It's always a good idea to get in the habit of regularly disinfecting your truck cab. The PACCAR Technical Center (PTC) performed extensive research* on which products to use and how best to protect your truck’s interior components and reduce the spread of germs.
Recommended Cleaning Solutions:
Bleach-Based Cleaners
Cleaners with concentrations of bleach up to 5 percent (3/4 cup bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water) are found to be safe to use on interior components over time. Example products include: Clorox Bleach Wipes, Micro-Kill Bleach, Lysol Bleach Multi-Purpose Cleaner, and bleach and water solutions mixed at concentrations up to 5 percent.
Citric Acid-Based Cleaners
Cleaners with concentrations up to 5 percent citric acid are found to be safe to use on interior components over time, but should not be left for prolonged periods of time on cloth or vinyl surfaces.
Cleaning Products to Avoid:
Alcohol-Based Cleaners
These are not recommended for repeated use on interior components, as they may cause damage over time. Example products include: hand sanitizing wipes, certain disinfecting sprays and disinfecting wipes.
Cleaners Containing Quarternary Ammonias
These are not recommended for long-term and repeated use on vinyl surfaces or polyurethane steering wheels. Cleaners with a glycol ether, alcohol and sodium hydroxide blend are not recommended for use in cleaning, as they cause damage to interior components.
Cleaners Containing Ethoxylated Alcohols or Ethers
These are not recommended for repeated use or interior plastic part surfaces, as they may cause damage over time. Example products include certain disinfecting sprays.
PTC recommends exercising caution and following manufacturer instructions for safe and effective usage and for handling of all cleaning and disinfecting products, including, but not limited to, wearing gloves and/or masks, ensuring proper ventilation and not mixing cleaner types.
Once you’ve selected a recommended cleaning solution:
- Spray cleaner on a microfiber cloth and wipe down the parts being cleaned with the wetted cloth to preserve your cab’s interior.
- Do not directly spray part surfaces where the cleaner can get into openings between panels or switches.
- Do not leave residual cleaner on the part surface for longer than is necessary to disinfect the surface.
- Any residual cleaner should be wiped off with a clean cloth after the surface has been disinfected.
*This article is to provide general information about the effect of cleaning solutions on cab interiors. The cleaner categories above are not intended to represent all cleaner types on the market. Not all example products listed above have been tested by PTC. Specific products tested by PTC include Birko Quadra-Quat, Spray Nine, a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and water solution, and a 5 percent bleach and water solution.