How to clean the inside of the driver door on our Hymer (1 Viewer)

[TreezeV]

Hi

We're new to Motorhomes, and have just bought a 15yo Hymer 584 as a project.

It's filthy, and we are trying to get it all clean and nice for next year.

We're managing to take curtains down, clean cushions, vents, cupboards etc but the inside of the driver's door is a real issue. It has a yellow-ish stain pretty much all over - looks like a nicotine staining (but I don't think there has been a smoker in there - you can usually smell it). We have tried all the usual products - Jif, kitchen cleaner, etc on it but are now stumped as to how we can get it back to the white colour that (I presume) it should be.

I'd really appreciate some help and guidance on this one! It's a shame as everything else is scrubbing up well

Teresa

 

[Figaro]

This yellowing seems to be common to most Hymers of this age, mine included. It`s UV damage to the plastic. Some people just accept it but I don`t like it either. Suprising a prestige make should use this cheap plastic. The Remis blinds are atttached next to it and have suffered the same UV exposure without deterioration.
This weekend I removed the surround to the near side front window (very simple to do) cleaned it up and sprayed it with antique white plastic spray paint from The Range. It looks amazing so i`m going to do as much of the yellowed plastic as I can.
Good luck with the clean up, most things on the Hymer do clean up well. The upholstry zips off and I put ours in the washer !

PS if its like mine the internal door panel may not be easy to remove so I think I`ll wait for a fine day and mask off things before spraying

 

[TreezeV]

ooh that sounds promising, do please let me know how you get on - photos would be good too!
The weird thing about the yellowing in places it actually looks like drip marks, perhaps condensation lying on it has damaged it over the years?

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[Ambilkate]

This yellowing seems to be common to most Hymers of this age, mine included. It`s UV damage to the plastic. Some people just accept it but I don`t like it either. Suprising a prestige make should use this cheap plastic. The Remis blinds are atttached next to it and have suffered the same UV exposure without deterioration.
This weekend I removed the surround to the near side front window (very simple to do) cleaned it up and sprayed it with antique white plastic spray paint from The Range. It looks amazing so i`m going to do as much of the yellowed plastic as I can.
Good luck with the clean up, most things on the Hymer do clean up well. The upholstry zips off and I put ours in the washer !

PS if its like mine the internal door panel may not be easy to remove so I think I`ll wait for a fine day and mask off things before spraying

Hi Figaro could you put a pic of the can of plastic spray and if possible where you have spared this on your van please really would appreciate it . Thankyou regards Kate x

 

[Figaro]

The weird thing about the yellowing in places it actually looks like drip marks, perhaps condensation lying on it has damaged it over the years?

Could be, or someone has tried to remove the yellow with something. I think there are posts on here where people have tried different things with mixed results.
Ambilkate - I`ll get some photos and post but it may be a few days. I`ve only done the one window trim so far but intend to do the rest over the winter.

 

[houdini]

Apparently the manufacturers put bromine in the plastic as a fire retardant, the internet says peroxide and uv light reverses this process. Not quite sure how you would actually be able to do this though on your door etc.

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[scotjimland]

how we can get it back to the white colour that (I presume) it should be.

I don't think it was ever white.. more a cream colour..
my Hymer B644 is 14 years old and the door and other plastic trim still looks good..

I only have this one picture that shows the trim.. too dark to take another tonight, but it's enough to show the colour.. (photo has not been adjusted in any way)

I would be very careful about applying any paint.. nothing worse looking than plastic that looks 'painted' .. sometimes 'aged' looks better

 

[Figaro]

I would be very careful about applying any paint.. nothing worse looking than plastic that looks 'painted' .. sometimes 'aged' looks better

Well, it looks ten times better now than it did before that`s why I`m going to continue to do the rest over the coming weeks.
I`m not sure of the long term durability of it but I`ll take a chance and see. If it needs re-doing in a couple of years then that`s ok.
I really do dislike the yellowing, it was very unsightly IMO, uneven and did resemble nicotine staining.
Photos to follow
PS yours looks not to be too badly affected

 

[scotjimland]

@Figaro 'before and after' photos would be interesting to see

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[Theonlysue]

The only real solution I have read is to gently sand down.
I'm all, I would have said best left alone. It could look terrible if you paint and wears over time.

 

[Jim]

I had the same yellowing in our 99 Hymer doors, it did look awful, yes nicotine is a good description. Tried everything bar paint to get rid of it. If I still had the van I'd have given it a go.

 

[scotjimland]

@TreezeV are you on Facebook ?

If so you could join the Classic Hymers Group.. there is a lot of information and help about refurbishing.

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[Lenny HB]

There used to be some vinyl paints for plasic available, I sprayed a caravan washbasin with it, it still looked good a couple of years later when we sold the caravan.
I wouldn't recommend taking the panel off as ABS tend to go brittle with age and you will probably end up cracking it.

 

[Figaro]

I think your right about the door panel, it should be fairly easy to mask off things. The spray paint I used is intended for Plastic it goes on easily and leaves a professional looking finish

 

[TheWM]

Could you use some kind of vinyl wrap on it?

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[Figaro]

Don't know how wrap would work ? Might be lots of creases, spray much easier

 

[catspyjamas]

There is a peroxide product on the market to restore the plastic. Sorry, can't remember the name and haven't tried it.

 

[Figaro]

Here is a photo of the window surround I did over the weekend. I didn`t get a before photo as it was a bit of a spur of the moment thing driven by boredom but you can get an idea of the yellowing from the adjacent door.

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[wizzer59]

Yep mines the same and when we first got it we tried everything to clean it up but gave up in the end and just lived with it, after all said an done its still a great van

 

[Figaro]

Oh yes agreed, I just think the off white looks so much better than mucky yellow !

 

[scotjimland]

Interesting....

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[glastry]

Yes_it is an interesting post.we have a 1985 Mercedes s550, that I had given up on the internal yellowing.
Hydrogen peroxide is used by the fibreglass boys,as an oxident and hardener,when I get home I will try some more cleaning!!
As far as I remember this stuff needs careful handling,will post if any improvement in colour of the interior!!
Thanks

 

[glastry]

Yes_it is an interesting post.we have a 1985 Mercedes s550, that I had given up on the internal yellowing.
Hydrogen peroxide is used by the fibreglass boys,as an oxident and hardener,when I get home I will try some more cleaning!!
As far as I remember this stuff needs careful handling,will post if any improvement in colour of the interior!!
Thanks

On second thoughts, the stuff from the beauty parlour,in Scotjimlands post,may be a safer bet for this purpose!!!
As I am unsure of thestrength of the peroxide used for fibreglass.

 

[pappajohn]

How about the uPVC cleaner used by professional window fitters.
Dont know how good it is on this kind of plastic but works wonders on uPVC

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[Figaro]

I think uPVC cleaner is little more than mild detergent and I don`t think I`d fancy the peroxide thing.
I`ve been very pleased with the finish I got spray painting the yellowed trims. It`s not at all visible that it`s been painted, goes on easily, stays on (I tried scratching some off and it didn`t budge) and looks so much fresher than tarnished yellow.

 

[sedge]

The car trade used to use a product called Decosol for cleaning both plastic 'leather' upholstery and plastic trim eg on dashboards, door trims etc. It was like a gel of the consistency of Fairy liquid and you spread it on thinly, left it to dry and then washed it off several times with plain water. Amazing results - BUT it took the surface off and you then had to apply a sort of lacquer to give it its shine back. Sparkling!

It did need applying wearing rubber gloves as it also removed your top layer of skin otherwise!