, follow all the above steps and store them indoors. Do not use them on hot pavement—they will wear down faster.
All-Season Tires: These are often used year-round but may still be swapped out if you use dedicated winter tires. Store them clean, dry, upright (if unmounted), and indoors if possible.
Performance or Summer Tires: These are not designed for freezing temperatures. The rubber becomes stiff and brittle below 45°F. Store them in a warm indoor space—never leave them in a cold garage. Even brief exposure to freezing temps can cause surface cracks or make them unsafe to use next season.
Key reminder: Rubber ages whether it is used or not. Most tire manufacturers recommend replacing any tire older than six years—even if it looks fine. Check the DOT code on the sidewall to find your tire’s manufacturing date.
Final Thoughts
Your tires connect your vehicle to the road, and their condition plays a big role in your safety, fuel economy, and ride quality.
Storing tires properly during cold months is not just about saving money—it is about driving with peace of mind when you mount them again.
Taking the time to clean, label, protect, and store your tires the right way can add thousands of miles to their lifespan. It also helps you catch small problems before they become dangerous ones.