Beating a Dead horse...Roof Cleaner\Conditioner

2oldman wrote:
My owner's manual says I don't need to do anything. I don't consider this a conspiracy to make my roof degrade faster.

This is exactly correct. The EPDM roofing material "sheds" as it is exposed to UV light. That material "shed" from the roof actually shields the remaining material from the UV light and prolongs the life of the roof. EPDM roofing material is widely used in commercial applications, primarily on flat roofs such as warehouses and factories, and those roofs are never washed and coated with a "protectant".

My roof cannot be walked on and it does not leak. So far so good.

I really hate to mess with it.

Tom/Barb wrote:
then a good hard wax,

Wax? That might make walking on my roof a little scary !

Another RVer with a roof that is cleaner than my roof. So...?

Good old soap and water does it for us.

then a good hard wax, no need to buff it out. Johnson's paste is as goo as it get,

My roof membrane is over 20 years old and has sat out in the sun and weather everyday. I use a soft brush hooked to my hose to clean it every year or two.

Two years ago I had the two part sealer put on it. It looks brand new with the exception of where it curves at the sidewalls of my 5th wheel. This began to crack so I sealed it with eternabond tape. No leaks...

My manual also says I don't need to do anything. But I do clean it at least once a year if for no other reason than to reduce black streaks.

I use a diluted concentrate called Voom. Made for RVs, it's the best cleaner I've found for awnings. It's pretty good for roofs too, although I've had slightly better success cleaning my roof with a mix of Oxyclean and hot water.

I have never conditioned my roof. Our previous trailer was 10 years old when we traded it and aside from some tree sap stains the roof looked like new.

My owner's manual says I don't need to do anything. I don't consider this a conspiracy to make my roof degrade faster.

That is the only "stuff" I use on my trailer roof. Others WILL chime in with all the various (much cheaper) household products they use. For me, I use only the rubber roof cleaner and conditioner. That conditioner takes a very rough feeling, and dry feeling rubber roof, and makes it simply slick as ice! The texture and feel before and after is different as night and day. I'm a firm believer in using the product made for the product intended. A little more expensive? Yes. For me, it's worth it.

By the way.... when you apply the conditioner? Pour a little on the roof and then spread it with a window squeegee. First, it spreads a lot farther than with just a rag, and you don't need a heavy layer. the squeegee will leave a nice thin layer of the conditioner. It will dry faster, and will still reach all the pours of the rubber membrane, sealing them up ... thus giving that baby butt smooth finished texture. If your roof is bowed like mine, you can still do it. Just pour smaller amounts and spread faster, and keep the squeegee down hill of the conditioner as it runs, spreading it. So... small amounts at a time... very small if your roof is bowed.