An automatic car wash is fast and convenient, and this is ideal for truck owners who do not have the time to wash their vehicles by hand. If your truck has a tonneau cover, it’s natural to wonder whether or not an automatic car wash will damage it, and the reality is that there is no definitive answer to this question, so you have to follow certain guidelines to help prevent damage to your tonneau.
If you are going to go through a car wash that uses spinning brushes, it is recommended that you remove your tonneau cover because a rolling brush can damage the top of the cover through abrasion. It’s also possible for the side brushes to hit your tonneau cover’s rails hard enough to dislodge the clamps that hold it in place, and you would have to reinstall the rail or deal with a completely damaged cover. Your tonneau cover may be completely fine after going through a car wash, but the risk is always there.
A touch-free car wash is ideal if you really want to take your tonneau cover through a wash because this option will clean your vehicle with water and chemicals through the use of sensors, which will gauge your vehicle’s size and contour. Brushes and cloths are not part of the process, so nothing but pressurized liquids will hit your tonneau cover. The only thing you have to confirm is that the touch-free car wash does not have a wax cycle because this is something you have to avoid. This can leave a film or haze on your tonneau cover’s surface, so if there is a wax cycle, you should remove your truck bed cover before going through the car wash. You can always wash your tonneau cover by hand after the automatic wash.
The reality is that hand washing is the best option, and this is what most professionals recommend. This will help prevent damage that is often caused by swirling particles of dirt and sand that are present in automatic washes.
If you choose to take your truck through the car wash with your tonneau, you have to make sure it is securely closed because it can repel water this way. If it is left open, it will not be able to do its job, and this is true even if it is just slightly open. Water and soap can get inside, and this can cause problems on the inside of your tonneau and can prevent it from working properly. Any cargo in your truck bed will also get completely soaked, so it’s important that you take the time to securely close it.
The experts at Cobra1 can provide you with more information regarding tonneau covers. If you’re looking at truck covers, we can help, so contact us today!