I often find my friends complain that when they take their truck on a dusty road, the dust gets into the truck bed and makes everything a mess. They want a way if they can dust proof truck bed. So, I’ve spoken to truck bed experts and tried to find a way to prevent your stuff from getting covered in dust everytime you drive on the road.
How to dust proof truck bed? To prevent dust in your truck bed, install a tonneau cover, use rubber seal and foam lining. Then use a bed rug that runs all the way to the front of the tailgate which will create a barrier on the hinge. You can also install tailgate gasket to completely seal off any gaps.
If you have ever taken your truck for an off-road you know the bed gets covered in dust. If you don’t have a cover, even on usual days you will find dust on your truck bed. If you think installing a cover will solve the problem, you can’t be more wrong. Yes, you will be able to prevent it to some length but can’t completely stop using only tonneau cover.
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Dust Proofing Your Truck Bed
Installing a tonneau cover that fits snugly to the truck bed would be a good start. If will take most of the beating from outside hazard. If you want dust proofing you should use a hardcover and especially a fiberglass lid. Next, you have to seal the gaps to prevent any dust from entering the bed. For around the corners and sides you could use a rubber seal and attach it to the truck bed around the tailgate as well as under the tonneau cover edges. Rubber seal can be sturdy, so if you want something soft you could get foam strips from the hardware store. It will give you a better seal and they don’t easily come off and last long.
As most of the dust enter from around the tailgate, you have to seal off the tailgate gaps. Even if you seal off the edges, the hinge gap still needs some work done. You can get a bed rug that is long enough to run all the way from the end of the truck bed to the front of the tailgate. This will create a great insulation to the dust as it completely seals off the hinge. However, if you don’t want bedrug, instead you have used bed mats or bed liner, you can use tailgate gasket to seal off the gaps.
Then again if you have a topper, the obvious way would be to keep the windows closed. Here too, you can use rubber strips to seal around the windows. Stick-on weather stripping will also help seal a leaky hatch and dust proof truck bed.
After all these measures, you may still notice an insignificant amount of dust on your bed. For that, you just have to sweep it off or use a handheld vacuum cleaner.
How to Keep Truck Bed Clean?
- Clean up loose debris by sweeping it out with a broom. Sweep out the corners or use a towel to brush off any loose dust.
- Take a bucket of warm water with car washing soap. Here is a car foam wash kit for your convenience. It will remove dirt but will not strip the wax. Hose down the bed of the truck and then use a brush to scrub down the cab end of the bed. Brush it towards the tailgate pushing dirt water out of the truck. We advise you to follow the manufacturer directions on the back of the bottle to clean the bed.
- Rinse off the soapy water. Start from the cab side and end it towards the tailgate.
- If you have heavy dirt or grease, you can use dish soap but it may remove the wax. Then let it dry.
- After the bed has completely dried out, you should give a nice coat of wax to keep it shiny.
How you will clean the truck bed depends on the bed liner. Although bed liner plays a vital role in protecting the vehicle, it has a tendency to trap debris and dirt. If it’s a spray-on liner or a drop-in liner which are made from polyurethane and rubber, you don’t have to do much as the material itself is durable and easy to clean. However, if you have a truck bed mat, it has to be removed first before cleaning.
How to Clean Dusty Tonneau Cover?
Tonneau covers are typically made of leather, vinyl and other soft flexible materials. Among its many functions probably the most important one is to protect your cargo from debris, dust, snow, and rain. Hence, your tonneau cover takes most of the beating to keep a dust proof truck bed. To keep it healthy and functioning, you should check it regularly for wear outs, dust and debris caught in the cover. Check the mounting hardware to ensure that the bolts and clamps are tight. You should also lubricate the locks regularly with quality Teflon or silicone spray. To be on the safe side, check the manufacturer of the tonneau cover for instructions.
If you have a lid, start by washing with cool, clean water and mild soap. First, flood the lid with water to remove surface grit. Next, use a hose to rinse the cover and ensure to remove all traces of soap. Then wipe off excess water with a towel or sponge. It is not wise to use chemicals such as detergents, dishwashing liquids, bleaches or any strong chemicals. Most importantly avoid using hot water when cleaning the cover. So don’t use the same water to clean the cover as well as the bed.
If you have a vinyl tonneau cover, apply some quality vinyl cleaner. Use a clean towel to wash the entire tonneau cover with the vinyl cleaner. Here also we advise you to check the instructions in the vinyl cleaner itself. Avoid spot cleaning your tonneau cover to prevent rings and bright spots on the surface. Use a soft towel and avoid harsh cleaning pads, which may scratch the surface creating pores.
How to Clean and Maintain Truck Cap?
- The truck cap needs to be washed frequently. Avoid using brushes, instead, wash it by hand using a soft cloth and cool water. You could use warm water in the winter.
- If the cap is heavily soiled, use mild liquid soap which is made for washing automobile.
- If it’s a newly painted truck cap you have to be extra careful. Avoid using wax or any harsh detergents for the first 60 days.
- Remove snow and ice deposits gently without using a scraper on the cap or on the rear door glass.
- Use a UV coating on all vinyl, plastic and rubber items, to make it last longer. Make sure it doesn’t have any petrochemicals.
- Use lithium grease to lubricate locks and moving parts. If you use penetrating oil, follow up with grease to prevent dirt or grime build up.
Conclusion
If you take care of a few things and seal off the gaps, dust can be prevented from entering your truck bed. Use high-quality rubber seals or foam strips around the corner and edges. If you have a topper, minimize opening the window, especially when you are hitting a dusty road. That said, you will still notice some dust that has sneaked in. For that, you have to wash your truck bed every week and take it to a car wash every 6 months. Follow these simple tips and you can keep dust at bay.
