Interior Truck Cleaning
Article by Igor GavricToday, truck maintenance is of increasing concern to anyone who has a good fleet, and your job is not only to get there and back with whatever load your truck might be carrying, but also to do a proper and regular maintenance of the truck interior. Years ago it made little difference what kind of cleaners you were using, but that was before the days of ecology and health concerns we now have regarding the use of dangerous chemicals in our environment.
Most fleets tend to renew their fleet every few years, in order to be able to keep freight on schedule, and to supply you with a brand spankin’ new truck in order to have less breakdowns, more warranty coverage etc.
Keeping your truck clean has many benefits and will not only preserve it better from the elements, but it can also have a healthy affect on your mood and self perception. You can avoid expensive cleaning products and enjoy a well maintained truck by making use of ingredients you find around the house.
Now, I've seen that 90% of company drivers at the company I'm employed at, take care, clean up, and show care about the truck they are driving, because they understand it is their bread and butter. It is where drivers work, sleep, eat, watch TV, chill on the laptop, etc. Most fleets do pretty good about not bugging you about the trucks and their shape, but now and again, they would like to offer a little reminder to a few of you regarding the cleanliness.
Unfortunately, a great number of truckers I know, buy dangerous cleaning products to clean and fight odors, germs, stains and to keep truck interior sparkling clean. Cleaning is supposed to be about maintaining a healthy environment, yet some common cleaning products contain chemicals that can harm human health and the environment. Since North American manufacturers have no requirement for ingredients to be listed on the label in a consistent format or to warn you about the health and environmental hazards associated with chronic, or long-term, exposure to chemical ingredients in regular cleaning products, and HHW (Household Hazardous) symbols can be found on the packages of most of them, do yourself a favor and avoid using products with dangerous chemicals as much as possible in order to protect your health and environment.
Here are a few things I came up with in order to help you keep things in check, which I used to do.
Flying hooks, pilots, other travel centers will give you bags with every purchase. I used to take them to my truck and have them in a compartment ready to take place on the floor, hooked around the passenger side seatbelt buckle. We generate garbage, whether you drink water bottles, soda bottles, eat candy, chips, other foods. This garbage creates an aroma in the air that may not be desirable. Instead of waiting for this garbage to fill up, I used to pitch a bag out into a garbage bin at the truck stop or rest area every night before sleep. She gone, and with it, the smell. It only take a couple of minutes to go through your rig and clean out the cup holders and other places you may have stuffed a wrapper etc.
Keep interior wipes (I had a bottle of Mother's interior cleaner and micro-fiber rag), and just quickly wipe the dash and other surfaces when I was waiting at the customer and wasn't tired, or to just move around. It's a great way to stretch without needing to explain yourself why to other bearded manly men that are looking at you from across the lot (like who the ‘eff’ is that guy exercising, he's a truck driver, act like it). It may only take you a couple of minutes, and you may only need one wipe. Beats going through 27 rags trying to clean up 3” of dust of the dash, and takes only a fraction of the time. Also, keeping the bacteria away will benefit your health.
Most people appreciate a good smelling truck, and not going to sleep in an ashtray. Being a smoker, who smoked a pack a day or more, how else am I going to keep my truck from smelling like an ashtray? Easy. When I smoked, I had both windows and the little vent open a little. It dragged the smoke out. I purchased an ashtray that closes, so it keeps the smell of butts out of the air, and I cleaned it out every time I pitched the garbage out. By cleaning out, I mean toss butts and give the tray a quick wipe. I avoided smoking in the bunk, because there is not much ventilation back there, and smoke tends to linger in the mattress, sheets and pillows much longer then in the plastic up front. Yes I know smoke travels, but if you're smoking in the front, the windows will tend to clear the smoke out better. And to be honest, to keep healthier (I know, redundant), I used to step outside and smoke when parked for the evening. Gave me a chance to stretch, and kept the air cleaner so I can sleep better.
I'm sure you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Benefits are all around. Keeping the truck clean doesn't just benefit the company vehicle's resale value, it benefits you, your health, can give you better rest, and possibly keep you from getting sick.