Trailer care and maintenance - How to clean your trailer

Regular care and maintenance is essential for maintaining the value of the trailer and your own safety. Especially in the winter months and in spring before the first house and garden work, the trailer requires special care. We have compiled helpful tips for you for the correct trailer care in winter and spring.

What should you bear in mind when caring for your trailer? Our 6 basic tips

Regardless of the time of year or trailer series, there are a few general tips you should keep in mind when caring for your trailer:

1. Pay attention to the electronics when cleaning                                                                                                                                                                                Before cleaning work, it is essential to disconnect the power supply and ensure that the following components are not directly irradiated with water and are only washed by hand: Trailer coupling, brake system and electrics. Further tips for the care of the electronics and the trailer connector can be found here.           
2. Carry out trailer cleaning with water                                                                                                                                                                                             Wash your trailer with lukewarm, clear water and add a neutral cleaning agent if necessary. After cleaning, you can apply a commercial neutral preservative or protective wax.
3. Regularly check the tyres, wheels an lights.                                                                                                                                                                                  To ensure that your trailer complies with traffic regulations, you should regularly check that the lighting system is working properly. In addition to the lighting, the correct tyre pressure is important, as is a tight fit of the wheel nuts. If necessary, you can tighten them with a torque spanner (120 Nm tightening torque for aluminium rims).
4. Using a high-pressure cleaner correctly on a trailer                                                                                                                                                                     A high-pressure cleaner can be used to clean the loading area and to clean the exterior of the trailer. When using a high-pressure cleaner for cleaning, ensure a safe distance of 20-30 cm between the nozzle head and the vehicle and avoid direct spot blasting. The maximum pressure should be between 100-150 bar.
5. Remove dirt from  trailer                                                                                                                                                                                                                      To prevent the rain drainage holes from becoming clogged with grass and leaves, remember to clean them regularly. They are usually located on the front right and left of the trailer floor. If necessary, also clean the trailer coupling from the inside. Dirt can get stuck here too.
6. Lubricate moving parts                                                                                                                                                                                                                    An important part of maintenance is the lubrication of moving parts such as the overrun device, the support wheel, hinges and supports. We recommend greasing the overrun device at least quarterly. How to grease moving parts on the trailer is shown in our video tutorial.

How often should I clean my trailer?

The intervals for trailer care and maintenance depend on the degree of use, the operating environment and the intensity of soiling. You can find a detailed overview of trailer maintenance intervals here. In general, it is advisable to subject your trailer to more intensive care twice a year, preferably before the onset of winter and in spring. In addition, new trailers should be carefully cleaned immediately after use, as salt and other road dirt can be very aggressive and thus attack the material.

What to consider when caring for trailers in winter and spring

Special features and tips for trailer care in winter

Due to snow and road salt, trailer care is especially important in winter. If you drive your trailer in winter, you should wash it thoroughly with water after use to prevent white rust and unsightly stains. But what to do if white rust is already there? We recommend carefully brushing off the white rust with a hard nylon brush or wire brush. Then rinse with clean water and let the vehicle dry in a well-ventilated place. To dry the trailer, it is best to place it at an angle to the rear so that the water can drain off well.  

If you do not use the trailer in winter, it is best to store it in a shed or garage. If the trailer is also stored on its own axle for a longer period of time, it is advisable to jack up the trailer to avoid flat tyres. Here you can find more tips for trailer care in winter.

Special features and tips for trailer care in spring

If the trailer has been used little or not at all over the winter, it should be given an all-round care in spring. The first step is to remove dust, dirt or road salt from the trailer. What and how much of it is present depends on the wintering location.

Due to low use in winter, it is also important to check the brakes and tyre pressure. Checking the tyres is especially important if the vehicle has been parked for more than 6 weeks, as the tyres are exposed to greater stress here. After a longer period of standing, moisture may also penetrate the lights or a rodent may have damaged the cables. Therefore, also check the lighting system for proper functioning in spring.

Material-related special features in trailer care

Independent of general trailer cleaning, every trailer requires special care depending on the material of the trailer:

Proper care of trailers with box bodies:  

All box trailers and box bodies are not fully durable until the paint has hardened. This process takes several months. During this time, only clear water below 60°C and no high-pressure cleaners may be used for cleaning.

Treat plastic and rubber:

To keep rubber and plastic seals supple and prevent cracks, they should be cleaned regularly with a silicone spray or talcum powder.

Clean steel or aluminium trailer drop sides:

It is recommended to thoroughly rinse aluminium drop sides and galvanised steel parts, e.g. the steel drop sides of the three-way tipper type UDK-S with clear water after transporting fertiliser and other acidic materials as well as after driving under road salt conditions.

Conclusion: In order to prolong the longevity of your trailer, you should care for and maintain it regularly. The trailer requires special care in winter due to snow and road salt and in spring due to the long standing times in the winter months. With our tips, trailer maintenance is done in no time!