How To Clean a Truck Bed Liner
After transporting gravely and sticky construction materials around all day, it’s only natural the bed of your dump truck would be a bit dirty. In fact, even those who have fitted their vehicle with quality bed liners might still find it could use a good cleaning. Regular washes are essential for keeping a truck operating as it should and reducing the frequency of repairs. As such, the last thing you want to do is let these materials wreak havoc on your equipment. So read this guide on how to clean a bed liner to improve your equipment’s overall performance.
SWEEP AWAY LOOSE DEBRIS
The first step in dump truck cleaning is to sweep away any dirt or loose materials that stuck around from the last delivery. This helps remove most of the dust prior to the rest of the cleaning process and prevents it from getting in your way. For larger-model vehicles, it’s recommended you use a tall-handled broom for a general sweeping. Don’t worry about getting all the smaller areas, as they’ll be covered in the next steps.
POWER WASH THE LINER
The next step in how to clean a bed liner is power washing it with clean water. This is how you’ll be able to reach all the small nooks and corners that you couldn’t get to with your broom. The power washing will remove any remaining debris and even help dislodge some materials still stuck to the bed itself. Getting rid of asphalt buildup is especially vital as this substance has the potential to hinder your dump truck liner’s effectiveness over time. If you know you’ll be transporting asphalt, you should always brush up on how to wash a bed liner properly.
FEEL FOR MATERIALS UNDER THE LINER
As form-fitting as your professionally installed dump truck bed liner may be, it’s still possible for materials to get stuck underneath it. When this happens, the liner begins to deteriorate at a faster rate, and it can form holes that trap additional debris. Therefore, it’s crucial that you also spend some time clearing out any substances that have gotten trapped between the liner itself and the dump truck bed. When cleaning your dump bed liner, you can remove trapped material by using a board, 2 feet by 6 feet, to lift the liner’s corners and washing the materials away with a garden hose. Don’t use a pressure washer for this step as it could actually push some of the debris farther back under the liner.
You can also do some preventative maintenance in between jobs as an additional part of your dump truck cleaning process. Should a bit of sticky asphalt find its way into the space near the tailgate, it’s recommended that you immediately scrape it a way with a putty knife. This way, it poses less of a risk to the liner.
FOLLOW UP WITH A RELEASING PRODUCT
While it isn’t required, you do have the option as well to apply a releasing product to your bed liner. These formulas help break up any clumps of material, namely asphalt, that remain stuck to the plastic after all your previous cleaning efforts. If you do choose to do this, make sure the product you use is approved by your company. Using unauthorized solutions can dry out the liner material and make it more susceptible to cracking and damage. To learn more about how to clean a bed liner, get in touch with us today.