Need great idea for washing my Cougar roof

ScottG wrote:
You know it doesn't do anything to extend the life of the roof to clean it. In fact your better off not cleaning it as that removes some of the protective white material.
So there, that's my excuse for not washing mine. ;)

+1

Not worth the effort and risk, this is a case of less is more. Every time you brush and clean your roof your removing more of the protective white coating.

Ron W.

You know it doesn't do anything to extend the life of the roof to clean it. In fact your better off not cleaning it as that removes some of the protective white material.
So there, that's my excuse for not washing mine. ;)

Chances are you really don't need to get up there to wash it anyway. Take a 2 gallon yard sprayer and mix up a batch of a 2 cups of bleach, some dish washing liquid, and fill with water. Use one or more of your ladders and get high enough to spray the solution all over the roof, vents, ac cover, et al. Let it stand for 10 minutes so the bleach can do it's thing. Rinse and rinse and rinse with a fairly strong stream. Check for spots that may need a second application.

Same mixture works on awning as well. It would be best to wear old yard clothes as bleach will do a number on clothes.

Thanks for your responses! Promise to not get up there! I do have five ladders, accumulated over the years, all are Werner and they are 6, 8, 10, and 12 feet, which is big and sturdy. I have used all of them and feel safe on them. Used the 10-ft to remove the decals on the front, it is really high there. I went to a truck stop years ago and bought a long-handled telescoping brush with a couple of different attachments. It cost a few bucks but works great. So I can use that. A friend said he would go up when dry and check out the air conditioner to be sure there are no leaks in the rubber roofing and look other places I can't see. But he won't wash it! Now I have permission from all of you to not wash it. I will just say "the guys said leave it alone!"

Although my Outback has a roof that can be walked on, and it's arched from side-to-side, and one "could" stand on it with no problem, I don't. I wash mine from a ladder - always. My previous 2 campers I got on the roof, but the older I'm getting the more cautious I am getting. I use a painter's pole (collapsible) with a soft fluffy RV brush attached. It works just fine doing this from a ladder. I have a 10 foot step ladder and it's tall enough I can get to the top of the camper and still have good stability under my foot. Now, I paid over a hundred dollars for that ladder, but I also bought it when I remodeled our family room with 14 foot cathedral ceilings. So I do use it for other things beside the trailer. It also makes getting on top of my house easier than a conventional straight ladder.

Please do not attempt to climb on top of the roof of your camper. It's not worth it. Stay on a good ladder ... and if you do have to buy a ladder, don't get a cheap-o ladder. Get something that is sturdy and will support you with no problems when you are closer to the top. Yes, it's a pain in the neck having to move it ever few feet, but a pain in the neck is by by far much better than a broken neck if you fall!

Good luck! And please be careful.

How about calling a local dealer (it wouldn't have to be a Cougar dealer), they probably know or have someone that does this sort of thing in your area , It may be more costly but its a lot better than a slip and fall. If I lived near you I would come and do it for you but I'm far far away.

I know many don't wash them. Along the sides they put regular silicone caulking along that seam where the rubber roof comes over the side. I believe that all needs to be removed and replaced with Dicor. I live on the South Oregon Coast, and our storms here are hard on RVs, especially if they need caulking. Nothing serious yet. I could hire someone, but finding that person with experience can be difficult, and young people don't like to work, it seems. I can remove the caulking (a thin strip) which is coming loose. I am not great at caulking, it won't look pretty but will work, and can do it better on the sides, just need it in front under the bedroom which is the part of the RV that gets the storm winds. I just removed all the graphics (in this case decals) off the front end. The big Cougar cats are wearing off. I wish they would just leave the decals off entirely. I wonder if a rig can be ordered without decals. I took them off the Alfa. OK, I will call around.

Please, with all due respect, don't do it. As you probably know, these roofs can be incredibly slick when wet. Hard enough to stay upright on a level one. Is there anyone who could help you by doing it, or are you able to pay someone? On the other hand, many people never clean their roofs. Most important is the caulking. Good luck!