Washing your class A

[frankiebIII]

I purchased my rig in March. I enjoy taking care of the things I love. I have washed the outside about 6 times already. I love it looking clean and glossy before a trip and like to clean the gunk off after a trip. I also have it in storage at an outside facility so whenever I pick it up it usually has a good coat of dust and dirt on it. However, it is time consuming to wash and I really hate having to dry it.
Sometimes I give it a full wash and sometimes just a good rinse. I've scrubbed the roof to start the summer and always rinse it at the least when I do wash the rig.

How often do you wash your RV?
How often do you wash the roof?
Does anyone have any tips to make it easier?
Is there a soap that will leave it streak free if I don't dry it?

Thanks for any advice

[J-Rooster]

I wash my coach 3 times a year. Or should I say I have my Grandson (16 yrs.) wash it. I do the roof first after rinsing the whole coach. I use Simple Green (soap) and a power washer on the lowest settings. I do not power wash any seams or caulking. I apply 3 coats of Nu Finish paste wax to the front end of the coach only. The rest of the coach I use Aerospace #303 Protectant with UV protection very easy to work with and adds luster to the coach.

[DSDP_Don]

We've owned our coach since new. In the first 6 years, it got washed before every trip and waxed at least 4-6 times a year. The front 3M shield gets either 303, Plexus, Pledge or wax before every trip. Nothing sticks to it.

In the last couple of years, the knees and back have been acting up. It still gets washed before every trip and waxed quite often. The only difference now is I do it in sections. Sometimes with a nap about half way.:Z

As for tips, I use a soft brush on a pole and Meguiars car wash soap that I keep in a dish soap bottle. I squirt about a 6" long squirt on the brush and can wash half of one side. I rinse and do the other half. I still get on a ladder and dry with cotton towels, but you can also wrap a towel around a push broom and dry the sides. Just move the towel around the broom to the dry sides of the towel.

Now...don't forget to wash the generator and it gets a coat of wax once a year. The roof twice a year.

I've always advocated what the "Executive" stated.....you really get to see little issues developing when you clean your own coach. I also do all of my own engine servicing which lets me see issues developing on the underside too. Now that I'm getting older and things are getting tougher, I have a different opinion of older people with dirty coaches.....some just can't physically clean them.

[Executive45]

I wash mine when I can but usually once a month. The roof gets washed too..you wash your hair when you shower don't you...:S..the coach, including the roof, gets waxed twice a year. Takes me a couple hours at a campsite to do the wash. Some CGs charge $10 others don't care. If it's going to rain, simply lather it up and let Mother Nature rinse it for you. It still needs to be wiped down with microfiber towels. Make sure you wet the microfiber towels before drying...washing your coach gets you up close and personal with your rig. You will be surprised at other things you find while washing it. Things that you can easily repair/fix that you might otherwise miss.

Unless you use soft water, you will get water spots if you don't wipe it down after hosing it off......Dennis

[JR45]

We just got back from the FMCA Rally in Albany, Or while there they parked us next to a guy in a 2004 Country Coach that looked better than it did when it was new and it had 65k on it. Never washes it but waxes it every month and between uses a California buster, liquid spray wax and microfiber towels. He had his coach looking great in 2hrs max.
JR