Set SearchView clear button color

Question

I am creating a searchview in the toolbar using onCreateOptionsMenu, but can't get the clear X button to initially be white. It becomes white when starting to type letters. It also stays white after clearing.

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu)
{
    MenuInflater menuInflater = getMenuInflater();
    menuInflater.inflate(R.menu.responsible_menu, menu);
    SearchManager searchManager = (SearchManager) getSystemService(Context.SEARCH_SERVICE);
    SearchView searchView = (SearchView) menu.findItem(R.id.menu_search).getActionView();
    searchView.setSearchableInfo(searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getComponentName())); //TODO: May not be needed?

    searchView.setOnQueryTextListener(new SearchView.OnQueryTextListener()
    {
        @Override
        public boolean onQueryTextSubmit(String query)
        {
            mAdapter.updateUIWithFilter(query);
            return false;
        }

        @Override
        public boolean onQueryTextChange(String newText)
        {
            mAdapter.updateUIWithFilter(newText);
            return false;
        }
    });

    // Does not work! Still not white.
    ImageView searchClose = (ImageView) searchView.findViewById(android.support.v7.appcompat.R.id.search_close_btn);
    searchClose.setColorFilter(Color.argb(255, 255, 255, 255));

    searchClose.setAlpha(255);

    return true;
}

responsible_menu.xml:

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
      xmlns:appcompat="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
      xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/tools">

    <item
        android:id="@+id/menu_search"
        android:title="@string/search"
        appcompat:actionViewClass="android.support.v7.widget.SearchView"
        appcompat:showAsAction="always"/>

</menu>

Answer 1

Found a solution. However, interested in better ones.

Downloaded the "clear button" image from https://www.google.com/design/icons/#ic_clear in 24pt white and added this code to the end of onCreateOptionsMenu

    // Does help!
    ImageView searchClose = (ImageView) searchView.findViewById(android.support.v7.appcompat.R.id.search_close_btn);
    searchClose.setImageResource(R.drawable.ic_clear_white_24dp);