Can Your Truck's Tonneau Cover Go Through A Car Wash?

Here's a hypothetical scenario: let's say you've got a pickup truck that's absolutely covered in dirt and mud, and in dire need of a wash. If you don't feel like cleaning it by hand, it's time to visit your local car wash. You're about to go through the tunnel when you remember that there's a tonneau cover covering the truck's bed. Your first assumption is that it's probably fine; the whole point of a tonneau cover is to shield your bed from the elements, after all, water included.

The reality of the situation is a little more complicated than that. In all likelihood, a run through the car wash probably won't immediately shred your truck's tonneau cover to pieces. However, exposure to the kinds of harsh cleaning chemicals and wax that car washes often employ, not to mention heavy, spinning brushes, can wear down your tonneau cover's structural integrity and, over time, potentially compromise it. If you have absolutely no other option for cleaning your truck besides running through the wash, then either take the cover off or at least opt for a touchless wash without the intense treatment.

Whether it's a hard or soft tonneau cover, one run through the car wash probably won't excessively damage it. A tonneau cover's first and foremost job is to resist (if not repel) water and wind, so you could even sit in your truck's bed during the wash and come out the other side completely dry, provided the cover is properly secured. One cover manufacturer, Peragon, actually filmed a video of one of its covers going through a car wash to showcase its sturdiness for its Facebook page.

However, water and wind aren't the primary concern here. If a car wash only used water and blowers, after all, it wouldn't be a very good car wash. The first problem is large, spinning brushes. A tonneau cover can usually withstand some physical punishment, but sustained, bristled friction can leave unsightly scratches and wear down the material, not to mention potentially dislodge the cover from its rails. The other concern is cleaning chemicals like soap and wax. Harsh soaps can dry out the cover's vinyl, reducing its overall integrity. Wax, especially, mixes badly with a tonneau cover, as it can leave a sticky residue behind that can both attract more dirt and potentially gum up a retractable cover's mechanical components.

Automotive accessory brands Worksport and Tyger Auto both state in their respective FAQs that car washes that employ harsh soaps, wax, and brushes aren't safe to go through with your tonneau cover out.

The best possible approach for cleaning a truck with a tonneau cover is a hand wash, but unfortunately, not everyone has the time to carefully clean their trucks by hand. That's the whole reason quick, automatic car washes exist. Tonneau cover manufacturers understand this, and have offered some advisories and concessions.

Worksport's FAQ says that it's okay to take your truck through a car wash with its cover out so long as the wash doesn't employ wax or chemical treatments. Tyger Auto offers a more specific suggestion, stating that the best possible approach would be a wash that employs neither the aforementioned chemicals nor large roller brushes. In other words, if you're taking your truck and cover through a wash, you should request a touchless wash. So long as you specify you don't want wax, a touchless wash won't hit your truck with heavy brushes, just water and soap. If you're still unsure, you can inquire with the car wash's operators about what kind of soap they use to determine if it's safe for your cover.

Don't forget, you always have the option of rolling up or removing your tonneau cover to protect it from the washing process. Of course, depending on your tonneau cover's size and structure, you might not be able to do that on your own, so you might want to take care of that before you visit the wash, just so you're not holding up the line.