I've got a good friend/client who's going to be getting ready to sell his RV in the next few weeks so he has contracted me to get it nice, shiny and ready to be sold. Besides assorted sizes of extending brushes, ladders etc. is there anything else i should buy before hand to make the job a little easier and more efficient? Also, if anybody has washed an RV before and would like to give some advice on how to undertake something like this i would much appreciate it? I have yet to see the condition/type/size, once i actually see it in person i'm assuming i'll feel much more comfortable with something of this size.
If you can get your hands on it, scaffolding would be better than a ladder. I hat having to move it every 4 feet or so and having scaffolding would make it so much easier. I've always used ONR when doing my clients RV but that is b/c they don/t really get too dirty. I use an extendable Chenille mitt mop type "brush". wash like half of it ( EDIT: half of one side), then throw a large thick MF over the head of the brush to dry from above my head to the top of RV and dry the lower areas that I can reach by hand. Being a flat surface, you'd be surprised how fast this part can go. Obviously this depends of how dirty it is. Last one I did I actually did Col 845 on lower half and reload on the top half as generally the top half sees much less dirt, etc. Will have to see how this has held up next time i go to clean it up. Definitely saved some time doing that. any questions let me know.
As Wheelz said, they aren't that bad to do, just time consuming. There are a lot of variables however. Is it stored inside or outside? One stored outside ( depending on where you live ) could have a lot of algae build up in body seams etc that will require the use of a pressure washer. Make sure you get the keys to open the storage bins along the bottom if its a class A as these areas can get quite dirty. You can use a brush for most of it but will also need a mitt for around the canopy supports, behind the ladder on the back etc.
oh true good point Ken, both of my customers have there's completely covered on all sides when they are home so they generally don't get that algae or dirt buildup from the water runoff. If its stored uncovered it will def need some more detailed attention around these areas. Also along with the storage bins, make sure you move out the sliders on each side and clean those hidden areas as well.
Thanks for the reply's guys! It's stored outside in an RV park from what the owner told me. So it'll be interesting what type of condition it's in. I'll take some pictures when i do the initial inspection then post them up for you guys to see. Thanks again.
You may want some of the products made specifically for RVs such as the black streak remover and the rubber roof treatment. Oxy-clean can be used to clean the rubber roof. Camping World has the products. http://www.campingworld.com/
Here's some pictures of the condition of the RV. It's got a significant layer of dirt around the exterior as well as some darker black spots and drips from the roof. Most of the dirt could be wiped off with a fingertip with only some slight color leftover. As far as the sticker in the rear. The owner wants that removed as well. What would be the best way to go about doing this? It will most likely leave a shadow of where it previously was. 3M adhesive remover, razor blades and goo gone seem like my plan of attack for right now. Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated as this will be my first large vehicle cleaning.
A pressure washer will remove most, if not all of the grime built up in the cracks and crevices. Is the finish in good shape or is it slightly faded? I have yet to see one of those black mark removers that actually works. Try putting some APC in the wash water to give it a little more cleaning power. If the black stuff is light, that may remove it. If not, I would use a paintwork cleanser like Werkstat Prime Strong on your PC with a white/green pad and quickly go around the motorhome. This will clean the surface and add a bit of protection as well. For the decals, I would use a heat gun to remove the bulk of it and 3M adhesive remover to remove the residue. Do not use razor blades as there is a very good chance of marring the surface unless you have the one sided version. They are only sharpened on one side so you can safely slide the dull side across the surface without it digging in and causing damage.
If you can use a pressure washer, I don't use one. If your like me and do it by hand, I would recommend doing one side at a time, pre-soak(use foam gun w/ apc for the streaks), the wash (apc in the wash bucket too), then rinse, and dry. Repeat for each side. That way the sun doesnt dry the other sides before your completely done. I like doing it by hand so i can clearly see the areas that need more attention, (Black Streaks, Scuffs, or left over sealant from the weatherproofing, i usually see A LOT of that on RV's and Trailers, more so on the trailers.
For removing the sticker, heat and ammonia will be your best friend, my bet is if you heat the sticker with a hair dryer or heat gun on lowest setting it will peel right off leaving only a little adhesive left behind, which alcohol should take care of easy.
Thanks for the help guys! I don't own a power washer right now so i'm going to first foam with Maxi Suds and APC one side at a time. I should be able to get 95% of the dirt markings off this way if not i'll go around the vehicle with a porter cable and a polishing pad. I'm off to buy a heat gun right now for that rear sticker. I'm glad i posted this up as i would have used a razor blade and probably would have marred the surface. Stay tuned for some before and afters.
