Best Solvent To Remove RV Window & Roof Caulk?

[BreakAes]

Hi all,

I've been doing research on what the best solvent is to remove RV window and roof caulk. I don't know what was used by the previous owners, but I'm currently using Pro-Flex to seal up the windows and panels on the sides, and I'm open to caulk product suggestions for the roof. I have a 1996 Lance Squire 8000.

I'm at the point where I need to get a solvent to get the rest of the caulking off. Originally I thought I might get So Brite DSR-5 (also known as Re-Mov), but the reviews are mixed, and some of the prices are high: https://www.amazon.com/So-Brite-DSR-5-Ready-Solvent/dp/B00ANN7IAO#customerReviews

The local RV store rep suggested Crest Acry-Solv, which also isn't cheap, but may be more reasonable than the So Brite product. Crest Acry-Solv seems pretty rare, but here is some positive commentary on it:

https://signs101.com/threads/adhesive-removal.66954/
https://detailingbliss.com/threads/your-favorite-tar-remover.7154/
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/maintenance-detailing/218072-getting-adhesive-off-body.html
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101-a/36129-how-remove-road-paint-off-car-paint.html

There's also this Transtar Acry-Solvent, which is less expensive and got some good Amazon reviews, although somebody said he prefers benzene, which I think I'll take a pass on. I don't know if any of them are using it to remove RV caulking though: https://www.amazon.com/TRANSTAR-9784-Acry-Solvent-Quart/dp/B000RI57A8#customerReviews

Has anybody used any of these 3 solvents to remove RV caulk? Or do you have a suggestion for something else to use to remove RV caulking?

I'm leaning towards going with the Crest Acry-Solv, but let me know if you have any information for me, thanks.

[Veebyes]

Acetone or lacquer thinners do a good job of dissolving most things.

[C_Schomer]

I'm just finishing up redoing my entire fifth wheel… Graphics and roof recaulk and coating. I have several solvents in my garage and I ended up mixing mineral spirits and xylene about 50-50 and that worked the best of all the solvents I had around. It still won't completely dissolve any of the adhesive or caulks but at least it softens and makes it easier to scrape off. I scraped off all the black and cracked caulking on the roof and left the rest of the caulk that was still clean and stuck good. I replaced all of the round head screws with countersunk flat head screws and did a nice smooth re-caulking. After the caulk was set up I put eterna bond tape over it and then the roof coating over everything. I think the self-leveling dicor caulk is garbage because it shrinks so much so I used the non-self-leveling dicor on the roof. I removed all the trim pieces and fixtures on the sides and cleaned off the old Geocel and putty and reinstalled everything with a good grade of latex caulk and wiped off the excess caulk after everything was tighten down.
FWIW, i've been getting away from any petroleum based caulks, little by little. I replaced a skylight in 2016 after a hailstorm and I used Latex caulk and it was still white and in excellent shape. Craig

[Powertour]

For you guys recommending mineral spirits.... are you going back behind the mineral spirits to clean off the petro film left by it? Sucks to work your tail off scraping/cleaning only to apply 'caulk' onto a surface that's got something on it keeping the stuff you're applying from adhering the best it can.

I prefer plastic scrapers & acetone to prep surfaces for caulk/sealants etc.

[jjrbus]

Buy some high dollar $$$$$ caulk remover with a fancy high tech sounding name and use it next to mineral spirits. Mineral spirits at about 20% of the cost works as good as any of the ones I have tried in the last 60 years.

[BreakAes]

I took the camper to the local RV shop, and it seems the consensus is that everything has to be re-sealed. One of the guys told me that Par Bond is currently on the roof. He also said instead of trying to chase down a leak, it would be better to just strip all the old stuff off, and redo everything.

This seems like a potentially really big job for my aide, so I'm hoping it'll work out. He does have roofing experience, but no RV experience, so hopefully it will be sealed up really well by the time it's all said and done. I definitely want to fix the leak(s), and protect the camper from water damage.

I was talking to my neighbor, and she told me this: "My dad had a leaky trailer, and he would put a couple of coats of snow coat on it. It actually held up pretty well, and I was even able to sell it after he died, and he kids lived in it quite a while. Just saying getting someone to roll on a good coat of that might be easier than a caulking and sealing all the seams. Also that sealant they sell on tv has a paint on kind, and some in a tube, that I hear seals up everything even on the worst conditions. I can’t remember what it’s called. Riteaide had some in its “as seen on tv “ aisle."

I'm not familiar with Snow Coat, or this Paint On Sealant that she's talking about. I did see stuff like Heng's and Henry's RV Roof Coatings, which I'm also not familiar with. Are those just for roofs? And is there any Coating/Sealant for the sides of a camper? I have a 1996 Lance Squire 8000, and the materials the camper is made out of determine which of these Coating Products you need, right?

What can you guys tell me about all this? It would be nice if this sealing job could be done easily, but I feel like I'll have to do what it takes to get it done right, within reason. The guy who sold it to me told me there were no leaks, and we didn't think there were any when we looked it over. I don't think he was trying to screw me, and the camper seems to be in fairly good shape otherwise, but this is giving me a big headache.

Thanks.

[BreakAes]

Thanks,

Has anybody tried Auto Tech Quick N Easy Adhesive Remover? It seems like the best stuff, at least from the reviews I've seen so far: https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Tech-Manufacturing-AT13-032-Specialty/dp/B00ZAOIM74/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=auto+tech+remover&qid=1568146270&s=gateway&sr=8-1#customerReviews


Somebody said he tried So Brite DSR-5/Re-Mov, Crest Acry-Solv, and Transtar Acry-Solvent, and said only Goof Off works for him. An Amazon reviewer for the Auto Tech solvent said it's better than Goof Off, but it is expensive though. The caulk is tough to get off though, so I want the best solvent out there.

[vermilye]

For ProFlex, a plastic scraper (to avoid damaging the surface) for as much as possible, acetone for the remainder. Be careful - acetone is highly flammable!

[ajriding]

Use a scraper. Cover the last bit of residue with the new lap sealant. Never use silicone. Silicone will be hard to get off, scrape off what you can, cover with the new stuff.

The scraper has an edge. One side is flat, the other is beveled like scissor blades. Put the flat side to the wall. On a scraper that means usually the half circle is on the right.

[Dave_H_M]

I do like Drew.

My thought is that if it is so difficult to take off, it must be good to go.

[jjrbus]

For caulk, not silicone I find mineral spirits is best all round remover and plastic razor blades or sharpen the edge of an old credit card.

Remove the bulk with what ever you can use without scratching paint and such, razor knife, knife, chisel, putty knife. Then soak the remaining caulk with mineral spirits. I wet paper towels with ms and cover with plastic wrap and will tape it on walls. Let the MS do the work, then scrap with plastic and use scrubby sponge to clean up the rest.

[Lynnmor]

Start with mineral spirits and see if that will remove anything.

[DrewE]

Depending on what is there (i.e. usually if it's not silicone), you may not need to remove every last particle of it before resealing, just any that's loose or excessive or generally in your way.

I generally use mechanical methods such as the ubiquitous razor blade scraper.