Clean Tarps?

Do flatbed drivers ever clean their tarps?

Some folks do. The bigger trick is to find cleaner spots to roll them up in. They get washed off pretty good when it rains though so with winter now coming to a close, they'll look better than they did a couple months ago.

I'm cleaning my tarps right now. I'm parked at the Pilot in Shepherdsville, KY. My load is tarped and the rain is beating all the road grime off of them.

I have laid them out in a Blue Beacon bay and had them spray them down, but that was after using them on a load of Municipal trash out of Long Island, NY. They were stinking pretty bad, and I didn't think the next customer would appreciate their metal smelling like that.

Actually, you’re demonstrating “cleaning the tarps” in your avatar, Old School.

If I had the ability to wash my tarps, I would.

If I had the ability to wash my tarps, I would.

Have them spray them off next time you roll through a truck wash.

What is this "cleaning tarps" you speak of?

If I had the ability to wash my tarps, I would.

Have them spray them off next time you roll through a truck wash.

Do they charge extra for that? TMC pays for my washes, but they only cover basic tractor and trailer wash.

If they're covering a load and can get to them fairly easily, I wouldn't imagine they would charge much.

If they're covering a load and can get to them fairly easily, I wouldn't imagine they would charge much.

Then I would just have to hope they get rained on. TMC won't pay the extra, and I sure won't. That extra would add-up to quite a sum over the course of time.

TMC DOES ask in our new driver binder to clean them off at home, if possible, but since I don't have a home or access to a hose, then I simply can't without incurring the cost.