If you need to clean your tonneau cover, you might be a bit lost about the specifics of it. Maybe it’s your first time owning a pickup, or maybe you simply never learned how to do it properly and would to know more about this topic. Whatever the case is, it never hurts to get a refresher on the finer points of cleaning a tonneau cover. This guide will help you in that regard. So, without further ado, here is an explanation of how you clean a tonneau cover.

Here are some reasons why you’ll need to clean your cover:

• You just bought the cover recently;
• You have the same cover as before, but you’ve changed trucks;
• You’re taking your truck out again now that winter is over; and
• It’s your first truck bed cover.

Step-1   Keep the owner’s’ manual handy.

• There might be some things you’re not aware of, so it’s better to check the manual
• If the manual says you’ll need help, ask a friend to assist you

Cleaning a tonneau cover can be pretty straightforward—but first, you have to make sure that there aren’t any model-specific instructions that apply to your pickup in particular. To deal with this problem, read the instruction manual to see if there’s a section on cleaning your truck. If there is, follow the steps. Some manuals might require that you have someone else help you, so be sure to take this into account as well.

Step-2   Remove the cover, and find a shady area.

• You can do it in your garage, or park under some trees

Remove the cover so that you can clean it. To clean your cover in the most efficient way possible, a shady area is preferable. Consider parking your pickup under some trees, or—if you have one—park it in your garage.

Step-3   Spray your cover with water.

The next step is to spray water on your cover To do so, you can use a bucket, but spray the water, rather than dumping it outside the bucket.

Step-4   Prepare a cleaning solution, then clean the cover.

• To create this you’ll need car-washing solution, water, and a scrub brush.

This solution is easy to make. Simply pour half a cup of car-wash solution inside a bucket, then top the rest off with warm water. However, if you have a softcover (made of vinyl or other soft materials), use a specialized tonneau cover cleaner, and preferably one with conditioners and protection from UV rays. Next, use a scrub brush to start spreading this solution over the cover. Clean the cover, from the center, outward to the edges. Don’t apply a lot of pressure, and move the brush gently from side to side as you work. If the dirt is stubborn, soak the brush for 5 minutes before you continue.

Step-5   Once you’re done, rinse the cover and leave it to dry.

• You’ll need clean water for this, as well as somewhere to store your cover.

Rinse off the soaped-up cover; naturally, you should use clean water. Leave it to dry; once it’s dried properly, you can place it back inside your truck. There you go: now you’re done. Great job!