6 Pressure Washing Tips For Commercial Fleets |
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Tim Witherspoon
April 8, 2014
Fleet pressure washing is the most effective way to keep company vehicles clean. Pressure cleaning is quick, powerful and, as long as you partner with an environmentally friendly pressure washing service, healthy for the planet. (Earth-friendly pressure washing for trucks and cars requires workers to retrieve and store water runoff before it can harm local watersheds. They also use only green cleaning solutions.
The following steps will lead you to superb fleet pressure washing results - or, if you're thinking of hiring a pressure washing service, these tips can be quality guidelines.
Pressure Washing for Trucks 101
Pressure washing for trucks and tractor-trailers necessitates a washer that can deliver at least 2000 psi of pressure. Steps include:
1. Very filthy areas should be presoaked. To remove heavy dirt and oil, presoak parts in a degreasing mixture. Generally, the underbody and area under the hood pick up the nastiest road grime, so be sure you presoak these areas.
2. Start with rinsing everything. A rinse down of the entire van or truck will remove lots of dust, as a pressure washing service technician could tell you.
3. Spray soap, rinse with water, and work in sections. Providers of pressure washing for trucks suggest staking out and tackling different sections. This approach allows you to track which areas have been washed. After applying soap, let each section sit for about five minutes. Don't let the vehicle's surface dry completely during this time, as drying soap causes streaking. In general, your washing should work from top to bottom. Once each section is clean, rinse it with plenty of clean water.
4. Choose an environmentally friendly pressure washing solution. Specially formulated pressure cleaning chemicals can facilitate and speed fleet pressure washing. However, if you're an earth lover you should know that some pressure washing chemicals can damage local watersheds after sweeping into the river via street drains. Therefore, it's important to choose green pressure washing solutions.
5. Practice proper wastewater management. Likewise, when conducting pressure washing for trucks and other company vehicles, it's important to remember that many road chemicals are highly hazardous for nearby water sources. It's best to avoid contaminating water altogether. Capturing water runoff is the best way to do this. (Don't have the vacuuming equipment to suck up waste sludge? Time to hire a professional, green pressure washing service.)
6. Visit a professional washing service. In the end, pressure washing for company vehicles isn't easy. It's nearly impossible to thoroughly clean a semi-truck without highly specialized equipment. Furthermore, if you use the wrong pressure settings, you can cause permanent damage. Finally, fleet pressure washing is time consuming and physically exhausting. Most of the time, a pressure washing service can cut your costs and deliver superior results in less time. Wash bays are an excellent pressure washing solution for those who like to keep the rubber to the road as much as possible. Wash bays are akin to drive-through car washes for enormous tractor-trailers.
Clean company vehicles encourage a positive brand image. Furthermore, cleaner trucks are also safer on the road, since clean vehicles reflect light more effectively. With more light reflected, other drivers will be able to spot your fleet and fewer accidents will occur. Finally, clean automobiles are easier on your maintenance budget, since layers of oil, dust, soot and dirt generally gunk up engine parts.