Washing our truck?

[jjoerger]

We usually get our truck washed at one of the big name places, but have been unhappy with the quality we have been getting lately.
Since we are at home in sunny Florida we decided to buy a long pole and brush and do it ourselves this time.
Does anyone have any advice on a detergent that will cut through the road dirt and grime? Particulaly on the rear doors.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[chefdennis]

A friend of mine hass a small business goinng to car lots and washing their inventory...he gave me the stuff he uses, its call Monter HD by H2O products....It works good, but i can;t honestly say its better then some of the stuff i have bought at Autozone from Mothers....

One thing other in the grime cutting ability is getting something that as a "rinsing agent' in it....sure makes wiping the truck off easier,,,,

 

[Turtle]

I don't have any specific recommendation, but this place will certainly give you some ideas. I order from them alot.
Sparkle Auto detailing products aftermarket accessories car cleaning product enhancers

 

[ATeam]

Some truck washes have displays of truck wash products. Keep an eye out for them and check out the brands on line.

I have seen a line of commercial truck wash products on display at some Granger stores too. NAPA may also have information to offer you.

Generally, when you get into an area where chrome is sold and truck polishing is offered, the products can be found.

Not for washing but for polishing, check out the Zepher line of products.

Like you, Diane and I are thinking about washing our truck ourselves when we stay at our Florida vacation home. In January, I'd prefer to wash the truck in Florida than drive it in Montana.

Please share what you learn about truck detergents and degreasers.

As it happens, Diane and I will be parked near a Grainger store tomorrow morning. I'll see what they can tell us about truck wash products.

 

[greg334]

If I am in Florida and not at my vacation villa in Miami Beach, I take my truck to an RV self serve wash and clean it myself. the $15 I spend is worth it.

 

[bubblehead]

If I am in Florida and not at my vacation villa in Miami Beach, I take my truck to an RV self serve wash and clean it myself. the $15 I spend is worth it.

I thought I saw you at South Beach the first of the month...did you sell your vacation yacht in Ft Pierce? Do you still have a slip at the Pelican Yacht Club?...If so I would be interested in making a deal...been on the waiting list for 2 years now Anyways the same stuff you buy at Marine west is great for trucks too.

 

[Desperado]

dawn dish soap works the same as those Fancy stuff

 

[greg334]

I thought I saw you at South Beach the first of the month...did you sell your vacation yacht in Ft Pierce? Do you still have a slip at the Pelican Yacht Club?...If so I would be interested in making a deal...been on the waiting list for 2 years now Anyways the same stuff you buy at Marine west is great for trucks too.

Yep got rid of the Grand Banks last year when we saw some greek guy with the same design, my wife was soooo embarrassed. Could not tolerate having it tied up in the slip with another one across the bay. Picked up a 64' Constellation that Bing Crosby had built in '56 and was refitted a few years back with modern 'stuff', nothing can duplicate real wood if you know what I mean? AND the slip, well not ready yet.

 

[highway star]

dawn dish soap works the same as those Fancy stuff

That's my soap of choice as well.

 

[ATeam]

The Grainger store I visited today did not have the cleaning products display I remember seeing once before. The clerk recommended out of the catalog a truck wash product made by Zep.

I did see a degreaser product in the store that is available in quantity and suitable for engine cleaning. It is made by CRC. Use a pressure spray bottle to apply a diluted mix and rinse with a pressure washer or garden hose.

 

[jrcarroll]

I use HD degreaser, can be found @ most lowes, wally worlds and home depot's
Cleans every thing off road grime, fuel off windows, road tar, florida 'luv bugs', etc.

 

[ATeam]

I use HD degreaser, can be found @ most lowes, wally worlds and home depot's
Cleans every thing off road grime, fuel off windows, road tar, florida 'luv bugs', etc.

Thanks for the product tip, but I have to ask, how does it come to be that you have to clean fuel off windows?

 

[guido4475]

That's my soap of choice as well.

Yes, Dawn and Joy or any dishwashing soap does work well to wash a vehicle with, however,will also strip the wax off of the vehicle as well.I use Turtle Wax car wash and Meguires products to keep my van shiny.I hand wash when ever possible.

 

[guido4475]

Thanks for the product tip, but I have to ask, how does it come to be that you have to clean fuel off windows?

Most likely the fuel gets on the windows from those not so considerate drivers who use the fuel island provided squeegee/sponge to wash the spilled fuel off of their fuel tanks.I carry a spray bottle of dawn and water diluted and spray on the windows prior to scrubbing them with the foam side of the squeegee, it removes the road film alot easier and better.

 

[jjoerger]

I used Palmolive. It worked well.
The scrub brush and pole I bought worked well too. But the scrub brush was a little to soft for serious scrubbing. I bought the slightly curved one and it was easy to get into some of the hard to reach areas. I used a hard bristle brush I already had and undiluted Palmolive to get the really tought stuff off.
I did not have much to degrease but was told by a neighbor that Simple Green works very well.
Goo Gone Extreme worked great for removing placard adhesive.
The truck is now cleaner than any truck wash has ever gotten it.
We plan to wax the tractor tomorrow. That should be fun.

 

[ATeam]

The truck is now cleaner than any truck wash has ever gotten it.
We plan to wax the tractor tomorrow. That should be fun.

I envy the quality time you are spending with your truck. Not everyone understands how peaceful, contemplative and satisfying that experience can be. Wax on...wax off.

 

[bluejaybee]

I did not have much to degrease but was told by a neighbor that Simple Green works very well.

Be careful with Simple Green and your paint. I used it to clean greasy spots like on the hood handle (which is dead center of the hood) and around door handles. I would wipe and rinse it right off, but after about 6 months, those places faded out pretty bad. Wax would hide them, but wax wore off of them quicker.

 

[milpig]

Be careful with Simple Green and your paint. I used it to clean greasy spots like on the hood handle (which is dead center of the hood) and around door handles. I would wipe and rinse it right off, but after about 6 months, those places faded out pretty bad. Wax would hide them, but wax wore off of them quicker.

The secret to simple green is to properly dilute it. The spray bottles don't really cover it but the label on the gallon gives good instructions. Full strength it is only really an engine degreaser. Mixed properly it is safe. It is all we used (other than windex for Windows and a rinse agent) when I used to work at a detail shop. Just diluted differently for different applications.

 

[ebsprintin]

We weren't allowed to use simple green on aircraft because it is corrosive. It gets into places and can't be rinsed out. It is hard on hydraulic and pneumatic seals.

eb

 

[milpig]

We weren't allowed to use simple green on aircraft because it is corrosive. It gets into places and can't be rinsed out. It is hard on hydraulic and pneumatic seals.

eb

That may be enough to change my opinion of simple green.