Trucks present unique challenges when washing or detailing.
They’re often too large to reach every panel by hand. Because they’re the top choice as work vehicles, trucks are also typically very dirty. They’re designed to handle extreme conditions, which can do a number on their appearance.
Let us show you how to keep your truck looking showroom new!
Gather supplies
A full arsenal of brushes is important to be able to achieve the best results and reach every spot.
Wheel brushes come in all shapes, sizes, and materials to reach every corner while minimizing the risk of marring. A large cone brush is ideal for reaching the full inner barrel on a truck’s wheels. A lug brush will allow you to fully clean around the lug nuts.
In addition, you’ll need a tire brush and a longer brush to reach inside the wheel wells.
For a proper wash, you’ll want a large bucket to rinse your mitt or brush as you go. The Grit Guard insert and washboard will help to trap debris at the bottom of the bucket rather than clinging to your mitt or brush.
Additional equipment such as a foam gun for a pressure washer or garden hose can really up your wash game.
A specialty truck brush makes it much easier to reach the top of the truck and other difficult areas. We offer a soft tri-level brush, a five level nylon brush, and a noghair truck brush. Ensure you’re prepared with a drying towel to complete the wash process.
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Step by step
- Preparation
Before washing, you’ll want to assess the truck for any spots that need treatment. If there are any bugs, bird droppings, sap, or similar debris, those should be removed first.Attack insect remains with our Bug Remover and a bug scrubber pad.
- Cleaning the wheels, wheel wells, and tires
Rinse the wheels and wheel wells using a pressure washer.Apply a chemical such as Citrus Cleaner to the wheels and wheel wells. Allow the product to sit on the components briefly before scrubbing. Rinse everything down.
In some cases, there may be more stubborn brake dust ingrained in the wheels. Use Brake Up to attack these spots.
To thoroughly clean the tires, use our Tire and Whitewall Cleaner. Apply this product and scrub the rubber, working it into a foam. Rinse and reapply the cleaner until the foam no longer pulls up dirt. (When you see white bubbles you know there is no more dirt!)
Finish up by rinsing the tires, wheels, and wheel wells. Watch to learn more about cleaning tires.
- Scrub plastic trim
Clean any exterior plastics with Special Force. Wet, scrub, and rinse the gas cap area, door jambs, and any other trim. This product also works great for truck bed covers and plastic-lined truck beds.
- Shampoo and rinse
Start by rinsing the vehicle, then apply your car wash shampoo. Our Black Cherry Foaming Wash & Wax contains polymers that will add a nice shine to the paint. Use it with a foam gun for maximum suds. Work the soap in with a wash mitt or brush. Rinse your mitt or brush in a wash bucket as you move from panel to panel.Finally, rinse the truck from top to bottom. Towel dry to prevent the formation of water spots.
FAQs:
How long should detailing a truck take?
Giving your truck a thorough, top-to-bottom wash can take a couple of hours. Additional services such as polishing and protecting the paint or detailing the interior can add another couple of hours each, and potentially longer, depending on the condition of the vehicle.
Should you detail the truck bed?
The truck bed can take a real beating; fully cleaning and detailing it regularly can help it withstand the test of time. Truck beds come in a variety of materials, so make sure you’re using the best cleaning chemicals for your truck.
Why is washing a pickup truck or work truck important?
You may wonder why you should bother cleaning something that is bound to get dirty again. Detailing a vehicle has many benefits, and that’s true for work vehicles as well. Washing your truck with the proper tools and chemicals will preserve the integrity of the paint, plastics, and even the wheels so that you can get the most life out of it.