MH Cleaning 101: spray on polish/hydrophobic cleaner

[kevenh]

So far I've just water washed & rinsed dirt off the motorhome.
That is now an obviously too poor an effort as the habitat area bodywork area soon goes algea green.

I used to spend several hours properly washing previous cars like my MX5 & Impreza so have a snow foam lance & pressure washer available.

A friend uses Autosmart Aquaseal Pro Wax Sealant Spray on his car.
But no mention of that on a motorhome forum. (I still need to search for hydrophobic cleaner & not just Aquaseal)
Have I just brought an interesting "chemical" idea to you or one that should be dismissed ASAP?

I've an unused bottle of traditional motorhome shampoo - that should be my interim wash plan.

 

[DBK]

There's a detailing section on here somewhere which is full of threads about such stuff. It did get a bit heated at times with very strong views expressed. I must confess to trying snow foam and pressure washer but I've stopped as it simply didn't remove all the dirt. I guess if your MH is regularly polished and waxed to within an inch of its life snow foam may work but after a long trip through Europe I found a brush/sponge and elbow grease was the only method which worked.

 

[kevenh]

A polite "Use the search and you'll find loads of ..."?

I'll ping my mate who uses the Autosmart Aquaseal with cars about how it is applied. If it's "spray and hope" then I'll stick with bucket based hand wash products = esp. as I have an unused MH specific version of one of those next to some already open car ones

I've used pre-wash snow foams and they were less than spectacular.

 

[M-J]

I have been using normal car shampoo for cleaning along with the occasional polish with autoglym super resin.

This year I’m going to try this for the cleaning...

Euro Car Parts | Car Parts Online & In Store - FREE UK Delivery

www.eurocarparts.com

 

[tonyidle]

There's a detailing section on here somewhere which is full of threads about such stuff. It did get a bit heated at times with very strong views expressed. I must confess to trying snow foam and pressure washer but I've stopped as it simply didn't remove all the dirt. I guess if your MH is regularly polished and waxed to within an inch of its life snow foam may work but after a long trip through Europe I found a brush/sponge and elbow grease was the only method which worked.

I use snow foam - on with pressure washer then go over whole vehicle with a brush then rinse. It works as well as anything else I've tried but still have some streaking that needs neat snow foam & a sponge. I've never actually polished anything in my life. I'll let a valet service do the mh when I come to sell it. Life's too short for polishing.

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[Larrynwin]

It’s spring clean time for mine . I was thinking of paying a mobile external valeter but not sure as some use pressure wash which I want to avoid.
So I’ll do it myself and wondered how good is the ceramic spray polish to finish with following wash.

 

[Gromett]

I bought some of this. But haven't had chance to test it yet.

Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Spray Wax 768ml Advanced SiO2 Technology: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Spray Wax 768ml Advanced SiO2 Technology: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

amzn.to

It is a combined wax and ceramic treatment. I couldn't warrant spending the full amount on a full ceramic treatment but this gets good reviews. I think with the SiO2 nano particles filling the surface features of the paint it will make it harder for the moss/algae to bond to the paintwork. It will probably still grow but find it harder to cling making it easier to wash off.

As soon as we get some good weather and I have time I will test and report. Probably a month or so away.

My van is permanently parked under a tree so gets green very very quickly.

 

[kevenh]

I had the step ladder out and had a go at washing the roof.
Results are poor.
At 2.8 - 3m the thing is too high to see how I can start applying better cleaning products even before I start thinking about applying products to maintain & protect.

 

[Larrynwin]

I had the step ladder out and had a go at washing the roof.
Results are poor.
At 2.8 - 3m the thing is too high to see how I can start applying better cleaning products even before I start thinking about applying products to maintain & protect.

I use a normal extending ladder against the side of the motorhome and put old socks or gloves over the ends for protection. I then use a telescopic wash brush with Mother’s wash wax and hose off.
I always put blocks of a small sack of sand at the foot of the ladder to prevent slip.

 

[Guffy60]

So far I've just water washed & rinsed dirt off the motorhome.
That is now an obviously too poor an effort as the habitat area bodywork area soon goes algea green.

I used to spend several hours properly washing previous cars like my MX5 & Impreza so have a snow foam lance & pressure washer available.

A friend uses Autosmart Aquaseal Pro Wax Sealant Spray on his car.
But no mention of that on a motorhome forum. (I still need to search for hydrophobic cleaner & not just Aquaseal)
Have I just brought an interesting "chemical" idea to you or one that should be dismissed ASAP?

I've an unused bottle of traditional motorhome shampoo - that should be my interim wash plan.

You need to be careful with a pressure washer, as it can damage the seals between panels (joints) and also the like of roof lights. Snow foam to let it soak and loosen the dirt and then soapy water. even use a hose with a brush on the end so it’s kep wet a low pressure, works great on the roof.

I would then use one of those Wax and Dry sprays every time rinsed. I put a decent polish on my wife’s car three years ago, and use that every time it’s washed, usually monthly, and water still beads off as though freshly waxed, and you can feel it’s still waxed.

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[kevenh]

I use a normal extending ladder against the side of the motorhome and put old socks or gloves over the ends for protection. I then use a telescopic wash brush with Mother’s wash wax and hose off.
I always put blocks of a small sack of sand at the foot of the ladder to prevent slip.

Handy stuff.
I could swap out the step ladder for the extending ladder.
From amazon I am using a long brush. This one.

Maybe fitting the squeegy head instead of the brush can be used to apply the chemicals. I do have some shampoo choices.

My problem is - as I've only ever been rinsing off dirt in the 18 month of ownership there's no resistance to the green algae - extra effort is needed.
I'd better apply what I've learnt above & put that effort in.

 

[Larrynwin]

Handy stuff.
I could swap out the step ladder for the extending ladder.
From amazon I am using a long brush. This one.

Maybe fitting the squeegy head instead of the brush can be used to apply the chemicals. I do have some shampoo choices.

My problem is - as I've only ever been rinsing off dirt in the 18 month of ownership there's no resistance to the green algae - extra effort is needed.
I'd better apply what I've learnt above & put that effort in.

Yes I have a similar brush but I dont get an accumulation of algae, probably as my drive slopes a bit so a good water run off the roof of the mhome.