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Can You Go Through a Car Wash with a Tonneau Cover?

A photo of male worker washing a black dmax double cab pickup.

A tonneau cover helps keep your belongings safe and dry when driving in bad weather. However, you may be wondering if it’s okay to take your car through a car wash with the cover on.

The good news is that you can definitely take your car through a car wash with a tonneau cover. In fact, it’s actually a good idea to do this on a regular basis. This will help to keep your cover clean and free of debris.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you remove any loose items from your truck bed before taking them through the car wash. You also don’t want to use a high-pressure setting on the hose, as this could damage the cover.

Overall, taking your car through the car wash with a tonneau cover is a perfectly safe and effective way to keep your truck bed clean and dry. Just be sure to use a low-pressure setting on the hose and avoid using a high-pressure setting.

Related: Tonneau Cover vs. Canopy: Which One is Better?

Are tonneau covers 100% waterproof?

Close up photo rain droplets on black surface.

Tonneau covers are designed to keep moisture out and protect your truck bed from the elements. That being said, a tonneau cover is not 100% waterproof.

There are three different types of tonneau covers: hard, soft and retractable. The hard top covers are made with vinyl material and have a steel frame inside that holds the cover in place when closed. These types of covers can be fully waterproof.

However, they do cost more than soft tops or retractable tops. Soft top covers are usually made out of vinyl or cloth and have no internal metal frame. This makes them less durable than hard tops but also less expensive.

They will keep water out but not completely seal off the bed of your truck bed. Soft tops can be used in place of a tarp if you’re only looking for protection against rain.

Retractable tonneau covers are similar to soft tops but they also have a hydraulic arm that pulls the cover-up and locks it into place over your truck bed when not in use. The main advantage of these types of covers is that they allow you to access all areas of your truck bed without having to remove anything first.

Do soft tonneau covers keep water out?

Close up photo of 1957 Ford Thunderbird with tonneau cover.

Yes, soft tonneau covers keep water out. They are designed with high-quality materials and workmanship to provide years of weather protection.

Soft tonneau covers are made from heavy-duty vinyl and coated with a special material that prevents water from getting through. The seams between the panels are welded together so there is no chance of leaks or water seeping through.

Soft tonneau covers are also waterproof. They come with a leak-proof seal around the edges and a rubber seal around the tailgate window where it meets the soft tonneau cover. This keeps rainwater out so you don’t have to worry about it dripping into your truck bed when you open the tailgate.

Can vinyl truck bed covers go through the car wash?

You can wash your truck bed cover in a car wash, but you need to be careful about which type of car wash you use. If you have a vinyl truck bed cover, then you should only use an automated car wash that uses an underbody spray rather than an overhead spray.

In addition, if you have a hard-to-clean vinyl truck bed cover, then you should not use your typical automatic car wash. Rather, find a facility that uses high pressure jets to blast away mud and dirt from your truck bed cover. This will help prevent damage to your truck bed cover due to the harsh chemicals used in some automatic car washes.

Can you take a gator tonneau cover through a carwash?

A cropped photo of red chevy truck using tonneau cover.

Yes, you can take a gator tonneau cover through a carwash.

First, make sure that your gator tonneau cover is made of aluminum or stainless steel. Some tonneau covers are made out of plastic, and these cannot be washed with water.

If you have aluminum or stainless steel, then all you need to do is take it off the truck and put it in the washing bay. You should also remove any cargo from the bed of your truck before you go through the wash. You don’t want anything getting wet inside the bed of your truck.

Next, make sure that you don’t use too much soap when washing your truck. If there is too much soap on the surface of your tonneau cover, it will leave water spots after drying in sunlight. Use very little soap when washing this type of cover.

Finally, make sure that you clean both sides of your cover thoroughly after going through a carwash so that they look good when they’re dry again!

How do you wash a tonneau cover?

Two male car wash's worker washing a white Dmax double cab pickup.

There are a few different ways to wash your truck bed cover.

Wash it in the driveway. This is probably the easiest way to clean your truck bed cover, but it’s not always the best way. If you have an older cover that is made of vinyl, you should avoid this method because it can damage the material over time.

Use a hose and garden sprayer. You can spray off your tonneau cover with a hose and garden sprayer, but this only works if you have a soft top cover or a hard shell cover with openings in the front of the cover that allow water through to the inside of the bed.

Clean it outside first! Take off any items from inside your truck bed before washing it outside with soap and water or chemical cleaners.

Wash it inside out first! If you have a soft top or hard shell cover that has openings at the front of your truck bed, place them on top of your vehicle and wash them outside first before placing them back on top of your vehicle.

This will prevent damaging them during washing by keeping them dry until they’re fully washed and rinsed off outside first!

How do I protect my tonneau cover?

Close up view of black truck bed tonneau cover.

There are a few things you can do to protect your tonneau cover.

First, be sure to keep it clean and dry. If you have a vinyl or fabric cover, use only mild soap and water to clean it. Rinse well to remove all soap residue, then wipe with a soft cloth dampened with plain water. Never use household cleaners or chemical solvents on your tonneau cover.

Second, keep the inside of the cab clean. A dirty cab can stain the top of your cover and make it look dingy. Use a soft cloth or brush to dust off dirt after each use, and vacuum regularly.

Third, store your truck bed cover out of direct sunlight as much as possible when not in use. This will help prevent fading or premature aging of the material used in making your cover.

Fourth, store your truck bed cover in a dry location when not in use so that moisture does not cause any damage to its surface over time.

What do you use to protect the vinyl on a tonneau cover?

Close up photo of truck bed cover over the sun.

I have a tonneau cover for my truck and it is vinyl. What I want to know is what would be the best wax or protectant that I can use to keep the vinyl looking good. I don’t want to use anything that will harm the material and make it look bad.

I am not sure how often you should wax it, but I do know that you can use Armor All on it, but it will make the vinyl look cloudy.

I have used Turtle Wax T-9 on mine and it works great! It is a spray on and wipe off a product, or you can use a foam applicator pad. It has UV protection in it as well as being water resistant. This stuff works great on any type of vinyl!

I have heard about 303 Aerospace Protectant for Vinyl being good for this application also. It’s supposed to be very good at protecting against UV damage from sunlight, which would be perfect for your truck bed cover!

How to make a Tonneau Cover look new again

 Most tonneau covers are made of vinyl and are designed to last for years. However, over time they can lose their shine and appear worn. Here are some easy tips on how to make a tonneau cover look like new again:

Wash your tonneau cover with a mild soap and water solution. You can use a soft cloth or sponge to clean it, but don’t use any harsh chemicals as they could damage the vinyl or cause it to tear.

Wash your tonneau cover with a mild soap and water solution. You can use a soft cloth or sponge to clean it, but don’t use any harsh chemicals as they could damage the vinyl or cause it to tear.

Use an automotive wax that includes silicone oil in its ingredients list (such as Turtle Wax T-9). The silicone oil helps protect against UV rays from the sun and makes it easier for dirt and grime to be cleaned off the vinyl surface.

Use an applicator pad to apply wax directly onto the surface of your Tonneau Cover, then buff off with another clean pad until you have achieved a nice shine.

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