A Guide To Cleaning Large Vehicles
Commercial vehicles, trucks, vans and lorries, regularly make long journeys, face tough weather conditions and carry important cargo - so they’re bound to be exposed to more dirt than regular cars. It’s essential that you clean them regularly to protect the bodywork of your vehicle, the goods you carry and spot any maintenance jobs that need doing before they become more costly issues.
The same applies to buses and coaches - and remember, first impressions matter - gleaming bodywork tells the passenger something about the operator.
With the size alone, deep cleaning your lorry can seem like a daunting task… but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a step-by-step guide to cleaning your lorry - and the tools you’ll need to get it looking fresh and clean for the New Year!
Cleaning the exterior
1. Wash and rinse
It’s best to start by giving your lorry a quick rinse with water. Be sure to pay close attention to the tyre wells, as they’re most likely to be dirtier than other parts of your vehicle. If you’ve been driving through particularly muddy areas, a pressure washer will get rid of any stubborn dirt and leave your tyres looking as good as new. Be sure to use a low-pressure setting to avoid damaging your vehicle’s exterior.
Once you’ve finished rinsing down your vehicle, wash your wings. Using a U-Care High Reach Flow Thru Brush brush allows you to clean those difficult to reach areas and its 10 inch scratch resistant brush head makes this brush ideal for cars, 4X4s, vans and also trucks and buses. prevent scratches.
2. Apply a detergent
Start by diluting the detergent based on the instructions provided - using too much detergent will make it difficult to rinse off, whereas using too little will fail to lift dirt from your lorry. If you’re looking for the perfect detergent to use, we recommend our exclusive range of Bettashine vehicle cleaning products - for both exterior (wheels and window cleaner) and interior use (carpet and multi-surface cleaner).
To avoid streaking, be sure to apply your detergent from bottom to top and allow it to sit on the surface of the vehicle for at least 30-45 seconds. After that, rinse again with a low-pressure hose.
3. Let it dry
Once you’ve washed away the detergent, it’s time to let your vehicle dry. We recommend using a Vikan Wipe-N-Shine water squeegee to dry your vehicle and prevent those streaky water marks, rather than letting your vehicle air dry. Similar to a windscreen wiper, the unique concave blade shape of the Vikan Wipe-N-Shine water squeegee makes it ideal for fast effective removal of water from vehicles after washing.
Now, for the inside…
Cleaning the interior
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to thoroughly clean the inside of your lorry. Proper hygiene and cleaning practices are critical - with more touch points than the exterior, it's important to keep the inside of your cab as hygienic as can be.
1. Declutter
Start by decluttering your vehicle. It’s easy to let waste build up when you’re on the road - remove any rubbish from your cab before you start cleaning your interior.
2. Wipe down panels and windows
After cleaning the exterior of your lorry, it’s essential that you make sure that all of the crevices in the door and inner panels are moisture-free. A high-quality microfibre cloth is ideal for removing any built up grime and soaking up any excess water.
Your windows are a hot spot for dirt and germs - Keep them clean and streak-free with Clear View Glass Cleaner. Use a trigger spray bottle to give sparkling smear free finish every time. Simply spray on and wipe off, preferably with microfibre cloth for a perfect finish.
3. Vacuum your interior
Once you’ve disposed of the larger pieces of rubbish from your lorry, you can get out your vacuum. First, remove any detachable pieces of your lorry’s interior (e.g. floormats). Be sure to vacuum them outside of your lorry.
You can then start vacuuming the main interior, starting with the headrests of your driver and passenger seats and making your way down. Our Black & Decker Dustbuster Cordless Vacuum is ideal for getting into all the nooks of your cab and is small and powerful enough to keep, and charge, in your vehicle.
4. Wipe down any surfaces
Remember to wipe down your dashboard and any other regular touchpoints (e.g. the wheel, seatbelts, gear stick) with anti-bacterial wipes, a sponge or microfibre cloth. For tougher stains, like oil or paint, our Wonder Wipes are perfect for both your vehicle and your hands.Everbuild Wonder Wipes now contain a powerful Anti-Bacterial Additive that is tested by an independent laboratory to the standards for killing bacteria on dirty surfaces and hands.
Your vehicle should now be looking as good as new! Plus… you’ve avoided having to pay for a professional clean!
Feeling inspired? Check out our range of cleaning products here. If you have any questions about caring for your vehicle, don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling us at 01728 745700 or drop us an email at sales@parmagroup.co.uk.