Keeping Your Truck Cab Clean – New Ways to Stay Healthy on the Road
During this time when we need to keep our spaces not just dusted but disinfected, we’d like to offer some recommendations to keep your cab as clean and sanitized as possible. We hope to offer peace of mind by guiding you through steps for keeping your cab pristine and giving you the control in knowing you are doing what you can to remain healthy and well. As essential workers during this time, we are thankful for the hours our drivers put in everyday. Thank you to all NTB employees.
Sanitizing the Cab of Your Truck
It’s a good idea to think of your truck as your home away from home where a clean and organized environment can help keep the mind clear of distractions and ensure your good health.
Knowing when to sanitize can be a little tricky, but it’s important to err on the cautious side. When you have “visitors,” such as maintenance or DOT, it is important to wipe down surfaces with a disinfectant. These areas include, but are not limited to, the inside and immediate outside of the cab including the door handle, the seat, and the steering wheel. Don’t forget about commonly touched knobs and accessories like your radio, CB, and shifter. Consider washing your hands or using hand sanitizer when finished to start on a truly fresh slate.
Certain items, on a smaller scale, should be sanitized after leaving and then re-entering your truck. This also includes door handles, steering wheel, and keys – anything you may have touched when getting ready to drive again.
Be sure to wash any dirty surfaces before disinfecting wearing disposable gloves, or dishwashing gloves in a pinch. Once visible dust and grease is washed off, use a CDC approved disinfectant and leave for a minimum of 1-10 minutes, depending on the instructions for the sanitizer used, before wiping dry.
What to Use as Disinfectant
Since the CoronaVirus can live for hours to days on hard surfaces, it is important to use a disinfectant that will be effective in killing the virus. Full strength 3% peroxide, 70% rubbing alcohol, or a bleach solution of 4 tsp/1 quart cold water are each reliable ways to kill CoronaVirus. Care must be taken with bleach or peroxide around stainable items such as fabric and carpet and a window should be opened a bit to ventilate when using bleach or rubbing alcohol.
Always wear disposable gloves when disinfecting. If you are using reusable gloves, such as the type used for dish washing, keep them separate from other items and designate them for disinfecting only.
Read these CDC Guidelines for additional information. The EPA has also compiled a complete list of disinfectants shown to kill the CoronaVirus.
How to Protect Your Person
Did you know that the State of Michigan has cleared liquor distilleries to start producing hand sanitizer? It’s pretty cool that otherwise scaled down industries can change their role to provide a much needed product to help keep everyone healthy.
Washing your hands with regular soap and water is always a great first measure to ward off any germs. Scrub for at least 20 seconds in warm water. No matter how clean your hands look, act like they’re covered in grease and you're about to have a fancy dinner. Oh, and the grease isn’t just on your palms, it’s under your nails, between your fingers and even up your arms a bit. Pesky grease!
With an abundance of caution, we encourage you to follow the guidelines put out by the government to protect yourself while providing a needed service.
Guidelines from the State of Michigan include:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others when in a public setting.
When fueling your truck, either use gloves at the pump or sanitize your hands when finished. This goes for any items you touch that may have been handled by another person – like door handles at rest areas. This advice isn’t just important right now, but is applicable all the time!
Services Available for Drivers
Many restaurant owners and fast food franchises across the Great Lakes states have intentionally opened up the opportunity for drivers to walk up to drive-thru windows and to use their lots for parking. This is an incredibly thoughtful response to our industry. This kindness relieves the burden on the driver to find food and facilities, and we are incredibly grateful.
Please comment below or on our Facebook Page when you see other industries working to accommodate our drivers. Let’s give a big shout out to the helpers in our world.
We are all in this together and truly want to keep each other safe. We hope that the above recommendations offer a sense of control and peace in a very turbulent time.
NTB is Hiring
With the increase in demand to keep store shelves stocked, we are looking to hire experienced CDL-A drivers now. Construction workers and others with experience who have found themselves without work are encouraged to apply to join our team. Those with more experience start at a higher pay rate. Check out the great benefits of working for NTB Trucking.
How to Make Your Own Disinfectant Spray
One handy trick to making your own disinfectant wipes is to cut a roll of paper towel in half and remove the center tube. Insert the half roll of paper towels into an appropriately sized plastic container that has a lid. Simply pour a bottle of rubbing alcohol over the towels OR mix 2 teaspoons of bleach in 2 cups of cold water to pour over the paper towels. To use, pull one towel at a time from the center of the roll. Using strong paper towels when making your own wipes is important so they stay intact before and throughout use. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not mix rubbing alcohol with bleach.
Mixing chemicals can be dangerous, so if you find a recipe on the internet, take care to make sure you aren’t creating a toxic mixture.
Now Hiring Experienced CDL-A Drivers: Apply to drive with NTB.
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