Roof cleaning

[Dave W]

OK, I've already gotten several dope slaps alongside my head for neglecting my 'duties'. I dislike getting up on that nicely arched roof with so many lumps and bumps (vents/air conditioners/antennas,, etc) so haven't been doing a good job housekeeping. Today is my 3rd and last partial day of scrubbing with only the LR slide left. Phew!



I've used liquid Spic and Span in the past but really don't want to strip the rest of that sidewall wax. This year I'm using a no wax car wash and the job is only mediocre unless I really get into it with a medium bristle brush.


OK, what do you use? I did clean one slide with some Camco roof cleaner but that wasn't much if any better then the car wash. Any magic elixirs to clean these rubber roofs. (I do miss the metal roofs we had on a couple past RVs. A 20 dollar bucket of Henry's aluminum roof paint, a couple hours and it was 'clean' again)

[DQDick]

A number of years ago the manufactures of the roof were at the National Rally and said don't wash it. In 9 years of full timing with two Montanas I never have. They said, "If you can't resist, use Dawn or something else that doesn't have a fruit smell and will attract birds and squirrels who will try and dig the fruit up:.

[mlh]

You are probably doing your roof more harm by cleaning it than leaving it not cleaned. Get your camper nice and cool and take a nap.
Lynwood

[Dave W]

Dick & Lynwood - If only I could just leave it alone, i would. It spends all winter (15 Oct to 15 April) under the 100 foot tall oak trees in the yard on its parking pad. Even though I did a half a@#$d washdown last fall, it was dirt black. Some will say buy a cover - well after having wind, mice, general rot and misadventure (my big feet) destroy three of them (900+ bucks), that is no option for my SS (and lousy pension) either.


It doesn't need to be 100% clean, but heavy dirt deposits don't fill me will good cheer either

[mlh]

Dave I live in the woods to. Big oak trees, what a mess. The oak blooms roll off our roof as big as footballs. Then the bear comes to visit about every night. If something can eat it you don’t leave it outside, because the bear will.
Lynwood

[richfaa]

What DQ Dick said we were at the same seminar

[Dave W]

I just did the LR slide. You probably could have planted potatoes and carrots there. There is hope though as to never doing the slides again. I have a set of 4 toppers to finish installing this week - well three. Trekwood's seal vendor didn't mind spending my money but so far no seals nor any shipping date for supposedly stock material.



Lynwood - oak trees just ensure that you keep busy at least 3 seasons a year - spring bloom balls, dropped twigs and branches all summer then a mountain of acorns in the fall which keep the local deer happy(we had 14 regulars this past winter)


Can you buy Dawn that doesn't smell like apples or citrus? Gotta look next trip to the store.

[Texan]

The less I walk on the roof the better. My rv stays inside the barn except when traveling but it does get dirty. I just use dawn and water and it works well. If it gets stained then it won't hurt it and the scrubbing to get stains off will probably do more harm than good. Sometimes less is more.

[sambam]

If you decide to go ahead and clean it, I find blue dawn works best for me.

[mlh]

[QUOTE=Dave W;1142460



Lynwood - oak trees just ensure that you keep busy at least 3 seasons a year - spring bloom balls, dropped twigs and branches all summer then a mountain of acorns in the fall which keep the local deer happy(we had 14 regulars this past winter.

And doesn’t include the 800 cubic feet of mulched leaves.
Lynwood
Edit
Living in the woods isn’t all bad. I had a turkey gobbler strutting and gobbling less than a hundred feet from my home 30 minutes ago.
I’ll take it.
Lynwood

[daveinaz]

Hmm, so I guess it like having antique furniture. Call it "patina" and leave it alone..

[AZ Traveler]

I just hose it off a couple of times a year, if I am lucky enough to get it rained on then I don't even hose it off.

[jimcol]

Dave W, I'm like you and can't leave it alone although not as diligent as I one time was. I use a pretty heavy concentrate of Blue Dawn, about 8 ounces in 4 gallons of water. Use a fairly soft car wash long handled brush to apply the cleaner. Let set for a couple of minutes and rinse it off. Takes about 45 minutes to do the entire roof. Doesn't get rid of all the stains but removes most the dirt. About 3 times a year keeps it fairly clean. I did use one of the roof cleaning liquids one time. Got the roof really white but left a hell of a residue on the sides of the RV that required some pretty heavy scrubbing to remove. Won't make that mistake again.

[Dave W]

Looks like the next time I will use Dawn and a long handled brush. Dawn does about everything else around here that needs to be cleaned. And no, the 5er roof doesn't need to sparkle, just needs to not look like that 'tater patch mentioned above.

[Renegade1LI]

I cant leave it alone & dont, I have been using a mixture of laundry detergent & a little bleach. First I hose it off & the camper, presoak with a little bleach any bad spots & then scrub away. Let it dry & wipe down with 303, at least 3 times a season. Never wore out a roof or had a roof leak or issue ever & the roofs always looked good.After the roof I wash & wax the rest, I love walking up to it & smell a hint of clorox & carnauba.

[waynemoore]

Gees guys if the manufacture says leave the roof alone then leave it alone.


Someday one of us will be up there trying to get it sparkling white so the birds can poop on it and fall off.


Then some goody for all lawyer will be suing all the roof material manufactures and all the RV manufactures.


There by increasing the price of the RV, and all the components in the roofs.


Just saying is all.

[beeje]

FYI, Dawn is not recommended to be used to wash your car/RV/boat etc. It will remove any wax that is there. Once the dawn washes down over the sides of your RV, the wax is GONE. Now you will have to re wax the entire camper. Use something milder or use dawn of whatever, on your hands and knees, being careful not to let it run down the sides.

[Wicked1]

Originally Posted by DQDick

A number of years ago the manufactures of the roof were at the National Rally and said don't wash it. In 9 years of full timing with two Montanas I never have. They said, "If you can't resist, use Dawn or something else that doesn't have a fruit smell and will attract birds and squirrels who will try and dig the fruit up:.

I have always used Dawn 1-2 times a year on my roof no issues and I usually reseal or fix any sealant when I am up there. Really all it does is keep the garbage on the roof from coming down the sides and making black streaks but I like to keep the whole rig clean since it is easier to detect any issues.

[jcurryii]

Cleaned my 2012 initially with dawn, then the last few years with Murphy’s Oil Soap.
Had to have roof replaced last year due to limb tearing a hole in roof (insurance covered). Repair company told me that my original roof was brittle, probably due to cleaning saying don’t clean. So now the only reason I go up is to sweep and inspect sealant.

[drsmart]

Does anyone use a 1600 or so psi pressure washer? It's at the lower end of the pressure range and no soap required so no wax loss from the sides of the rig. Just keep a reasonable distance from the surface with a spread pattern nozzle. Use a sweeping motion at about 30 to 45 degrees.