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Are you wondering what is the best way to pressure wash your truck?
Whether you are washing your personal half-tonne or your semi, pressure washers are ideal for blasting away dirt, mud, bugs, and other road grime.
If you have never used a pressure washer, it’s important to understand how they work and how to use them. Check out our guide on how you can pressure wash your truck like a pro!
How Does a Pressure Washer Work?
A pressure washer is basically just a water pump that is powered by an electric motor. It takes water from a faucet and accelerates it to high pressure through a hose and trigger gun.
There are five main parts inside a pressure washer:
The water inlet is a hose that connects the pressure washer to the water supply. Inlets usually have a filter to stop dirt and debris from getting into the pressure washer and clogging it up.
A pressure washer can be either electric or gas-powered. Most smaller washers run off an electrical supply but larger models often require gas engines. Gas engines are also great if you are working in an area where there is no electricity supply.
At the heart of the pressure washer, the water pump is driven by the motor that sucks water in from the faucet and pushes it through the high-pressure hose.
The high-pressure hose is the tube that runs from the pressure washer to whatever attachment you are using. This hose is reinforced with wire mesh and high-density plastic to accommodate the high flow of water.
Lastly, a pressure washer requires a cleaning attachment that can switch between a trigger gun to a spinning wand spray or rotating brush – it all depends on what you are cleaning!
What is the Best Pressure Washer for a Truck?
When choosing a pressure washer for your personal truck or fleet washing job, PSI is important. The PSI is a way of measuring pounds per square inch when it comes to water pressure.
For power washing a fleet, a PSI range of 1800-2200 is recommended with a GPM (Gallons Per Minute) of 5.5.
The GPM is used to measure the amount of water that is coming from the machine so having the correct number ensures that you will have enough water flow to accommodate the PSI.
Overall, water flow and pressure will help you clean your trucks quickly and efficiently.
If you are pressure washing your personal truck or car, a PSI of 1200-1800 is recommended.
Pressure Washing Your Truck Like a Pro: 3 Steps
1. Soap Up Your Truck
Apply the detergent from the bottom up to avoid having the soap streak the finish of your truck.
Hold the spray wand about 3 feet away from your truck and move closer as needed. Starting from further away and getting closer to your truck will help you avoid causing damage.
For tougher areas such as the wheel wells and areas caked with mud and dirt, you can move in within 6 inches of the vehicle.
You can also use a scrub brush attachment to thoroughly remove road grime.
2. Leave the Detergent on for 5 Minutes
Once your truck is soaped up and you have removed most of the grime, let the detergent sit for about 5 minutes.
This will help the detergent deep clean the surface. Just make sure you give it a few quick sprays to keep it wet.
3. Rinse the Detergent from the Top Down
Before you get to rinsing, make sure you disconnect the detergent from your pressure washer. Point the trigger away from your vehicle and squeeze it to flush any leftover soap out of the system.
Using the nozzle, stand about 3-4 feet back and spray your truck from the top down to avoid any steaking.
As you are rinsing, be careful around mirrors, light covers, bumper stickers, and other fragile components of your truck.
Cleaning Your Truck Beds and Trays
Your truck bed and tray are going to need a little power more to clean.
For these areas, you can switch to a 0-degree nozzle (also known as a jet nozzle) or a 15-degree nozzle – depending on how dirty these areas are.
How to Avoid Damage Using a Heavy Duty Pressure Washer
The power output of a pressure washer is pretty high and can be damaging to your truck if you are not careful.
As mentioned above, start about 3 feet back and move in closer to your truck as needed. This will allow you to control the amount of pressure hitting your truck while you are washing it.
If you are coming to a fragile area such as a mirror or bumper sticker, back away to avoid damage.
Quality Pressure Washing
As tempting as it is to do this on your own, sometimes contacting a professional who focuses on pressure washing will save you time and a headache. These companies understand how stressful and difficult it can be to wash a whole fleet and do the heavy lifting!
This is why we offer exceptional commercial pressure washing services at great rates! Contact us for more information!
