Forum Discussion

Arn's avatar
Arn
Explorer
Aug 09, 2023

Degrease TPO Roof

I know this has been beat to death but I can't find anything to help me. I want to seal my TPO roof with Eterna Bond tape but do not know what to use to safely degrease the roof. I'm in Canada, so names of products that are common in the United States mean nothing to me. Any help? Thanks.
  • We agree to disagree. Eternabond is TPO with butyl material as the adhesive/sealer. It’s has its purpose but in my opinion is used in ways that are detrimental to an RV roof over the long term. It’s not just people like us over using it either, it’s also some of the manufacturers.

    —-> https://youtu.be/aoRTydOAkb8
  • trailer_newbe wrote:
    Not sure what you mean by “seal the roof with Eternabond”? If you are referring to the tape product this would be ill advised. Eternabond is ok for small damage like an impact from a rock or branch but using it to seal large sections of the roof will be horrible for whoever needs to clean it off in the future because it does eventually lift and leak no matter what anyone says. And the problem is once Eternabond starts to leak you really can’t see evidence of it standing on the roof. Until you start to peal it back is when you can see leakage which is too late.

    If I’m reading too much into this I apologize but people use Eternabond way too much because it’s easy to apply, but at the end of the day it leaks and has to be removed. Removing Eternabond that has been down for years is probably the worst material on the planet to deal with.

    As for cleaning the roof use “Super Clean”. I would only recommend using this stuff for cleaning in preparation for a reseal, NOT as normal maintenance. They sell it on Amazon.
    This "anyone" has a trailer with 19 year old Eternabond holding just fine. It's a great product. I bought it to use with my new RV too. No matter what anyone says.
  • Thanks all. I plan on doing around vents etc. I've had good luck with it in past so here goes. A good dose of lap sealant around the edges & regular inspections & hopefully all will be good.
  • Not sure what you mean by “seal the roof with Eternabond”? If you are referring to the tape product this would be ill advised. Eternabond is ok for small damage like an impact from a rock or branch but using it to seal large sections of the roof will be horrible for whoever needs to clean it off in the future because it does eventually lift and leak no matter what anyone says. And the problem is once Eternabond starts to leak you really can’t see evidence of it standing on the roof. Until you start to peal it back is when you can see leakage which is too late.

    If I’m reading too much into this I apologize but people use Eternabond way too much because it’s easy to apply, but at the end of the day it leaks and has to be removed. Removing Eternabond that has been down for years is probably the worst material on the planet to deal with.

    As for cleaning the roof use “Super Clean”. I would only recommend using this stuff for cleaning in preparation for a reseal, NOT as normal maintenance. They sell it on Amazon.
  • Lots of RV roof cleaners available on Amazon.ca
    Just search "rubber roof cleaner"
  • Gasoline or lacquer thinner are what is recommended by the manufacture.
  • Unfortunately finding EternaClean in Canada right now is like pulling hens teeth.
  • Arn wrote:
    I know this has been beat to death but I can't find anything to help me. I want to seal my TPO roof with Eterna Bond tape but do not know what to use to safely degrease the roof. I'm in Canada, so names of products that are common in the United States mean nothing to me. Any help? Thanks.
    Eterna bond used to make a product just for that purpose. I used it on my previous TT, and it worked well. No idea if they still have it.
  • ??? And what kind of grease is on it? And how did the grease get there? Lol

    Now on a serious note, I actually had grease on my TC roofs where I’d store the bbq grill, so generally burger or bacon grease. I used soap and water.