Forum Discussion

TennTechMan's avatar
TennTechMan
Explorer
Jun 18, 2013

Am I Lazy? Need to Wash the RV

I bought my 96 Winnebago Brave just a few months ago. I'm pretty sure it's not been washed in the last few years. I'd like to really scrub the outside, and wax the surface (been reading about the floor polish).

I've got a big scrub brush on a 8 foot pole that I plan to use for most of the hard work. I've got a rubber roof. Do I need to be careful with what I wash it with? Any particular soap? Is it easy to scrub too hard?

Does the floor polish stuff go on the rubber roof? Or just the other surfaces?



The other big question for this post....Should I consider paying someone to do all this? I'm not one to shy away from some hard labor, but I'm really having trouble finding the time to clean the thing. There's a few RV dealers right down the road from me. I assume they have an efficient method for cleaning up and polishing an RV. Anyone got a guess as to what I'd have to pay for something like that? Any questions I should ask to make sure I'm going to get what I want?



Thanks in advance!
Class A
  • Snomas's avatar
    Snomas
    Explorer
    Jul 13, 2013
    I wash the rubber roof w/ Dawn soap and wax the full paint w/ Meguiers. Why pay someone $$$ to do what is so simple to do!!!
  • Rascally_Road_W's avatar
    Rascally_Road_W
    Explorer
    Jul 13, 2013
    Detailing (wash/wax) an RV with clear coat is not the same process as detailing an RV with gel-coat. You will damage your paint if you treat it like a gel-coat finish and visa-versa.
  • down_home's avatar
    down_home
    Explorer II
    Jun 24, 2013
    down home wrote:
    Depends on your own ideas on the subject but...A brush will take what dirt and grit is there and use it like sandpaper. If the finish has been cleaned that way already, for years, may not matter to you.
    Lot of pre rinsing with low setting of power washer and care not to hit windows and seals. Use one of the new rubber or synthetic finger pads on long pole. You can reach most of the side, or all of it. May require a small step stool/ladder.
    Use one of the auto car washes that say no spotting, no drying necessary but it will still need it. us the brush only on windows and windshield and wheels.
    Wash it in the shade after a rain, or early morning or late evening.
    I can't do it anymore but it took me about to hours+ with wife using the hose and doing a careful job.
    Watch who you hire to wash your rig. Two or three references, at least first from some one here or you know.
    my 21/2 cents. Your mileage may vary

    roof is fiberglass on ours. The fifth wheel was rubber and I prewashed it with car wash soap and soft brush then used rubber rooof cleaner and brush, in the shade. If it is hot surface it won't come clean near as easy if ever.
  • down_home's avatar
    down_home
    Explorer II
    Jun 24, 2013
    Depends on your own ideas on the subject but...A brush will take what dirt and grit is there and use it like sandpaper. If the finish has been cleaned that way already, for years, may not matter to you.
    Lot of pre rinsing with low setting of power washer and care not to hit windows and seals. Use one of the new rubber or synthetic finger pads on long pole. You can reach most of the side, or all of it. May require a small step stool/ladder.
    Use one of the auto car washes that say no spotting, no drying necessary but it will still need it. us the brush only on windows and windshield and wheels.
    Wash it in the shade after a rain, or early morning or late evening.
    I can't do it anymore but it took me about to hours+ with wife using the hose and doing a careful job.
    Watch who you hire to wash your rig. Two or three references, at least first from some one here or you know.
    my 21/2 cents. Your mileage may vary
  • down_home's avatar
    down_home
    Explorer II
    Jun 24, 2013
    Depends on your own ideas on the subject but...A brush will take what dirt and grit is there and use it like sandpaper. If the finish has been cleaned that way already, for years, may not matter to you.
    Lot of pre rinsing with low setting of power washer and care not to hit windows and seals. Use one of the new rubber or synthetic finger pads on long pole. You can reach most of the side, or all of it. May require a small step stool/ladder.
    Use one of the auto car washes that say no spotting, no drying necessary but it will still need it. us the brush only on windows and windshield and wheels.
    Wash it in the shade after a rain, or early morning or late evening.
    I can't do it anymore but it took me about to hours+ with wife using the hose and doing a careful job.
    Watch who you hire to wash your rig. Two or three references, at least first from some one here or you know.
    my 21/2 cents. Your mileage may vary
  • Boblou's avatar
    Boblou
    Explorer
    Jun 23, 2013
    I fell for a scam (i live in Florida) RV dealer said it needed a good detailing in and out of i wanted to sell the coach (2001 Damon Intruder with 52k miles)

    The dealer recommended a person to detail the coach and i talked to
    the guy and he said he was going to do the outside and his wife and son the inside for $600.
    A couple of days later i got a bill and called the RV dealer and he said the guy (he recommended) had done an excellent job so i paid him. I went down to look at the coach in a week later, and he had not cleaned the fridge or the running lights, etc. So he missed a lot. Be careful and be sure to look at the job before signing a check to him (don't be like me)
  • Bumpyroad's avatar
    Bumpyroad
    Explorer
    Jun 20, 2013
    dieharder wrote:
    cbeierl wrote:
    BTW, according to the 1996 Winnebago Brave brochure (see page 8) you have a fiberglass roof.


    The brochure might say that, but that thing looks exactly like my Itasca, inside and out, and mine is definitely rubber. A really thick rubber.


    my 99 chieftain certainly had a fiberglass roof and if your itasca has a rubber one, then somebody added that.
    bumpy
  • HavaRaptor's avatar
    HavaRaptor
    Explorer
    Jun 20, 2013
    Bring it to Arizona in July or August during the monsoon season....Problem solved!!:)
  • dieharder's avatar
    dieharder
    Explorer
    Jun 20, 2013
    cbeierl wrote:
    BTW, according to the 1996 Winnebago Brave brochure (see page 8) you have a fiberglass roof.


    The brochure might say that, but that thing looks exactly like my Itasca, inside and out, and mine is definitely rubber. A really thick rubber.

About Motorhome Group

38,705 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 22, 2025