Washing and Waxing RV

[cpatinjones]

Hello Ladies,

How many of you wash and Wax your own RV's? Do you get a service to do the washing and waxing for you? Do you hand wash and/or wax your RV? How often do you wash and wax your RV?

I have washed mine with help a couple of times. I am scared of heights (and too heavy) to get on top the roof. I have had a someone get on top to wash/conditon the roof, but it is not easy to find someone to climb up there. Also, I am afraid should they fall from roof on my property. I am looking for other reasonable priced options.

[Christine]

I have washed mine before just with along handeled car brush.... Waxed the front of it with a ladder tho fiberglass front).. i am not fond of heights either and wont get on the roof... I will have the RV people wash the roof and condition it maybe next spring.. i just had it checked and its in real good condition now.. want to keep it that way.... for my own safety i would rather pay to have to roof done...
When i had my Scamp 5th Wheel i had a detailer come to the house and wax and buff it out.. it was pretty spendy ( $400) at the time... I dont know if i Getting up and down on the ladder is what hurts my back and hips....

[Rufflesgurl]

Carolyn - Replied to this on the other forum. I'm getting my Class A 35' MH washed tomorrow afternoon - $2/ft. He charges $8/ft for wash and wax. He will wash it at the yard where I store it. I have never gotten on the roof of this over 12' tall MH and never will. Way too dangerous for me. As far as washing the rest of the vehicle, it can be done without getting on a ladder but it's so much easier to pay someone to do it if you can find someone.

Good luck.
Linda

[sharon]

I do my own. If I'm waxing, I take 2 or 3 days to do it. I actually kind of enjoy it, put some good rockin' music on and go to town on it. I have a small lightweight buffer I use so it doesn't wear me out to much.

[VickieP]

When you say they charge by the ft. do they go by the length of the rv or linear ft?

I've never found anybody around here that does it, haven't asked at any of the detail shops.

[Pooker]

I've always managed to get Flitter washed and waxed at least once a year (probably should be twice) at some outing in an RV resort where there were mobile RV washing folks roaming around. Cost is around $245 and she always comes out looking brand, spanking new. However, I recently had to have some cracks repaired on the roof and they said better not let folks prance around up there. Could have been how I got cracks. So, now if I hire one of them I'll have to say not to walk on the roof. Use scaffolding or ladders, etc.

Back in the Class A days, it would take both my DH and I quite a few hours, maybe even days, to work our way around the whole rig, but we always did it ourselves. I like sitting in the lawn chair and watching much better.

Pooker

[Colliemom]

My trailer has a fiberglass exterior. I use Gel Gloss RV Wash and Wax. All done in one step. I put my step ladder alongside my TT and use and extension handled brush I bought at Camping World, go over one side of my roof and then repeat on the other side, rinsing as I go. Then do the lower half with the brush again. I'm usually done in no time, course I have a small trailer. Just dry it off and admire that shine and I mean shine. I just gleams. And bugs come off easy too once you have it on. I also use it on my awning too as it's safe for vinyl. Did it earlier this spring and it still looks as good as new. Going to go over it again within this next week or so though. I f you use this stuff, you don't need wax as it's already in there. Gel Gloss is good stuff. You can also buy it in a can use it on your fiberglass shower walls etc. Makes cleaning so much easier and puts on a nice shine. We used to use it on the hot tubs in a motel I worked at to keep them shiny. Camping World sells the Gel Gloss RV Wash and Wax. Maybe it's available elsewhere too for all I know.

[snowball]

we keep saying we need to wash ours but it never happens have used the Mobil people that come around in the campgrounds....costs around a hundred but who knows now been awhile...did I say it needs to be washed?
sheila

[Liz]

Mine is pretty small, so I do it myself. I put a good quality marine-grade wax on it twice a year. Of course, it needs washing more often than that.

[Bethers]

I pay to have mine done at least once a year (with the waxing). I do some washing myself. And I'm a believer in the Blue Beacon truck washes for getting the rv washed when I see one on the road - very inexpensive for a wash. My rv doesn't have a shine anymore (folks I bought it from didn't keep it waxed properly) but I figure I can live without the shine. Get it waxed annually to try to keep any damage from happening.

As to the roof, I go up and sweep it off as necessary, and go up to check it out monthly. It's important to do that folks, not just washing, but checking it. Once I found a crack in one of the covers. Saved it from coming off. After having a leak fixed "professionally" 3 times, I finally went up and did it myself - and that's the first time the fix worked. The rubber roof itself really doesn't need to be sealed annually. Here's a link to the proper care of rv roofs:

http://rvbasics.com/techtips/rv-roof-care.html