Clean Dry and odor free

This means different things to different shippers. One place won't even look in the dome and another will swab the tank with a white rag and reject it for any residue at all.

You are often at the mercy of a tank wash it the trailer is wet and when they can get to you. For about a $40 investment and a little more prep time you can sometimes avoid a rejection or long wait for a tank wash to work you in.

Go to a hardware store and buy a 12 foot telescoping pole, a large alligator clamp and a box of rags. I am cheap so I rigged an old water bottle for a mop head.



I just swabbed a tank that looked great. You can see the dirt that came up on the rag laying on the fender. It had some rubbing alcohol on it. Rubbing alcohol will dry the tank as it evaporates. The one still on the water bottle was the second pass. The place I will load at in the morning will do a swab out with a white cloth. It it comes up looking like the first one I will be getting washed out again.

That pole will also come in handy should you drop sunglasses etc. in the tank. A big hunk of wadded up duct tape in the clip will save the day.

I would bet most companies would reimburse you in light of the money saved in rejected trailers. Keep in mind this is pulling chemicals. I have even asked tank washes for extra seals and checked it on a sealed trailer.