Wax on...Wax off
I've got a one year old Jayco 5th wheel that is stored uncovered and exposed to the elements. It's fiberglass and I noticed the front cap is dulling just a little. I want to wax it before it fades out...
Forum Discussion
JimK-NY wrote:ReneeG wrote:
JimiK-NY - I'm interesting in switching. How did you strip off the Meguiar's?
It is important to have a good surface prep when using Zep. As I mentioned, I had first applied two coats of Meguires marine wax. I got a gallon of Zep floor stripper, diluted some in a few gallons of water and swabbed it on with a long handled sponge mop. After a rinse, I swabbed the RV with a dilute ammonia solution. That seemed to get rid of all the wax but the camper still had some dirty areas that I had previously waxed over. Next I used the dilute ammonia along with a green kitchen scrub pad and Bar Keepers Friend. Another mild abrasive cleaner such as Bon Ami would also be suitable. I scrubbed the entire camper. That sounds like a lot of work but it was faster than you might think. It took no more work than I would have taken to put a coat of paste wax on the camper.
Applying the Zep is easy. I just wiped it on lightly with a small rag dampened with Zep. You could probably do it with a long handled sponge, but I did it with a ladder and hand wiping it on. It takes at least two coats to get an even attractive finish. I applied 4 coats. You do need to allow each coat to dry for 30 minutes, which is just about the time it took me to work my way around the RV.
As I said, the finish still looks like new after a year. From what I have read on the internet, the wax may start to yellow or flake in a few years. At that point I hope to simply strip and reapply a few coats. I should be able to strip and recoat in 2-3 hours.
There are purists who enjoy a hand rubbed wax finish and do it several times a year. Those people are not likely to want to use Zep. First it is too easy. Second Zep will never give the highest possible shine and depth that can be obtained with rubbed on carnuba wax. Aside from durability and ease of application, Zep does have another advantage over the hand rubbed wax. It is easy to rinse dirt off the RV. I also do not miss those ugly black streaks which were hard to removed.
Thanks for taking the time to share your information.
