How to Wash the Exterior of Your Truck During Winter

Keep the salt the local road crews put on the road for de-icing off your truck in a couple of ways.  Either line up at the local car wash when the temperature allows or do the following:

1. Use shampoo or baby shampoo (the milder the better). Fill a medium size bucket halfway with warm water and use about one capful of shampoo.  Agitate (swish) the water to create suds.
2. Fill another bucket of warm water for rinsing. Remember; don’t add any soap to this bucket.
3. Make sure your truck is free of snow and ice. Use your hands or a brush to knock excess snow and ice from your truck.  Ice may be tough to remove so just leave what is really stuck.  You may have to use extra warm water to slowly melt it away.
4. Time to start washing. Dress warmly as you are in cool weather.  This isn’t bikini time!  The hand you are using to dip your washing mitt into the water should be gloveless.  Simply start on the upper portion of the cab on one side of your truck and systematically wash and rinse until the side is clean.  As it says on the shampoo bottle you just used, rinse and repeat!
5. Don’t forget to wash your wheels! They suffer the worst the road has to offer.

Some handy tips to remember:

• Don’t pick a day with below zero temperatures.  This can cause the water to freeze your doors shut or get into your keyholes and prevent you from using your keys.
• If you can, use a large towel to dry your car immediately after rinsing.  And… wash on a bright and sunny day.  This will help your car dry quickly and again, prevent your doors from freezing shut.

All of this becomes simpler if you have access to an outdoor water supply with warm and cold temperature control.

One last thing to note – while washing your truck on your own during the winter saves you money, spending the extra dollar or two to visit the car wash may be an investment worth making once in a while.  Getting the optional wax is a great way to protect against the salt and grime winter roads continually throw at your pickup truck.

Kay Why Dee – Author

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