# Motorhome Cleaning products



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Are they a waste of money?

I have been out and cleaned the entire exterior of the van this afternoon. First thing I noticed is I had ran out of the "special" motorhome cleaner product that I got a couple of cleans ago from a motorhome accessory shop. Cant remember which one it was but it just looked like washing up liquid to me.

Before that I used to get a gallon of Traffic Film remover from a Car bits place in Darlington. That was ok but never brilliant.

So today I just used some cheap but thick washing up liquid. Wasnt even Fairy  and its just as good. Our van the age it is and the kind of material the sides are covered in is never going to look gleaming and shiny anyway, its kind of a faded cream matt finish anyway but it looks no different to when I have cleaned it before with the "proper" stuff and was no more difficult to clean either but still difficult!

Is this stuff just snake oil?


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## grandadbaza (Jan 3, 2008)

I had our van professionally valeted last year and he made a really good job it looked like new when he had finished , I asked him what sort of cleaner /polish I should use in future , he replied , anything that does not say motorhome/caravan cleaner polish , I now use products from http://www.meguiars.co.uk


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I always use a wax and wash product, can't remember the brand, but our vans always look clean! Even when dirty!>
Mind you, our last was silver and the present is champagne, and don't show dirt like white does!


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

A good wash using the Aldi/Lidl caravan cleaner stuff, dead cheap, but works fine, then a good polish with Autoglym resin polish, and a buff up, I use armourall?? on the black bits, I pay particular attention to the door shuts too.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I'm with Kev, cleaner is cleaner is cleaner. HOWEVER when it comes to polish (or wax finishes) I am convinced you really do get what you pay for.

I am a great fan of Autoglym and/or Meguirs to get a decent surface shine. An electric orbital polisher is worth its weight in gold as well when it comes to huge surface areas of Mh's (or caravans of course:wink2 

Andy


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I dont think polish will ever be enough to get this van shiny again. Im not sure they ever were though. The sides of the 640 are kind of odd. Its like the GRP is covered in some kind of matt film. I had it professionally cleaned years ago and it looked ok but not what I would describe as gleaming. If I do sell it though Ill need to tart it up somehow. Then again its 20 years old this year so you can hardly expect it to look like it rolled off the forecourt. Its really good inside though.


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## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

barryd said:


> Are they a waste of money?
> 
> So today I just used some cheap but thick washing up liquid. Wasnt even Fairy  and its just as good. !


The problem with washing up liquid is it has salt init!:surprise::surprise:


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## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

I did mine today to,including the roof!:grin2:
Used was and shine cleaner!:grin2:


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

jo662 said:


> The problem with washing up liquid is it has salt init!:surprise::surprise:


And your point is???

The amount of washing up liquid used will be a less than tiny percentage of what's in the bucket of water AND more importantly it will be rinsed off anyway won't it???

Can you taste salt on your crockery after you have washed it? Of course not so it's clear that done remains so what's the problem with using it to clean a vehicle that is designed to remain outside all year (and is covered in road salt during winter months)

Andy


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## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

Mrplodd said:


> And your point is???
> 
> Andy


Best to use a cheap wash and wax rather than a product that has salt in it imo!

When I first started riding motorcycles I used to wash with washing up liquid as thats all I had,and it soon made the nuts and bolts of ther bike red rust!

Just my opinion why I wouldnt use it!:serious:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Mrplodd said:


> I'm with Kev, cleaner is cleaner is cleaner. HOWEVER when it comes to polish (or wax finishes) I am convinced you really do get what you pay for.
> 
> I am a great fan of Autoglym and/or Meguirs to get a decent surface shine. An electric orbital polisher is worth its weight in gold as well when it comes to huge surface areas of Mh's (or caravans of course:wink2
> 
> Andy


Plus one on the orbital polishers, I've killed a good few of them though, you don't get much for £15 these days, and the damned bonnet strings getting wrapped around the spindles Grr, still they do make life easier.

On the Laika, I would do a mild T-Cut with the polisher once a year, then just wash it off with a hose, let it dry them Autoglym it.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

barryd said:


> Thanks for the replies. I dont think polish will ever be enough to get this van shiny again. Im not sure they ever were though. The sides of the 640 are kind of odd. Its like the GRP is covered in some kind of matt film. I had it professionally cleaned years ago and it looked ok but not what I would describe as gleaming. If I do sell it though Ill need to tart it up somehow. Then again its 20 years old this year so you can hardly expect it to look like it rolled off the forecourt. Its really good inside though.


Polish isn't designed to make it shine Barry, it will need a T-Cut first, then apply polish, if you just use polish it will lock in the faded paint, T-Cut will lift all the grime out of the surface, then give it a good wash, dry, then polish with Autoglym resin polish, I get mine in 2.5litre bottles off Ebay, T-Cut too.


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

I'd use 3M Hand Glaze.
Better results than T cut and much easier to polish off (IMO)


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't polish it off mine, I just hose it off, found out by accident, it just falls off when hit with water.


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

Or if Hand Glaze doesn't do it try Farecla G3.
A bit more of an aggressive cutting compound.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

G3 is far too aggressive for the very thin paint on a Moho, I only use Tcut on wet surface.


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> G3 is far too aggressive for the very thin paint on a Moho, I only use Tcut on wet surface.


Oh, OK:crying:


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I do a bit of car detailing and tbh I use common or garden carwash shampoo on my MH. I have different stuff for my cars.

Please do bear in mind folks that washing up liquid is not good for metal paintwork. If you have any small stone chips etc it will exacerbate them.

TCut et al and polishing take of a thin veneer of paint each time you use them. Therefore over time you are thinning the surface. Sensible use is advised and perhaps some research into less harsh products than TCut.

Graham :smile2:


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## alexblack13 (Feb 10, 2013)

I never use washing up liquid on my cars ever. Salt being the reason.

Just think of the salt solution working its way into all the seams and nooks n crannies etc.

I use a decent wax wash (as recommended by Meguirs) Just MHO of course and I always say to each their own.

If you want to go throwing salt water all over your P&J then go right ahead sir.

Al' ....


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

One tip for the black streaks and the roof. Only done it 3 times in 7 years. Wife insists as she can see the top from the house :surprise:

Struggled first two times with "black streak remover caravan" etc etc. This time popped down to the village hardware store and bought some Cillit Bang black mould remover. Absolutely brilliant! Took half the time


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I use WUL on our car usually, based on most cars get all kinds of crap thrown at them just driving about in normal use, car park knocks, kids throwing up all over them, inside and out, I can't see a minuscule amount of salt well diluted in the bucket, and then rinsed of being any worse TBH.

Salt underneath where it doesn't get rinsed off doesn't seem to do much harm on modern vehicles either.


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

As Lowdhams had the van in to fit the replacement sunroof that flew off on the A129 I thought they could clean the van. For £35 it looks like it did when we bought it off of them 3 years ago. I can't manage to make it look like that neither with gylms nor electric polisher. 

Johnny


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

ChrisandJohn said:


> As Lowdhams had the van in to fit the replacement sunroof that flew off on the A129 I thought they could clean the van. For £35 it looks like it did when we bought it off of them 3 years ago. I can't manage to make it look like that neither with gylms nor electric polisher.
> 
> Johnny


That sounds like good value, especially if they finished with a polish.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I doubt I would let anybody clean ours, infact, I have refused a free wash when in for a base service.
I have seen too many dealers using pressure washers, and I always think that what will they do, if and wench they drop a rag onto the ground! I am thinking about the rag collecting small particles and scratching the paintwork!
Maybe I am too fussy>


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Grath said:


> I doubt I would let anybody clean ours,
> Maybe I am too fussy>


Nooo, surely not, I'd let anyone clean mine, so long as they knew not to drown the fridge vents etc, bloody awful job.


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Grath said:


> I doubt I would let anybody clean ours, infact, I have refused a free wash when in for a base service.
> I have seen too many dealers using pressure washers, and I always think that what will they do, if and wench they drop a rag onto the ground! I am thinking about the rag collecting small particles and scratching the paintwork!
> Maybe I am too fussy>


I'm the same Graham. no one touches our van, only me. Any Tom, Dick or Harry will not respect my pride and joy like I do. Takes me days to do a proper job on it including roof, so it's tempting to let someone else do it, but no way Jose !

Steve


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Polish isn't designed to make it shine Barry,* it will need a T-Cut first,* then apply polish, if you just use polish it will lock in the faded paint, T-Cut will lift all the grime out of the surface, then give it a good wash, dry, then polish with Autoglym resin polish, I get mine in 2.5litre bottles off Ebay, T-Cut too.


I Thought T Cut was only designed for metal though Kev. I did T cut the cab last year and then wax polished it and it looked ok for a while but there are a fair few chips etc. It soon looked dull again though.

If you look at the photo below (not the greatest I could find) there is the cab which is metal then there is the coach built bit at the front and luton which is smooth GRP. Maybe you could T cut and polish that but if you look at the entire side of the van is a much more matt type finish in a kind of faded cream colour. Its not smooth to the touch like the front GRP bits or the back bit. Its sort of yellowed a bit. Dunno if it was ever white. Probably whiter than it is now but I doubt you could T Cut that could you?

I Think it would be a job for a pro anyway.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

T-Cut is just a paint restorer, I've used it on all ours Barry, as they have all had a painted aluminium shell, but I've used it on the plastic moldings too with no obvious negative effects.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I think it would need a professional job to be honest kev. There are sections of the van which close up the mouldings are starting to get spider cracks in them and I suspect it would need something more than a T cut and polish to get it to showroom condition. Having said that its not bad and internally its superb. If I sell it next spring I guess its a question of what difference it would make in the selling price against the cost of having it spruced up. 

I bet i never sell it. Ill be still chugging around in it in 10 years time coming on here all the time trying to source spare parts or how to fix something with bailer twine.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Ooh spider cracks aren't good, probably corrosion creeping away from tiny scratches or pinpricks.


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## alexblack13 (Feb 10, 2013)

I use this on my classic stuff. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Greased-L...re-/281778410468?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

You will find it under different names and prices. Very good product. Can be used on lightly dirty cars etc without washing 1st and the carnuba wax content prevents 'swirling' scratch marks. It is amazing how well it works on swirled paint.

It is always in the boot of the cars and moho too. Wipes off black streaking easily.

Have fun guys & take care...

Al...


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Ooh spider cracks aren't good, probably corrosion creeping away from tiny scratches or pinpricks.


Just looks like they are on the material on the surface Kev. I think they were like that when I bought it in 2008.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

barryd said:


> Just looks like they are on the material on the surface Kev. I think they were like that when I bought it in 2008.


Lets have a close up pictures Barry, just guessing otherwise, I had to spray a whole panel on the CI we had earlier this year


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

Have been trying to find a polish that does not contain silicone. My Rapido manual states that you must not use polish that contains silicone. So I emailed all the major polish manufacturers to ask the question " does your product contain silicone". They all replied that the products did indeed contain silicone. So I asked Wokingham Motorhomes & guess what, they use autoglym containing silicone. Having a laugh or what...........


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