Cleaning NL (fiberglass) shell
I have a 2007 NL that currently lives outside uncovered. I'm hoping to get that resolved this year, but in the mean time I'm curious about proper cleaning others have performed. I wash it less than i...
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Some of the kitchen scouring pads are quite abrasive. I used pads that were plastic and sold as non scratch, soft scrub. Bar Keepers Friend and Bon Ami are very mild abrasive cleaners. They can also be used. Never use Comet or any of the coarse abrasive cleaners or any of the aggressive cleaning pads.
You may not need to use any of these products and if necessary a gentle scrubbing should be sufficient. I used a soft plastic kitchen sponge and BKF because I had some oxidation on a 10 year old camper. The light scrubbing also helped to remove layers of wax. Before deciding to use ZEP I had spent a full day waxing with Mequire's Marine Wax. I had rubbed on 2 coats and the finish still looked nasty, mottled and uneven.
I have been told and believe that in order to achieve a long lasting ZEP finish it is necessary to remove oxidation, dirt and old wax. Anyway with thorough surface prep, my ZEP finish has lasted without any cracking or peeling and no yellowing that I can detect.
Using a scouring pad and BKF sounds like a lot of work. It was actually quick and easy and way less work than wiping the haze with a typical carnuba wax application. The little work needed is all in the prep. Wiping on the ZEP finish could not be easier. You just want to use a small rag dampened in ZEP and wipe on several thin coats. Just be sure to avoid any runs and dripping.
You may not need to use any of these products and if necessary a gentle scrubbing should be sufficient. I used a soft plastic kitchen sponge and BKF because I had some oxidation on a 10 year old camper. The light scrubbing also helped to remove layers of wax. Before deciding to use ZEP I had spent a full day waxing with Mequire's Marine Wax. I had rubbed on 2 coats and the finish still looked nasty, mottled and uneven.
I have been told and believe that in order to achieve a long lasting ZEP finish it is necessary to remove oxidation, dirt and old wax. Anyway with thorough surface prep, my ZEP finish has lasted without any cracking or peeling and no yellowing that I can detect.
Using a scouring pad and BKF sounds like a lot of work. It was actually quick and easy and way less work than wiping the haze with a typical carnuba wax application. The little work needed is all in the prep. Wiping on the ZEP finish could not be easier. You just want to use a small rag dampened in ZEP and wipe on several thin coats. Just be sure to avoid any runs and dripping.
