Awesome Didn't Work...

[MarknShana]

We recently bought a used 2005 Sunline T2363. Unfortunately the previous owners stored it outside in direct sunlight (no protection at all). So the black streaks have "baked" on, I guess . The Awesome cleaner from the dollar store didn't phase them . Any other suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

Also, I've read on this forum that many of you wax your campers. However, the information that came with our camper says not to wax the aluminum siding only the doors. So ..."to wax or not to wax, that is the question"

[wagonman76]

If all else fails, you can use a rubbing or polishing compound to remove the streaks. Keep it wet and go only enough to remove the streaks. You may lose some shine where the streaks were but it would be better than the streaks.

I used it on my car once to when it came back from the body shop with rust stains on the roof. They fixed the rust around the windshield, but left all the steel grindings on the roof and then it rained. It worked great. It was a fair tradeoff though since this shop was 60% less than the others and the finished work was done well.

[nasa42a]

MarknShana.......

Wagonman's probably right for a last resort effort.....BUT before you go that far, have you tried any of the plain old "Black Streak Remover"? We've had some surprisingly good results with the stuff over the years. Some repeated scrubbing tends to be necessary. Currently, we're buying ours in WalMart's Auto/RV department for less than 5 bucks.......

Frank

[JohnB]

Mark

These have helped on the some of heavies.....

Awesome and a Magic Eraser by Mr. Clean to scrub with. Each work good but both combined are better.

WD 40 on the alum siding. Spry it on, let soak a minuntes of so and scrub with a soft cloth or paper towel. It helps on some.

Scrubing Bubbles, yes the kind you use in the bathroom for cleaning.

Good luck and let us know what trick you found to get thru them.

John

[MarknShana]

Thanks for all of your great suggestions! I'll be sure to post what works for us.

Any comments on whether or not to wax the aluminum siding?

Thanks!!

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by MarknShana

Thanks for all of your great suggestions! I'll be sure to post what works for us.

Any comments on whether or not to wax the aluminum siding?

Thanks!!

Though the manual says you don't have to, it won't hurt anything if you do. Waxing it does usually help it stay cleaner for a little longer, though it takes more work to wax because it gets down in all the little dimples of the Krystal Kote so you have to work at polishing it out.

What the manual doesn't say is you should be waxing the graphics and fiberglass parts, because the sun really beats those up. It will help them be preserved for a longer period.

Jon

[MarknShana]

Thanks Jon that's what I needed to know about waxing!!

Update on the black streaks: Since we've had some beautiful weather this week I decided to go out and give the ole' girl another scrub down. (My hubby gave her the first bath, Saturday) I worked in small sections and sprayed Awesome directly on the camper (no water) then scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed with a very soft bristle brush. Rinsed and repeated. WOW I am impressed!! That Awesome DOES work. I told my husband that it was liquid gold when it comes to RV cleaning

Now about those rubber strips that line the doors and windows. They were filthy black! Awesome didn't work on them. And I tried several applications to be sure . I also tried some Tilex (helped some) and bleach/water mixture, making sure to rinse thoroughly after the application. I know that bleach can dry out the rubber. It got some of the mildew off but not all of it. Any suggestions on what might work? Thanks!!

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by MarknShana

Thanks Jon that's what I needed to know about waxing!!

Update on the black streaks: Since we've had some beautiful weather this week I decided to go out and give the ole' girl another scrub down. (My hubby gave her the first bath, Saturday) I worked in small sections and sprayed Awesome directly on the camper (no water) then scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed with a very soft bristle brush. Rinsed and repeated. WOW I am impressed!! That Awesome DOES work. I told my husband that it was liquid gold when it comes to RV cleaning

Now about those rubber strips that line the doors and windows. They were filthy black! Awesome didn't work on them. And I tried several applications to be sure . I also tried some Tilex (helped some) and bleach/water mixture, making sure to rinse thoroughly after the application. I know that bleach can dry out the rubber. It got some of the mildew off but not all of it. Any suggestions on what might work? Thanks!!

Great news! Yes, it does have to really be sprayed right on with minimal water around in order to be effective.

The rubber strips you describe I think are more just soft plastic. If they are that bad and won't easily come clean, I'd just recommend you go buy new. The stuff comes off fairly easily (usually requires just removing a few screws) and it will pull out of the channel. You can buy it at an RV dealer in like a 25' roll, I think the roll should be <$10. To do everything would probably require a few rolls (especially since you have two entry doors), but that price may be worth it for you compared to scrubbing a lot and using up many different chemicals in the process. Not to mention in the end, you'd still have old screw cover material that will be somewhat dried out and will crack eventually.

If you choose to go this route, take a piece with you. They have different widths and of course colors too. They typically have black, white, and tan. Sunline would have used white originally. Keep in mind when you see it there, the stuff is flat when rolled up, so your curved stuff will look different right now.

If you want to keep trying to clean it, I think straight bleach would be your answer. I don't think it would really hurt it...the black stuff on there now certainly isn't helping it either.

Jon

[MarknShana]

Wow! What a quick response!! Thanks (again) Jon. We're heading to the RV dealer Friday to get some Dicor 501 and 303 Aerospace Protectant. I'll check into getting a few rolls. Thanks for suggesting that. It never occurred to me that it would be easily replaceable Really appreciate your valuable input!!!

[kanyonkitty]

Cleaning black/gray streaks, funny you mention this as I was just out at the 5th wheel today, seeing WHAT chemical cleaned the white plastic trim. Your right, Awesome does not do it, learned that a few years a go. Today my experiment was ZUD (like comet cleanser in a shaker can) and OXI Clean laundry stain remover (pretty blue colored stuff), and a kitchen scrubbing sponge with the scour pad on one side. I sprayed OXI onto the scrub pad, then sprinkled a bit of ZUD on and began cleaning (scrubbing), well I now have almost WHITE trim. This is on our 5th wheel that has sat on a dealers lot for about 4 years. I took some pics, will try to get them posted tomorrow.

Kitty

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by kanyonkitty

Cleaning black/gray streaks, funny you mention this as I was just out at the 5th wheel today, seeing WHAT chemical cleaned the white plastic trim. Your right, Awesome does not do it, learned that a few years a go. Today my experiment was ZUD (like comet cleanser in a shaker can) and OXI Clean laundry stain remover (pretty blue colored stuff), and a kitchen scrubbing sponge with the scour pad on one side. I sprayed OXI onto the scrub pad, then sprinkled a bit of ZUD on and began cleaning (scrubbing), well I now have almost WHITE trim. This is on our 5th wheel that has sat on a dealers lot for about 4 years. I took some pics, will try to get them posted tomorrow.

Kitty

Back in high school in my engineering drawing class (yes, by hand!), we used to get lead all over the drawing tables, which had like a rubbery top on them. Nothing would clean the lead off and water would actually make it a little worse. The teacher had ZUD around for a while as he found that worked best at removing the lead from the tops.

Jon

[MarknShana]

Thanks Kitty!! Deifinitely going to try the Zud and Oxi Clean and see if I can get the trim any cleaner. Now that i know it isn't rubber and is easily replaceable (thanks again Jon) I'm not too afraid to experiment on it a little.

Looking forward to seeing the pictures, Kitty.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by kanyonkitty

Cleaning black/gray streaks, funny you mention this as I was just out at the 5th wheel today, seeing WHAT chemical cleaned the white plastic trim. Your right, Awesome does not do it, learned that a few years a go. Today my experiment was ZUD (like comet cleanser in a shaker can) and OXI Clean laundry stain remover (pretty blue colored stuff), and a kitchen scrubbing sponge with the scour pad on one side. I sprayed OXI onto the scrub pad, then sprinkled a bit of ZUD on and began cleaning (scrubbing), well I now have almost WHITE trim. This is on our 5th wheel that has sat on a dealers lot for about 4 years. I took some pics, will try to get them posted tomorrow.

Kitty

Kitty

You mean the vinyl trim in the windows? The stuff that turns yuk yellow…

H’mm have to try that. I have not found anything yet that brings it back to white. Awesome and a Magic Eraser is sort of OK but never back to white.

I was looking at my buddies Jayco, they use trim that is pigmented white solid thru it and it does not yellow. What ever Sunline used seems to yellow. I have tried the Softscrub cleaner and it helps but still is a lot of work and never comes real white.

Any before and after pics. Greatly appreciated.

John

[Sunline Fan]

John, you bring up a good point. I just thought of something.

The trim I described that's available at RV dealers is the stuff for the corner strips. I believe that screw cover material is the same stuff around the storage doors too.

However, I'm pretty sure the windows (and possibly the doors) at this point were different stuff. I honestly haven't looked at mine that closely, but they might be the same as my '94 was. The '94 had black rubber with custom channels in it to fit specifically on that window frame. Yes, the stuff could be bought, all-rite is a good source for it, but it isn't as easy as the other typical screw cover. And yes, I think the window stuff is rubber, or some type of plastic. Still though, I'd bleach it because the mold won't help it.

So Shana, make sure to check that it is the same stuff as what is used on the corner strips so you don't break anything and be forced to get more expensive window screw cover material.

I do know that the corner strip material is soft plastic and you can get it in the roll. I also have some experience where this same material will fit in the channel around an entry door, though not a Sunline door.

John, Jayco may have used this around the doors instead. It does yellow eventually, but not nearly as fast. Heck, I just pulled up a pic of one of my locksets showing the edge strip on a door, and it is very yellowed. That would be just with about two years outside. I do know that the corner strips aren't yellow yet though. I think they usually will start to turn around 7-8 years, which is around the same time that the refrigerator vents start to turn. The electrical doors rarely yellow and the cable TV connections and outside 120V plug covers never do. The latter two turn chalky before they'd ever yellow.

Jon