Industrial trucks are a diverse range of powered vehicles that come in many shapes and sizes. Consequently, industrial truck cleaning is never going to be a “one size fits all” detailing job. It can often be a complex, time-consuming task that involves specialized cleaning of different materials such as aluminum, steel, rubber, plastics and more. The truck hydraulics, other mechanisms and electrical parts require careful attention to remove dirt, road grime and contaminants. To get a better understanding of the specific detailing requirements for this task, it helps to identify the different types of trucks and what they are used for.
Industrial trucks, for example, are specifically forklifts or industrial lift trucks. People use these types of vehicles generally to transport, lift, or stack heavy equipment, materials and goods in warehouses and factories. Other types of trucks within the truck industry are typically referred to as commercial trucks. These are used for the transportation of goods, hazardous waste and so on. The size of the fleet also often determines whether truck owners clean their vehicles in-house or outsource the job to a professional truck detailing service.
What You Need to Know About Industrial Truck Cleaning
Industrial truck cleaning is a large-scale detailing job. Unless you are equipped with the correct cleaning tools, wash systems and appropriate cleaning agents, industrial truck cleaning is one of those jobs that is best left to the professionals. However, not all vehicle detailers specialize in cleaning trucks, so be mindful of the following:
Mobile Industrial Truck Detailing is an Option
You might think that it is more convenient and economical to clean your own truck instead of taking it to a detailer to use their commercial truck wash system. However, DIY truck detailing can be labor-intensive work and time-consuming. Therefore, if you want to hire a professional at a time and a place that is most convenient to you, look for a detailer that specializes in mobile truck fleet detailing.
Industrial Truck Detailing Tools and Equipment
Industrial trucks are considerably larger than your average car or van. Therefore, not all detailers are going to have the right equipment and tools that guarantee the most efficient cleaning service. This constraint also applies to doing the job in-house. You would need to invest in specific detailing equipment such as a power washer and a water recycling system (and know how to use them). To overcome this problem, seek out a professional detailing business that includes commercial truck cleaning on its list of services.
Health and Safety Requirements
Detailers should carry our the industrial truck detailing safely. The different types of vehicles are usually large and very heavy. Therefore, a reputable detailer will ensure that its detailing team has the right comprehensive training to help to prevent accidents in the workplace. This includes working at height on the taller trucks.
Familiarize yourself with the dos and don’ts of truck detailing before you choose your detailer. It is also helpful to read reviews or ask for recommendations to get an idea of the best person or team for the job. Assessing their experience and capability is important, see below.
Relevant Industrial Truck Cleaning Experience
There is much more to industrial truck cleaning than simply pointing a high-pressure cleaner at your vehicle. Furthermore, not every professional detailer is familiar with the ins and outs of industrial truck cleaning. For example, you need to use the correct cleaning agents on different materials that make up the truck, such as the following:
- Rubber tires and headlamp seals
- Plastic headlamp lenses
- Steel or aluminum cab exterior and front bumper
- Fiberglass or rubber fenders
- Polished stainless steel used for trim pieces such as grab handles, radiator grilles, and exterior mirror trims
As well as enquiring about experience, be sure to ask upfront about the truck detailing cost because this can vary greatly between detailers. If you have more than one vehicle enquire about professional detailing fleet services if you want to make industrial truck cleaning more cost-effective
Industrial Truck Cleaning Licenses and Permits
It is important to establish that a detailer is in compliance with the latest government and industry standards for industrial truck cleaning. Licenses and permits vary by state, so bear this in mind when you are hiring a detailer. For example, detailers using a pressure washer must adhere to strict regulations in compliance with the Clean Water Act of 1972. You cannot dispose wastewater containing pollutants into storm drains. You can easily check what licenses and permits small businesses need by visiting the SBA website.
Maintaining Environmental Standards
Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, industrial truck cleaning should not harm the environment. Responsible detailers will use organic truck detailing supplies to ensure a superior, greener clean. You can also seek out detailers who commit to conserving water. DetailXPerts truck washing and truck detailing services achieve excellent results by using steam cleaning technology. This environmentally friendly process uses 90% less water than traditional truck washing methods. Environmental standards will also take into consideration exactly what a truck is used for. See below.
Trucks Transporting Hazardous Waste
Authorities monitor trucks that transport hazardous waste from one site to another very carefully throughout their journey. This is to ensure that the transportation and subsequent disposal are safe and protect both human health and the environment. Detailers should adhere to all pollution prevention measures when cleaning this type of truck.
Toxic run-off can damage and pollute the environment. Therefore, it is not the kind of job to do yourself unless you have the relevant training and experience. Everyone should follow the governmental regulations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can advise on hazardous waste transportation and cleaning laws and regulations.
Conclusion
There is nothing to stop someone from doing their own industrial truck cleaning. However, detailing experience is essential if you want to avoid the classic truck detailing mistakes. Also, bear in mind that not every detailer will offer this service because it can be a complex job depending on the type of truck and what it is used for. Furthermore, the work must be carried out safely while adhering to strict regulations.
You may feel the job is too big and time-consuming to take on yourself. In that case, if you want to relieve yourself of the stress and think you would feel more comfortable hiring the services of the professionals, just call DetailXPerts to discuss your fleet needs for industrial truck cleaning.
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