Top 5 Spring Tips For Cleaning Your Truck

By spring your truck has been taking you through snow, slush, sleet, salt and freezing temperatures for months. That takes a toll on your tires, wiper blades, braking system, engine, undercarriage and the entire exterior and interior of your truck. To ensure your truck looks great and delivers optimal performance, have it cleaned and serviced thoroughly to remove the dirt, debris and damage that the colder months has dished out. Here are the top 5 cleaning tips for cleaning your truck and making it look, feel and function as good as possible in the spring.

1. Wash The Underbody

Driving your truck through the rain, snow, sleet, muck and mire leave its undercarriage coated with caked on salt, sand, grease and grime. Those elements can cause rust and corrosion to damage all the places these damaging liquids have splashed. Power washing your truck's undercarriage is a wise investment that can help to prevent unnecessary deterioration of your truck.

2. Clean Off The Engine

Lots of dust, dirt, mud, debris and many other things splash up off the road and into the engine compartment. Pop the hood and use some soapy water and a soft mitt to wipe the dirt, mud and other destructive substances off the engine. Clean off any residue on your battery with a toothbrush dipped in baking soda and water. This makes starting easier and eliminates potential problems. Steam cleaning the entire engine compartment is also a good idea.

3. Clean Inside And Out

Salt, sand, mud and chemical soup splashes up from the roadway and can dull and damage your truck's paint job, the bottom of the doors and window channels. Slogging through the muck and mire and getting into your truck can transfer dirt, grime and destructive chemicals to your mats, door panels and upholstery. All those areas should be steam cleaned thoroughly and scrubbed. Plus, consider applying a silicone spray to lubricate the doors, windows and other surfaces and repel dirt.

4. Check, Clean And Rotate The Tires

Winter driving takes a toll on your wheels and tires. As part of spring truck cleaning, have your tire pressure, thread wear and wheel alignment checked. Make sure your tires are wearing evenly and there's still lots of tread for safely driving on wet roads in rainy spring weather. Plus, driving on tires that are properly inflated can save money, make sure your tires continue to grab the road and wear evenly and even improve your truck's handling and braking.

5. Check And Change Your Fluids

Winter driving can dirty and deplete some fluids more quickly. As part of your truck's spring cleaning, refill your windshield wiper fluid and check, top off or change your motor oil, brake and transmission fluids. It's also a good idea to replace your wiper blades as well.

Improved Appearance And Performance

Taking some time and money to do a little spring cleaning on your truck can pay you big dividends. It can improve your truck's appearance, safety, longevity and performance.