Tractor Washing At Home - Tips?

My son has been driving for Marten Transport for a month now and enjoying it. Much better than the prior seven months at CRE. Better communication, better trips, better pay, detention pay, breakdown pay, etc. He is driving a dedicated regional route, 12 days on and 2 days off. He came home yesterday and will go back out tomorrow. He used an old brush I had around for washing RVs to wash down his truck today. Took lots of scrubbing to get off bugs, etc. and there are lots of choices for different products. I also have a pressure washer, not sure if that would be of any help. I told my son I'd ask here to see if anyone here had tips on what works well for you. Foam sprayer? Zep Professional Truck and Trailer wash? (alkaline and strips wax but reviews look good) Brush with flow through water ability or not?

(As I mentioned previously, for reasons I don't know, my son doesn't participate in forums, Facebook, etc. so I am posting for him. )

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Quite a few companies have accounts with Blue Beacon and some limit company paid washes to once or twice a month. Some companies have a wash bay at their yards that you can use.

After taking 5 hrs to wash out my trailer after a nursery load, I won't clean the company's truck/trailer on my time/my dime. Have your son experiment with different things to see what works.

Be sure and look around town. I've lived 3 blocks from a car wash with a bay big enough for a tractor in tow seprate places I've lived. Much easier than keeping things on hand. And I agree.... Let the company pay someone else to wash it.

Most of the times I washed a company truck it was because it was raining on my way home. But I don't like my dirty tractor sitting in my driveway. In that case I'll wash it.

I’m lucky enough to be able to wash my truck everyday and have supplies given to me. I use the zep you mentioned. I think it works great. A garden hose, and a brush with the finest material I could find. Some brushes are too coarse and will tear up the paint if you’re not careful. I typically start with a rinse. Scrub it. Rinse it off. The brushes with flow through don’t work well.

The Zep is a very good product but as mentioned, it’s strong and will eventually be hard on paint and polished bits. Dawn will clean anything but you need to rinse well or it will leave streaks. Follow that up once dry with a good wax and it’ll make follow up cleaning much easier. I’m a big fan of Ardex brand Flint wax in the paste version or Mother’s California gold.

Thank you for all the feedback, everyone.

Laura, with two days off our son has enough time. He doesn't have friends locally, no girlfriend, etc. and it seems that he is pushing hard on the road most of the time to try to squeeze in a truck wash. There is a Blue Beacon not far from our home that he passes by on his way home but he's more interested in getting home and just showering and resting.

I'll tell him to try Dawn but also get some Zep for him if he thinks it needs something stronger. He needs a longer brush than I have now but will look for something softer. I did see a review of one that someone complained scratched their paint and will filter reviews for that sort of feedback.

Robert, I am curious how you are able to wax a truck that is so tall. Seems you'd need scaffolding. I do have a hydraulic lift but don't think it would be very helpful since the basket is pretty small and only made for standing up.

Thank you for all the feedback, everyone.

Laura, with two days off our son has enough time. He doesn't have friends locally, no girlfriend, etc. and it seems that he is pushing hard on the road most of the time to try to squeeze in a truck wash. There is a Blue Beacon not far from our home that he passes by on his way home but he's more interested in getting home and just showering and resting.

I'll tell him to try Dawn but also get some Zep for him if he thinks it needs something stronger. He needs a longer brush than I have now but will look for something softer. I did see a review of one that someone complained scratched their paint and will filter reviews for that sort of feedback.

Robert, I am curious how you are able to wax a truck that is so tall. Seems you'd need scaffolding. I do have a hydraulic lift but don't think it would be very helpful since the basket is pretty small and only made for standing up.

A small kitchen style step ladder will get you up to the top of the doors. You won’t be able to do the full condo without a scaffold or rolling stairs but at least you can get to the majority of the body. The wax will also help make getting bugs and road tar off much easier.