Keeping your tonneau cover clean and protected is an essential part of maintaining the appearance and functionality of your truck bed cover.
Regular cleaning and maintenance will help to extend the lifespan of the tonneau cover and prevent damage from environmental factors such as dirt, dust, and UV rays.
However, upon doing research, you often find a mine-field of options, do’s and don’ts that contradict each other and a bunch of recommended products with no proof of their quality.
So we decided to write a crystal clear answer to whether or not you can/should use Armor All on your tonneau cover.
And the short answer is a big, big no.
If you’re in a hurry to find a safe and good tonneau cover cleaner and protectant, we recommend:
Can You Use Armor All on Tonneau Covers?
Armor All is a popular brand of automotive protectant that is designed to give a high-gloss shine to tires, dashboards, and other surfaces.
While it may be tempting to use Armor All on your tonneau cover to achieve a similar shine, it is important to avoid this product at all costs.
Armor All and other silicone or petroleum-based products can, and likely will, cause significant damage to your tonneau cover over time.
Here are a few reasons why you should avoid using Armor All on your tonneau cover:
- Fading and Cracking: Armor All contains silicone, which will cause your tonneau cover to fade and crack over time.
- Attracting Dust: Silicone-based products like Armor All attract dust at an exceptional rate, which means that your tonneau cover will get dirty more quickly than usual.
- Staining: If it rains soon after you apply Armor All to your tonneau cover, it will likely run down the sides of your truck and stain the paintwork.
As you can see, while Armor All may offer an enticing shine to your cover in the short term, it will actually lead to it looking worn out much more quickly than if you weren’t to use it.
Fear not, however, because after tonnes of research and testing, we’ve found the only tonneau cover cleaner and protectant we’d ever recommend using for genuine long-lasting shine and protection.
What Is the Best Product to Use on a Tonneau Cover?
Instead of using Armor All or other silicone or petroleum-based products, it is best to use dedicated or manufacturer brand tonneau cleaners and protectants.
Or, if you don’t want to purchase a dedicated product, mild soap and water on a weekly basis will do a decent job of keeping your tonneau cover looking clean and shiny without causing damage and shortening the lifespan of your tonneau cover.
Our all time favorite cleaner and protectant for that new-look shine is:
- Wolfsteins Tonneau Cover Care Kit: This kit includes both a cleaner and protectant that are specifically designed for tonneau covers. Wolfsteins are the only company to clearly state that their products contain no silicone or petroleum-based ingredients and are safe for use on all types of tonneau covers.
Final Thoughts
While it is important to keep your tonneau cover clean and protected, it is equally important to avoid using products like Armor All that can cause damage over time.
By using a manufacturer’s own brand cleaner and protectant or a trusted brand, you can keep your tonneau cover looking great while also protecting it from environmental factors.
If you want to read more on cleaning and protecting your tonneau cover:
