Can you take a tonneau cover through car wash – One thing that you need to know is that tonneau covers are costly. They can cost a few hundred dollars depending on the ease of installation, quality, and style.
Once you’ve spent a lot of money buying them you should not remove them unless completely necessary.
If you are still in the market and looking for a good tonneau cover, then check out these 3 truck bed covers that are either really easy to remove from the truck bed, or they do pretty well in car washes.
For more information about Tonneau Truck Bed Covers (Ford F150 specifically), check out our Ford F150 Tonneau Truck Bed Cover page.
Can you take a tonneau cover through car wash?
Are these one of the most important times you should remove them? Can your tonneau cover go through a car wash? While this depends on a number of things, you can definitely take them. Continue reading to learn how.
The best thing about car washes is that they are fast, convenient, and affordable. So, if you don’t have the time and patience to wash your cover, the best to do is to take it to the carwash. But before doing that, you need to follow some guidelines.
Which Tonneau Covers Are Safe for Car Wash
There are several tonneau cover brands out there. These make tonneau covers unique in style and quality. With this in mind, each one of them has its own instructions and guidelines when it comes to cleaning and taking care of them.
The great thing is that some of the most common brands are safe for an automatic car wash. So the answer to the question “can you take a tonneau cover through car wash”, is definitely a YES.
While the answer is yes, since you’ve spent a lot of money on the cover you need to be careful. This is because some covers such as vinyl may be too soft to be taken through a car wash.
But provided you close and secure them well, they are safe for the cash wash. But (if possible), you should inform the owners of the car wash in advance so that they know the amount of pressure to apply while washing the covers.
What If the Cover is Partially Closed?
What if you are in a situation where you have to go to the car wash and there might be something oversized that is sticking out of your cover? First, you need to take all the safety precautions and secure it well.
Even after doing all this, you should not go through the car wash when the cover is partially opened. In fact, most car wash owners will not allow you to gon into their car wash with the item sticking out of your truck.
The oversized item can destroy their machine in one way or another. So, the best thing to do is to remove the item altogether so that you can secure the cover well.
While most covers are weather-resistant, there are some sections that might be exposed to bad weather. A number of them have parts beneath the outer layer that are vulnerable to a water and bad weather in general. Once destroyed, they may not work.
So, if your tonneau cover is partially closed, you should not take it to the carwash.
Types Of Tonneau Covers and Whether They Are Suitable For Car Wash
Generally, there are two main types of tonneau covers that you can use. The main work of these covers is to protect your truck bed. You should, therefore, choose one depending on your budget style and needs.
1. Hard Tonneau Covers
Made of hard fiberglass materials, these covers can withstand the conditions of a carwash. Since they are rigidly fixed to the body, they usually overlap the tailgate and bed rails.
When compared to the soft covers, they are a bit expensive. They are not only durable but also provide you with better security. More so, as far as style is concerned you have more choices with these covers.
Click here to see the perfect example of a good hard tonneau cover.
2. Soft Tonneau Covers
Although soft tonneau covers are weather-resistant, some water can still find its way inside. As compared to the hardcovers they are quite flexible.
The best thing about them is that if you don’t want to risk them getting damaged on a car wash, you can always just remove them. They are attached using straps and velcro, hence quite easy to remove.
While soft tonneau covers are safe for car wash, you need to inspect them first for any tears and damage before putting them through a car wash. If there are any tears or cracks they may be more prone to damage if put through a car wash.
Dangers to Tonneau Covers from Car Wash
While tonneau covers can be put through a car wash, there are certain dangers to watch out for. Take a look below for more information.
• Car Wash Dryer Fans
Dryer fans found in automatic car washes are powerful. They are used for drying the surfaces of vehicles, hence why they might cause some damage to tonneau covers if not used well. If the cover is not properly secured, the pressure of the drying vent can cause them to suddenly blow off.
This can lead to bad damage or even total cover destruction.
• Spinning Car Wash Brushes
Spinning brushes are some of the most important things used in a car wash. They work by using friction to remove any grime or dirt on the truck surface. However, the friction caused by these brushes can easily destroy the soft tonneau covers.
Apart from causing scratches, they can completely damage the covers as well. However, a good quality cover can always withstand this pressure.
• Pressurized Water
Car washes are fitted with nozzles for spraying water. These high-pressure water nozzles can hit your car from different directions. If your tonneau cover is not secured well, water can easily get inside the truck.
This can damage both the cargo and the underside of the cover. While tonneau covers are water resistant they are typically not 100% waterproof. Even when secured, a small amount of water may find its way in.
• Residual Debris
Did you know that car washes may not be completely clean? Since many vehicles are washed daily, most car washes contain a considerable amount of contaminants and dirt. In some cases, the debris may be dangerous to the cars.
Although the possibility of this is low, anything can happen. This is why automatic car washes may not be the best idea.
Final Words
So, can you take a tonneau cover through car wash? Yes, you can. However, there are several precautions you must take to ensure the process is safe.
You need to check with the manufacturer to confirm whether that particular cover is safe to put through the car wash or not. Otherwise, you might end up ruining your cover due to negligence on your part.