Thursday, 3 April 2014

How To: Spring Cleaning Your Truck

Happy Spring Trucking Nation! It was a long Winter and finally temperatures are starting to rise. Now is the perfect time to Spring Clean your truck and get it ready for warmer seasons. CDLLife has 10 great tips to detailing your truck to make it shine:

1. Start with Compressed Air.
The first step is to fire up an air compressor and blow all the dirt that is hidden in all the nooks and crannies of your truck onto the carpets. This way they are now out of the open where it is easy to vacuum instead of hidden in hard to reach areas.

2. Use Stiff Scrub Brushes on your carpets.
Stiff brushes loosen up dirt from the carpets and upholstery. If you have leather seats use conditioner with aloe to clean.

3. For a new car smell - Clean Your Ducts.
While you have the compressor out use it to blow dust and dirt out of the heating and A/C duct-work. You should aim the compressor at the wall of the ducts behind the vent grilles, where dust and dirt stick and cause musty smells.

4. Use Non-Acid based cleaner on your tires.
Acid-based cleaners can cause wheels to oxidize and pit. Also try a degreaser on your wheels, but avoid detergents because they can damage paint if it splashes. Wheels and tires should be cleaned before you clean and protect your truck's paint.

5. Nothing like an old-fashioned Hand Wash.
Hand washing your truck allows you to familiarize yourself with your truck's entire surface. Just don't be like most people and use dish washing detergent to clean your rig. It will definitely get it clean, but it also strips away protective wax coatings. Exposing the truck to nicks and scratches. A car wash solution is worth the money to preserve the finish. Make sure you dry it after you are finished washing because water will leave dirt and minerals on your truck once it evaporates. Ideally dry with a rubber-blade squeegee. This way you won't scratch the paint. Also, don't forget to start at the top. It seems simple, but many of us like to start at the bottom or eye level. Start at the top so you don't catch streaks running down your truck.

6. Use Paint Cleaners.
Sometimes washing your truck isn't enough. Bird-dropping, dead bugs, and pollutants settle on the paint and can saturate through the wax and clear coatings into the color coat underneath. If you run your hand accrss the surface of your truck and it feels rough and scratchy then go grab some paint cleaner. Paint cleaner removes wax and unwanted environmental chemicals. Cleaners can also remove small scratches from your truck as well.

7. Polish to smooth out paint
 Polish your truck to smooth the surface of the paint. This will really bring out the shine and give it that new truck look. If you can get your hands on an oscillating buffer that is a great tool for this.

8. Protect your truck with Wax.
 Wax will wear off over time, but in that time it will absorb stains and small scratches before it reaches the paint. It may be good idea to wax your truck on a regular basis, maybe every season, that way you're keeping your paint protected as much as possible.

9. Wash and Wax your Windows Last.
Clean the glass last because it will have grime and dirt form your previous steps. Try to avoid using cleaner that contain ammonia because it can be bad for upholstery if it spills on it. Waxing windows is a good call too, especially if you are picking up a lot of dust on the road. Dust won't stick to your windows as easily with wax covering them.

10. Roll Down your windows to clean.
This way you are hitting every spot. If you clean them while the windows are up you aren't getting the full window. Make sure you get those top edges. You've cleaned your whole truck, why skimp out now.

With these top tips from CDLLife you can get your truck to shine like it just came from the factory. Make sure to give the inside of the cab a good scrub over too. Have fun!