Cleaning the van (1 Viewer)

GJH

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Aug 20, 2007
29,450
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Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
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Our van sides and roof are aluminium but the back panel and the overcab plus the sections between the cab and sides are GRP.

I don't know how it had been cleaned before we bought it but since we did we have used Onedrywash as we did on the previous van. That has been great for the aluminium parts but the GRP seemed to have greasy ingrained dirt. Perseverance with Onedrywash cleaned the overcab but the muck never really came off the back and the bits behind the cab properly, resulting in patchiness.

Some time ago I saw a post about Broken Link Removed from Poundland being effective and bought some but didn't use it immediately. This morning we finally got round to trying it and it really does do the job.

It takes a bit of elbow grease and the result isn't perfect yet but it's a good start and we'll take a "little and often" approach, using Onedrywash afterwards as it leaves a polish coat which makes subsequent cleaning easier.
 
Oct 20, 2014
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Thanks for that info. We were told by the lady valeter at the dealers that ShowroomShine was a good product, I would be interested to know if anyone has tried it? Unfortunately have no water source where MH is stored.
 
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GJH

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Aug 20, 2007
29,450
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Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
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Thanks for that info. We were told by the lady valeter at the dealers that ShowroomShine was a good product, I would be interested to know if anyone has tried it? Unfortunately have no water source where MH is stored.
The No More Dirty Bike does need water but you could probably carry enough in a container if you were only treating small areas.

We've been using Onedrywash for several years since seeing it demonstrated at shows. We find it is easier than using water and shampoo and gives a better finish. I haven't any experience of other products I'm afraid.
 

FJmike

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Jul 17, 2014
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It amazes me how folk will use all sorts of rubbish to clean their vans. No More Dirty Bike has to contain traffic film remover, the cheap TFRs contain caustic which will get things clean but at the cost of goodness knows what damage. Using a dry wash system has probably ground in the dirt into the GRP so would probably need something like http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000AY4YX/?tag=mhf04-21 and plenty of elbow grease and followed up with a good quality wax. I did try the stuff Jeanluc uses but was not too impressed.
 

Puddleduck

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I used a soft brush, a squirt of washing up liquid in a pail of water and lots of rinsing using a hose on ours...... probably should wax it but it' been raining since.

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C

Chockswahay

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Be careful, washing up liquid will strip off the wax and accelerate rust (Google it) :eek:

Just use plenty of water with a quality car shampoo (y)
 
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GJH

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Aug 20, 2007
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Using a dry wash system has probably ground in the dirt into the GRP
I know you dislike dry wash systems, Mike, but the exact opposite is the case.
As I said in the OP (not clearly enough obviously) the GRP seemed to have greasy ingrained dirt (i.e. it was there when we bought the van). The Onedrywash took the dirt off the GRP but not as well as off the aluminium. Onedrywash has not damaged the surface, if anything it has protected it.

No More Dirty Bike is used by first wetting the surface before spraying it on then leaving it for a couple of minutes before washing it off with plenty of water. Not much time for surface damage.
 
Apr 13, 2012
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1996, then break 'til 2011

Washed my fibreglass roof by : wetting it then, using a mop and bucket of warm water and Fairy Liquid, all done from a ladder... worked great, first time it had been washed in over a year(y)

..

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Oct 29, 2008
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I know you dislike dry wash systems, Mike, but the exact opposite is the case.
As I said in the OP (not clearly enough obviously) the GRP seemed to have greasy ingrained dirt (i.e. it was there when we bought the van). The Onedrywash took the dirt off the GRP but not as well as off the aluminium. Onedrywash has not damaged the surface, if anything it has protected it.

No More Dirty Bike is used by first wetting the surface before spraying it on then leaving it for a couple of minutes before washing it off with plenty of water. Not much time for surface damage.
It creeps into seams etc. So stays there and corrodes. Moat cheap products use TFR as it does clean as it dulls and eats into your van.
 

Badknee

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Aug 25, 2014
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I was told, (when cleaning showroom cars for a living) that Washing up liquid has salt in it and can damage paintwork!
Very true, it's used as an abrasive and a filler to bulk it out. You can see it on windows, it leaves white residue.
 

tick59

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Dec 25, 2007
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Our van sides and roof are aluminium but the back panel and the overcab plus the sections between the cab and sides are GRP.

I don't know how it had been cleaned before we bought it but since we did we have used Onedrywash as we did on the previous van. That has been great for the aluminium parts but the GRP seemed to have greasy ingrained dirt. Perseverance with Onedrywash cleaned the overcab but the muck never really came off the back and the bits behind the cab properly, resulting in patchiness.

Some time ago I saw a post about Broken Link Removed from Poundland being effective and bought some but didn't use it immediately. This morning we finally got round to trying it and it really does do the job.

It takes a bit of elbow grease and the result isn't perfect yet but it's a good start and we'll take a "little and often" approach, using Onedrywash afterwards as it leaves a polish coat which makes subsequent cleaning easier.

WE ALL KNOW HOW YOU LOVE WASHING THINGS !!!!!! fun!!! fun!!! fun!
!!
DSCF2425.JPG
DSCF2425.JPG
 
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Apr 12, 2013
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Shrewsbury
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25,496
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Like JeanLuc I use Farecla Marine Gel Coat Restorer (with wax) on the front and back of my Hymer,
only thing I have found that works. On the Aluminium sides and roof I use Armorall Shield, not a wax you simply apply it and wipe it off, no polishing required, it lasts about 10 washes, works great for me.

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funflair

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Dec 11, 2013
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Like JeanLuc I use Farecla Marine Gel Coat Restorer (with wax) on the front and back of my Hymer,
only thing I have found that works. On the Aluminium sides and roof I use Armorall Shield, not a wax you simply apply it and wipe it off, no polishing required, it lasts about 10 washes, works great for me.

If your Hymer is silver I would have guessed that it was painted fibreglass front and rear, so would need treating like a car paint finish.

Martin
 

funflair

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When I am at home I will use Autoglym wash and wax and then hose off possibly followed by a wipe over with Autoglym rapid Detailer to take any water marks off.

When we are away I also like a clean van and concidered soap and a brush impractical or just plain verboten so will again use the rapid detailer which I understand is also a clay bar lubricant, some might frown upon this but I am not driving around for six weeks in a dirt van.

The Farecla Gel coat restorer with wax is lightly abrasive so will restore faded and dirty Gel coat surfaces.

I do try to use anything that takes wax off, black streak remover certainly does.

Martin
 
Apr 12, 2013
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Hymer not silver white at front and rear, grey down the sides.

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Flook

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Jan 1, 2015
553
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Chelveston, Northants
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Elddis Autoquest 175
Exp
Since 4th January 2015, first registered in January
Showroom shine is brilliant, expensive but worth it. Spray it on the surface or cloth (no water req), then wipe off.

Takes out dirt, stains and water marks. TIP TOP STUFF

Flook
 

Flook

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I have cleaned my van today with Showroom Shine, removed all streaks and blemishes, also all road crud etc, now sparkling, and no water used either:D

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Oct 20, 2014
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I have cleaned my van today with Showroom Shine, removed all streaks and blemishes, also all road crud etc, now sparkling, and no water used either:D

Ah thanks @Flook wanted to know if anyone had used this product - so did you just put it on a cloth straight on to the van then use a different cloth to wipe it off? Sounds ideal for us if so.
 

Flook

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Jan 1, 2015
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Elddis Autoquest 175
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You need to use the special cloths, I forget there name off the cuff (E cloths I think), all you need to do is; shake the bottle until it is all mixed up, about 5/10seconds, spray on the surface using a sweeping motion, decide which coloured cloth to use to wipe over with, then after say 10 seconds go over with the cleaning cloth. Tou may have to use a bit of elbow grease to remove stubborn rain streaks etc, but you will get used to it.

You may well find the cloths get rather mucky:cool:, well, I do anyway, you are supposed to change the cloths when they get bad, but I just keep on using them and turn often:whistle:.

Do not try and use the whole bottle at one go, as I say it is expensive:confused:, I mainly use Showroom Shine to clean my bike, it removes all the bugs from the screen, and brings the shine to the paintwork as well, I love to ride a clean looking bike:D
 
Oct 20, 2014
1,339
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Hampshire
Funster No
33,905
MH
Adria Coral 680 SL
Exp
Since 2014
You need to use the special cloths, I forget there name off the cuff (E cloths I think), all you need to do is; shake the bottle until it is all mixed up, about 5/10seconds, spray on the surface using a sweeping motion, decide which coloured cloth to use to wipe over with, then after say 10 seconds go over with the cleaning cloth. Tou may have to use a bit of elbow grease to remove stubborn rain streaks etc, but you will get used to it.

You may well find the cloths get rather mucky:cool:, well, I do anyway, you are supposed to change the cloths when they get bad, but I just keep on using them and turn often:whistle:.

Do not try and use the whole bottle at one go, as I say it is expensive:confused:, I mainly use Showroom Shine to clean my bike, it removes all the bugs from the screen, and brings the shine to the paintwork as well, I love to ride a clean looking bike:D



:bear:

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