11-3
SECTION 11 –
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
to clean heavy road films on semi trailers
and are often dirty. They are not
designed for custom painted RV’s and
they will scratch the clearcoat finish.
Many times these scratches can
penetrate the clearcoat finish causing
delamination and/or other paint-related
issues that are not covered under
warranty.
•
Wash your RV with cool or lukewarm water
using a mild soap (such as a baby shampoo)
that does not contain bleach solution. Most
auto stores offer car wash detailing soaps that
are similar and do not have bleach in the
formulation (
such as Meguiars
®
#62
).
•
Never use a bristled brush or broom to wash
the painted surface. This will cause scratches
in the finish. Use a clean lamb’s wool mitt,
sponge, or microfiber mitt (or mop) to wash
your unit.
•
Be sure your cloth or applicator is clean. A
dirty applicator can scratch your RV.
Washing Procedure
•
Rinse area to be washed with cold water to
remove surface residue. Make sure you are
not in direct sunlight.
•
With area to be washed still wet from the rinse,
use the recommended soapy mixture to clean
the area. Use care to make sure that a clean
lambs wool mitt, sponge, or microfiber mitt or
mop is used to apply soapy water.
•
Rinse washed area before soap evaporates.
•
Dry the rinsed area before the water
evaporates.
NOTE:Avoid aiming water flow from a hose or
spray from high pressure washing
equipment into any appliance intake
because damage or difficulty in
operating appliances may occur.
•
After washing the coach, carefully inspect
sealant around window frames and vents and
any other joints that may have loosened or
separated. See “Sealants” at the beginning of
this section for details.
Bug Removal
•
Rinse the loose debris off with water and
allow the remaining residues to soak and
soften. Use soap and water to wash the
residue, then rinse. (You may wish to repeat
and leave soap on longer than normal to help
with softening hardened residue.)
•
For more stubborn areas, use an ammonia-
based glass cleaner followed by a warm soapy
water wash and a rinse.
•
Remember to use microfiber towels during
this process to help avoid scratches.
•
If this does not work, as a last resort, use a bug
removal product (
like SEA FOAM Bugs-B-
Gone or equivalent
) in a shady area and
follow the directions on label.
Polishing and/or Waxing
NOTE:When your coach is new or has been
repainted for any reason, no polish or
wax should be applied to the finish until
after a 60-day cure cycle at temperatures
higher than 60 degrees for 60 days.
Failure to observe this precaution could
void your paint warranty.
•
We recommend a silicone-free polish (
such as
Meguiars M8132 Hand Polish or Machine
Polish
) with an orbital machine and terry cloth
applicator.
•
Liquid waxes are easier to apply and bring to
a gloss with fewer residues.
•
Avoid paste waxes. They sometimes have
fillers and additives that give a very short term
result. Stay away from silicones in polishes
and soaps.
•
Buffing compounds remove some of the mil
film of the clearcoat, so we recommend that
only professionals or very experienced users
apply this type of product.
Inspection
A motor home exterior is subjected to many
physical forces and environmental conditions.
While the coach is parked, it is exposed to
climate and weather extremes and other
environmental conditions. While in operation, it
