Truck washing is as easy as grabbing a sponge and a bucket, right?
Well, it can be if you don’t mind potentially damaging your vehicle!
Otherwise, it takes a certain degree of care when it comes to properly washing your truck. To ensure that you don’t damage your truck’s finish, it’s important to separate the fact from the fiction.
If you plan on washing your truck yourself instead of visiting a truck washout service, here are some myths that need to be busted:
Myth #1: You Need Strong Detergents to Cut Through Grease and Grime
Most commercial detergents contain abrasive chemicals that make it easy to clean dirt and debris from your truck. However, you don’t need a strong detergent to do a thorough job.
In fact, strong detergents can negatively affect your truck’s paint and speed up the oxidation process that leads to rust.
Lok for pH-balanced truck wash soaps. Combined with steam cleaning or pressure washing, these are more than enough.
Myth #2: You Can Use Any Old Soap to Wash Your Truck
So while you shouldn’t use harsh chemicals on your truck, you also can’t use any old soap – this includes dishwashing detergents.
Just because they promise to “fight grease” and “eliminate streaks”, they are formulated to strip surfaces. Therefore, using them on your truck could cause damage to the paint surface.
Again, stick to soaps that are specially designed for truck washing!
Myth #3: You Can Use Any Type of Cloth
While the type of soap you use is important, so is the material you use to wash your truck.
Stay away from materials that have a smooth surface such as flannel and cotton. They are unable to absorb fine particles and you’ll just end up rubbing dirt all over the surface of your truck.
Likewise, stay away from sponges that can drag grit and debris across your truck’s finish and cause damage to the paint.
Instead, use microfiber towels. Their deep surface creates a buffer zone that picks up dirt instead of grinding it into your paint finish.
Myth #4: You Don’t Need to Clean Your Air Vents
Washing a truck or commercial vehicle is not all about outward appearances. In fact, keeping your truck properly washed is an important part of its overall maintenance.
When you don’t regularly clean your vents, you are allowing germs and debris to circulate within the interior of your truck. This can lead to funky odors and poor air quality.
The best way to clean your air vents is with a steam cleaner – the heat will destroy any bacteria, germs, and viruses.
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Myth #5: You Also Don’t Need to Clean Your Engine
Again, a good truck wash isn’t all about the outside of your vehicle. Just because you can’t see your engine, you shouldn’t ignore cleaning it.
Cleaning your engine is another part of maintaining your vehicle. It also reduces the risk of engine fires and makes it easier to identify any fluid leaks.
So the next time you go to give your truck a good wash, show your engine some love!
Myth #6: Rain is a Good Enough Wash For Your Truck
Rainwater is actually not clean water because it contains minerals that can leave water spots on your truck. This is why it is recommended that you use distilled water for keeping your truck clean.
Plus, rain doesn’t fall upward from the ground so relying on Mother Nature to keep your truck spic and span isn’t going to help your undercarriage.
Overall, rain cannot replace washing your truck or seeking truck washing services. Not only is it not thorough enough but you don’t want to deal with issues caused by those minerals.
Myth #7: If Your Truck is Shiny Then Your Truck is Clean
You may think your truck is clean because it looks clean but dirt and debris can be easily undetectable.
To see if your truck truly is clean, give it a rub after you are finished washing it. You’ll be able to feel any leftover contaminants or grit.
A clean truck should feel like glass. If it doesn’t, you have a bit more scrubbing to do!
Myth #8: You Should Wait Until Your Truck is Really Dirty Before You Clean It
Oftentimes, truck drivers will put off cleaning their trucks until they are really dirty.
However, waiting until dirt and debris accumulate on your truck before washing it could cause damage to the paint finish.
It’s best to deal with bird droppings, dead bugs, and other road grime as soon as possible before it becomes a larger and more expensive problem.
Believe it or not quality commercial truck washers with affordable prices can be found. If you’re looking to give your truck or fleet of trucks a professional clean, reach out to your local service provider today for more information about their fleet washing services!
