Cleaning the truck while traveling full time

[SnowBlaZR2]

We've moved into our camper and are traveling full time. With our setup, there's no way I was going to be able to keep my routine up, so decided to take a minimalist approach.

Before we left, I gave the truck a thorough detail, decontamination, and polished and coated it with the ceramic Optimum Gloss Coat.



To keep it clean on the road, I'm using Optimum No Rinse and Optimum Power Clean. Also have some Griot's glass sealant and Optimum Opti Seal as needed, but using the ONR and OPC exclusively at this point.

I have some ONR diluted 16:1 that I use at every stop to clean off bugs, bird droppings, etc. When we're set up, I'm using ONR at 256:1 in an IK sprayer and a bucket of distilled water to wash the paint. OPC at 5:1 in an IK foam sprayer takes care of the wheels.

Interior and glass are cleaned with ONR at 256:1, and will also use the Opti Seal as needed.

It's been working out great so far, is much easier than the process I was doing at home, and the coating has been as good as expected.

 

[PurpleRT]

Adam's Collapsible 5 Gallon Bucket

Adam's Collapsible 5 Gallon Bucket is the perfect portable, waterproof, and lightweight bucket you've been needing. This is the solution for those who require more storage in a smaller space! The inner-layer of waterproof pail uses a high-density polyurethane coating to ensure no water leakage...

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Just a heads up I carry a pair of these in the truck myself since I’m also usually gone on the road working away from home and space is always an issue. Works decent when you need a wash and have a coin op car wash to use. Of course not as sturdy as a typical 5 gallon bucket but also doesn’t take up much space.

I think I need to start looking into the rinseless route when a full wash isn’t necessary.


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[SnowBlaZR2]

I grabbed a couple of 2 gallon collapsible buckets from Amazon.

Definitely recommend the rinseless option for being on the road. Haven't had anyone give me any grief about it yet. Camp hosts have stopped and were cool when they saw that I was using only what I brought and putting very little on the ground.

 

[PurpleRT]

Thanks I’ll have to grab some of that ONR, since it’s usually a pain to find a self service wash let alone a decent one at that.


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[ben b]

We've moved into our camper and are traveling full time. With our setup, there's no way I was going to be able to keep my routine up, so decided to take a minimalist approach.

Before we left, I gave the truck a thorough detail, decontamination, and polished and coated it with the ceramic Optimum Gloss Coat.

View attachment 136498

To keep it clean on the road, I'm using Optimum No Rinse and Optimum Power Clean. Also have some Griot's glass sealant and Optimum Opti Seal as needed, but using the ONR and OPC exclusively at this point.

I have some ONR diluted 16:1 that I use at every stop to clean off bugs, bird droppings, etc. When we're set up, I'm using ONR at 256:1 in an IK sprayer and a bucket of distilled water to wash the paint. OPC at 5:1 in an IK foam sprayer takes care of the wheels.

Interior and glass are cleaned with ONR at 256:1, and will also use the Opti Seal as needed.

It's been working out great so far, is much easier than the process I was doing at home, and the coating has been as good as expected.

View attachment 136499

Beautiful truck SnowBlaZR2. Your care & attention to detail really shows.

Question for you: What are your thoughts for using distilled water on the paint? What does this improve over plain tap water available on the road?

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Beautiful truck SnowBlaZR2. Your care & attention to detail really shows.

Question for you: What are your thoughts for using distilled water on the paint? What does this improve over plain tap water available on the road?

Appreciate it.

The distilled water is to help with water spots a bit. Not having my shop with shade and DI water, I'm not going to be able to completely avoid sunlight and don't trust campground water to drink or wash my truck.

 

[Bpebler]

Please update us monthly if you are able to do so! I also travel, about 60k per year & was thinking of my different options. Was going to have professionally ceramic coated but I don’t think that will even hold up to the constant 5k per month mileage.

 

[silverWS6]

That's awesome, I admire your dedication to keeping your truck clean!

 

[PurpleRT]

Please update us monthly if you are able to do so! I also travel, about 60k per year & was thinking of my different options. Was going to have professionally ceramic coated but I don’t think that will even hold up to the constant 5k per month mileage.

You’ll be surprised I have surpassed this these last few months. CC has held up just fine. Every 2 weeks I hit the self service wash and use a topper in my case Gtechniq C2, so far so good.


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[Bpebler]

You’ll be surprised I have surpassed this these last few months. CC has held up just fine. Every 2 weeks I hit the self service wash and use a topper in my case Gtechniq C2, so far so good.


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Maybe I need to switch from chemical guys products then. Seems I’m about due for a Re coat.