Washing the RV after long period of sitting

[Jarnae]

Had a baby year and a half ago and the RV has been sitting since. We are planning on hitting the road soon and the RV is filthy. I'm curious how others are cleaning the exterior with dirt and what looks to be mold build up. What soap have you been using, power washer, brush?

Also, I need to clean the awnings which is a different beast all together. I've heard not to use Clorox on them, any tips to get these clean? Thanks!

[Poppyof5]

Awning i use vinager and dawn soap with a brush.

[Big1]

I was thinking Dawn also I use it to clean my black tank.

[RoadrunnerII]

I have tried a bunch of different products on the awnings. For the bugs and mold the best so far has been dawn and a 1/4 cup of bleach in 5-6 gallons of water. I use a soft brush to scrub it on. Stubborn stain up on ladder with a microfiber scrub pad. Then rinse it all off. Once or twice a year and awning looks like new.

RoadrunnerII

[jfk69]

My best combo on the underside of the awning has been a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and bleach. Spray it on or brush it on, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then brush lightly with a soft bristle brush then rinse thoroughly. Let dry before rolling it back up. Always spotless

[Riich]

Originally Posted by jfk69

My best combo on the underside of the awning has been a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and bleach.

Yep, we spray simple green directly on any spots, let sit for a minute or two and then scrub with a broom. Rinse it off and any spots are gone. It's amazing.

As far as washing, it's no different than a vehicle, use a good quality automotive soap in your wash bucket and a nice soft brush (I use a broom) and wash away. I just did mine (2016 Octane SL) yesterday and it is as shiny as new.

[Docsouce]

I mix up some Dawn and 2 tablespoons of bleach and water in a 10qt pail. Spray it on then roll the awning up for a couple of hours. Open it up and rinse it off. However my awning hasn't sat rolled up for a year. As mentioned, giving it a light pass with a soft brush before rolling it up would probably help with those stubborn mold areas.

[Stingray75]

Some Awsome from the dollar store does a great job cutting thru the grime.

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by RoadrunnerII

I have tried a bunch of different products on the awnings. For the bugs and mold the best so far has been dawn and a 1/4 cup of bleach in 5-6 gallons of water. I use a soft brush to scrub it on. Stubborn stain up on ladder with a microfiber scrub pad. Then rinse it all off. Once or twice a year and awning looks like new.

RoadrunnerII

This is exactly what I do - I do the top and bottom with this solution and it works perfectly!

[Wowens79]

We just washed ours after sitting for 9 months, and used a foam cannon to spray some maguires car was on it, then took a boat brush to it, and it came right off. I let the foam soak for about a minute.
It was much easier than I thought it would be.

[Jarnae]

I tried everything in this thread accept for the foam cannon.. I can't get the stains off! I'll try the foam next but getting frustrated for sure. It's going to have to wait until my trips over though, running out of time.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by Jarnae

I tried everything in this thread accept for the foam cannon.. I can't get the stains off! I'll try the foam next but getting frustrated for sure. It's going to have to wait until my trips over though, running out of time.

They may not work great on deep stains, but Magic Erasers are amazing wimpy looking sponges. I use 3 or 4 on our 15' awning when I clean both sides of it. I wouldn't use them on paint, but the awning and vinyl floor give up the spots.

[Jagiven]

First, congratulations on the baby!

Hard to say exactly what is best without seeing it. Personally I would start at the roof and work my way down. If it is super bad, it might need to be double washed.

The roof, I like Dawn dish soap, I have heard others like Spic & Span. I bring the hose up top, wrap it around the AC unit, so it stays put. Soap in the bucket, fill it once I get up top. I use my adjustable long handled carwash brush. Check the caulking as you go!

The sides. If it is as bad as you say, I might use the same Dawn dish soap in a bucket. It will take off any residual wax. Otherwise, I just use my normal McGuire's carwash soap, and that same brush, working one side at a time.

The black mold, down the sides is known as black streaks. Best stuff I found to remove it is a product called "Spray Power" by Crown. I spray it on full strength, and the black just slides off. But it is getting hard to find near me. So I have been using Simple Green, and it works to, but I have to use the brush. Others Like Total Awesome, and something else with Purple in the name.

The awning; I like that Spray Power again, full strength, I do not even prewet. Others use their favorite soap, some add a little bit of bleach (I have never used bleach). I like to give the awning a quick scrub, then roll it up all soapy. Wait 30 minutes or so, open, scrub, rinse. My parents, they just spray on the soap, and roll it up, come back 30 minutes later and hose it off (they use spray power too).

Take your time, when your on the roof. That hose can be dangerous.

Time to get that little one out there!

[kayakterp]

This is what our dealer sells and recommends for aluminum sided trailers

[TWP723]

LA's Totally Awesome diluted. What black streaks?

[VKC]

I have a class c with full body paint. I use the foam cannon and soft RV brush. I used marine wax on it and it cleans off easily

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

For fiberglass body I use car wash soap in a bucket of water and a sponge. Dry with microfiber cloth. Remove bugs, tar with Turtle bug and tar remover and used dryer sheets. Apply carnauba wax, or cleaner wax if needed, and remove with cheesecloth. Apply Turtle Wax ceramic spray wax, smear it around with microfiber cloth, up to 3 coats on front to reduce drag and bug spats. Lasts a year on average 10,000 per year traveling.

I may wash the roof sometime, I check for needed maintenance, but only wash spots that need attention, more dicor or another strip of eternabond.

The awning... I don't use it much, have made token efforts to clean it. It's usually wet when I open it and I let it dry if the weather will allow. I look at it, it looks okay, no mildew, mold, or mushrooms; I shrug my shoulders and sigh. So far so good.

[Jagenorth]

I’m new to RVing, but am a long time boater and have to deal with mildew all too often. The only product I have found that works is Concrobium, not the liquid spray, but the powdered stuff that you have to mix up. I always get mine at Home Depot

[Frequent flyer]

Originally Posted by Jarnae

Had a baby year and a half ago and the RV has been sitting since. We are planning on hitting the road soon and the RV is filthy. I'm curious how others are cleaning the exterior with dirt and what looks to be mold build up. What soap have you been using, power washer, brush?

Also, I need to clean the awnings which is a different beast all together. I've heard not to use Clorox on them, any tips to get these clean? Thanks!

Lowe’s for one has a powdered product called concrobium. You mix in with water and can only use it for an hour or so. No bleach in it. It attacks mildew chemically and no scrubbing needed. You must keep area you are cleaning wet with it. Don’t buy the liquid concrobium. This stuff works beyond belief

[ErikB]

We have a couple pinkish colored stains on our awning, and I have no idea what may have caused them. They appear to be more than mold or mildew, almost like they have pentetrated the vinyl material somehow. I've used a RV dealer awning cleaner solution, but it didn't do much of anything to the pinkish stains. Do any of you that recommend the Simple Green, Dawn, bleach, or other combinations have any experience with how they might (or do) erase those type of stains?