Caravan Cleaning ????????

[Toolbox]

What does every one use to clean the outside of their caravans?

Ours has turned to a mucky shade of green after being left outside for several months, it’s now in a shed but needs a good clean and wondered if there is any miracle cleaning stuff out there that would cut down on the elbow grease, bearing in mind our van is now 18 years old and has the dimpled aluminium panels (not smooth ones )

[Deleted Member S]

I can't remember what my Dad use's but he gives it a good polish once/twice a year & the muck etc seems to not stick to it :roll: It's now a 8 year old van but looks brand new 8O

[Deleted Member]

Hi toolbox,i to have a very old van with the dimpled metal,quite a pig when it gets dirty. :?
I got a stiff brush and some car wash and went over the whole van when i got it.. :lol: not under any trees so doesn't get the green on it..just give it a wash with a brush every know and then!! :lol:

[Tappy]

hi there tow sure do some good cleaners but the best stuff is truck wash but you have to water it down or it would take the dimples off aswell as the paint :?

[BigG]

Hello toolbox, i sold my van last easter but i used wash and wax and a drop of BLEACH in the bucket, it brought mine up a treat.
Gordon.

[rustic]

When we had a caravan, we used a product called "Silky" it is a white paste in a small tub, available from a caravan shop. Worked great on painted aluminium.

For fibreglass (Boat) I now use a teflon based wax from Towsure, it really brings back the gelcoat on oxidised surfaces. Especially pigmented Gelcoat.
Since most caravans now use fibreglass might be worth a try.
Hope this helps.
best regards, Rustic

[gadgetsyd]

Hi Toolbox, I use Auto Glym shampoo & body conditioner, their motorhome cleaner is good for getting black streaks off.

[Bibio]

Hi Toolbox,I use a Karcher power washer on mine ,but you have to be careful that you keep away from the panel joints, then i go over the van with Silky caravan cleaner. (not too much elbow grease)

John

Toolbox I have noticed that my motor details are not at the bottom,
any ideas ?.

[dinky]

I use turtle wax car shampoo with a brush ,then silky to polish it twice a year,but wash it every time we use it.

[mully]

Only cleaned mine on Sunday i used Auto Glym caravan/motorhome cleaner,this removed all the green bits and black streaks without any effort.

[Rincewind]

Last year I bougt a bottle of "Muckoff" form the local caravan centre. Although very expensive I found it worked very well on getting both the green off the roof and also the black streaks from below the windows etc. (The usual effects of uncovered winter storage)

It also worked brilliantly on both my T2 and my wife's Peugeot for getting a summer's worth of dead bugs of the bumpers grill and bonnet. Better than any of these specialist bug removers.

Used the last of it up on cleaning several years worth of green of the conservatory roof a couple of weeks ago, again worked very well.

At £25 for a 5 liter bottle its a bit pricy, but based on perfromance I will certainly be getting another bottle this year (if they still have it), and I am sure I can be a lot more spareing with it this time, now I know how well it works.

Cheers
Ricncewind

[robobone]

so no tenting it at the rally this year toolbox. :lol:

for the verdigrease around the joints and windows i have been reccomended to use a diluted bleach to kill the moss
i also used a caravan cleaner in the summer to get the tree bits off which i got from towsure.
when i get home i will try and dig it out to give you the name you dilute it and i got a hand pump spray bottle sprayed it on and hosed it off using a soft broom came up quite a treat.

[wildbri]

Since I cut down the pine trees under which our caravan was sited it hardly gets dirty.......In fact I can see it being washed by the elements as I write this :lol: Our caravan gets a lot of use and I have been using the Flash car cleaning system on both the caravan and T2. Poundstretcher or what ever they are calling themselves (have changed their name) are selling them for a fiver. Personally I thing a power wash is to sever for caravan seals.......bri :o

[chumba]

this is good stuff and money back if you dont like it,works for me

http://www.caravan.caravanning4u.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=220&osCsid=f5a55340a70f773d5e0ff431816db68d

[robobone]

this is good stuff and money back if you dont like it,works for me

http://www.caravan.caravanning4u.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=220&osCsid=f5a55340a70f773d5e0ff431816db68d

i wet to one of there rallies last year and was given a bottle not tried it yet

[supertaff]

tRUCK-CLEAN IS VERY GOOD FOR THE CLEANING SIDE OF THINGS ... GETS ALL THE BLACK STREAKS & ROAD TAR, GUNGE AND MUCK OFF, THEN GIVE IT A POLISH WITH "MER BODY WASH" WHICH IS A POLYMER THAT CLEANS & POLISHES. THEY STATE THAT IT CAN BE USED ON CARS, CARAVANS, MOTORHOMES, AIRCRAFT ETC. WITH METALLIC/CELLULOSE/PEARLESCENTACRYLIC/CHROME ETC. FINISHES.

Matt.

[(RIP) PLANK]

silky is the stuff for me cheap and effective and also kind to plastic windows! whatever you do 'NEVER' use a pressure washer of any discription on a caravan.

I hope that doesnt seem rude to other members but you are asking for problems of you do!

[andrewk]

I use turtle wax car shampoo with a brush ,then silky to polish it twice a year,but wash it every time we use it.

I use Turtle wax car shampoo too. Many on the UKCS forums (ukcampsite.co.uk) think this isn't a great idea and that we should all be using shampoos and polishes specially designed for caravans (i.e. more expensive, probably). Turtle wax shampoo seems to work OK for me.

As it happens I have an almost full bottle of Simoniz Liquid Diamond polish/sealant stuff that works really well on cars (it's ace on the Patrol) - I never have yet managed to find time to try it on the caravan (Burstner S500TS), but just maybe I'll try this year.

Cheers
Andrew

[(RIP) PLANK]

i am in agreement, i like silky because it is efective and cheap, but be carefull as it is mildy abrasive, I have also used astonish cream cleaner in a tub and it sems the same as silky. folowed by cheap wash and wax


most caravan specific cleaners seem to be very exspensive for what they are!

[Toolbox]

Thank you all for your replies, there are some very interesting tips for me to try.

I didn’t want to go down the pressure-washing route for fear of causing problems with leaks, the van at the moment is lovely and dry and damp free.
I have previously washed it with Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner, but with the panels not being smooth found it very time consuming scrubbing with a soft brush. Perhaps I will try a spot of bleach in the water as suggested by BigG.

Never come across silky before a few of you seem to recommend it, may have to look in to see what its like. Just to clarify is this a cleaner or a polish?


The easiest thing would be to get the wife to do it, but I know that’s not going to happen. :lol:

[jims-terrano]

i am in agreement, i like silky because it is efective and cheap, but be carefull as it is mildy abrasive, I have also used astonish cream cleaner in a tub and it sems the same as silky. folowed by cheap wash and wax


most caravan specific cleaners seem to be very exspensive for what they are!

I agree with Plank and the others about Silky but then I used to give it a polish with turtle wax or something to help stop muck sticking.

Jim T

[JonathanM]

I use Autoglym carshampoo/conditioner, but then in the rinse water I use Fenwicks Bobby Dazzler. This seems to discourage dirt & marks from becoming too stubborn, in fact the one part of the van that does not have a regular (2-3 times a year) wash & rinse with bobby dazzler (the roof) is the only part that looks particularly filthy.

[robobone]

i am in agreement, i like silky because it is efective and cheap, but be carefull as it is mildy abrasive, I have also used astonish cream cleaner in a tub and it sems the same as silky. folowed by cheap wash and wax


most caravan specific cleaners seem to be very exspensive for what they are!

I agree with Plank and the others about Silky but then I used to give it a polish with turtle wax or something to help stop muck sticking.

Jim T

jim your the expert in getting bogged with mud and cleaning it off so come down to my place and help me clean my van :lol:

[Dustyboy]

Hi Toolbox

I use a power wash cleaner from B&Q on my caravan and then hose off and it removes all green mildew. I then go over it with Mer polish and it comes up a treat every year. Best of luck

[robobone]

Hi Toolbox

I use a power wash cleaner from B&Q on my caravan and then hose off and it removes all green mildew. I then go over it with Mer polish and it comes up a treat every year. Best of luck
most carvan clubs advise against jet washing caravans can cause serious leaks

[andrewk]

most carvan clubs advise against jet washing caravans can cause serious leaks

My guess is that they tend to expose rather than cause leaks.


Cheers
Andrew

[(RIP) PLANK]

i dont know, the pressure of the water hitting them could make the panels flex around the seams and open them up, also high enough pressure to blast out any seam sealer that is past its best. remember caravans tend to last a lot longer than cars and get serviced even less frequently.