this job is too big for me! - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Melstar · RV-Dreams Family Member

this job is too big for me!

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

One of the things that might help with reducing the black streaks are drain gutter extensions that channel the rain water away from the side of the rig. Aside from that, I think the only thing do do is keep the roof very clean. Some roofing material seems to be resistant to this problem. Our roof is TPM and we have never had any streaking in 5 years.

Melstar · RV-Dreams Family Member

We do have the gutter extensions. I'm not sure what kind of roof we have...I think we were told it was rubber. We are the second owners.

What is TPM?

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mel, TPM is a tri-polymer material kinda like a rubber. EPDM is a similar material. All of them seem to be classified as a "rubber" roof.
The very best thing I have ever found to remove black streaks is an el cheapo from Dollar Tree Stores. Not Dollar General or any of the others. Gotta be Dollar Tree. Awesome Cleaner. Costs ya a buck. BUT, (notice it is a big but), if you use it straight, it removes all wax. I tend to dilute it to about 50% and spray it directly on the black streak and bugs, scrub with the RV brush and hose it off. Like magic, all streaks and bugs are gone.

I had an experience with "love-bugs" once. Used everything to temove them from the front of the trailer. Scrubbers of all kinds, soaps of all kinds, bug removers of all kinds and after a year, had just siad the trailer will just have spots where the bugs were. Daughter asked if I had used Awesome Cleaner? Got some and squirted it on straight, wiped with a brush and OMG, all the bugs were gone. Next attacked the front of the pickup that had just had another encounter with "love bugs" and they were fresh. HAH!!! Take that you stinkers. Like magic, they were gone.

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

Another thing to try for bug removal is dryer sheets. They seem to work very well on bug removal.

I'll have to look for Awesome Cleaner and give it a try.

Melstar · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Guys! I'm off to Dollar Tree!
By the way....does it hurt the gel coat if used straight??

Mel

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Melanie,

If it were me, I would start with the diluted version of the cleanser in a small plastic spray bottle and try a few spots. I think a gel coat is stronger than wax, but I don't think I would want to try full strength. The others will know more about this than me, but I had the impression that the gel coat was applied like a paint and not like a wax.

If that impression is correct, it could be pretty expensive to "re-gel" an RV. But, hey, I'm no expert.

As for the dryer sheets as Fred has mentioned, I've heard of that as well. But, somewhere in my 2 1/2 + years of researching, I think I read a negative comment about using them. I'll check the forums that I frequent and see if I can find that comment again.

Terry

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Melstar wrote:

Thanks Guys! I'm off to Dollar Tree!
By the way....does it hurt the gel coat if used straight??

Mel

Won't hurt the epoxy gel coat, just strips wax right off. Without wax, black streaks come back quicker.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Melanie and others,

I went to search for that one reference that I could remember that was negative with using dryer sheets for cleaning the exterior of an RV. In my searching, I found numerous uses for the little things, some of which did not apply to cleaning.

So, I started another forum thread under RV Maintenance and Technical Tips and inserted links to what I found. This way, more people might have an opportunity to see what that stuff does. The link to the thread I started is here:

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=91511&p=3&topicID=41290795

Terry

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dryer sheets work good at cleaning bugs but as mentioned it will strip the shine right off and it has taken me several waxings to get it back where it was.I won't use them anymore.

Old Snipe · RV-Dreams Family Member

A word to the wise:

The Awsome Cleaner is good stuff, but be very careful with it around caulk, it will soften it and make it lose its "stickyness", causing it to fail. The cleaner is also hard on your hands, use rubber gloves. If you buy it straight, make sure to dilute it. You don't even want to think about getting it in your eyes, it is very caustic.

Best Regards!

Melstar · RV-Dreams Family Member

ok, maybe I'll cancel my trip to Dollar Tree. I certainly don't want to mess up the caulk or the wax job. Our RV is leak free and the shine is pretty even though it's a 2006. I think it may have been kept under a shed....we don't have a cover and probably won't pay to put up one since we may not stay in this home. Just spent $900 to lay the limestone for a driveway and parking pad for it.

Just found out that we definitely have a rubber roof. Went on the Crossroads forum and all Crossroads have rubber roofs. Does that "rubber roof" cleanser work the best? Some owners on the forum suggested spic and span with a small amount of bleach in it.

I don't think I will be hoisting myself up on the roof....I'll have to save that for DH.

Mel

-- Edited by Melstar on Monday 21st of February 2011 02:32:52 PM

bubbadan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mel
I wanted to clean and put a protection on my roof so I went to a tech he recommended Spic and span ans Aerospace 303, you can use this on the roof and the gel coat.
Dan

sand38 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I purchase Awesome at Dollar General Store here locally and use it for black streaks. I mix it about 75% water, 25% Awesome. Works well and so far no problems. As far as the rubber roof, don't use any thing with petroleum distalates on the roof material, if a EPDM rubber roof. As mentioned by other folks on here, Awesome is acid based, and if used straight, it will etch glass. The are numerous recommendations for various cleaning jobs and how to mix correctly. Spray on the streaks, let soak a few minutes, use your soapy water and brush and wash away.

Serengeti · RV-Dreams Family Member

I laugh at black streaks, as the product I use is "Black Streak Remover" a product line of Reliable Products.

I use this with ease and always have an easy time with black streaks. Just spray on and wipe off with a damp sponge or cloth.

It is sold in a lot of camp stores along the eastern seaboard.

It's main supplier is Wilcor International, a campground supplier out of Utica, NY

I sold this product myself when I owned a campground, and did a lot of demo's against other products that campers would swear by. Truth is I very lost a demo and I created a lot of sales. You can probably find them on the internet and buy some.

It comes in either a 1 Qt. spray bottle or a 1 Gal jug. Since we have the spray bottle we just buy the Gal. size.

-- Edited by Serengeti on Wednesday 16th of March 2011 03:03:13 PM