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Old 01-14-2014, 08:52 PM   #1
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Fiberglass Stain

Help! Today the Gro and Control people came to apply dormant tree spray to control moss and lichens. Unfortunately, after he left, I noticed that he not only sprayed the tree near the driveway, but also the 15B. It was hours after he had been there but there were copper sulfate spots all over the top and side of the the trailer and the box. Well, I got out the soap, and hose and tried washing the grey/blue spots off but no luck. This stuff is on there and I had a good coat of wax on the trailer. Suggestions gladly welcomed!! (Tried applying my fiberglass wax and it helps some, but not complete removal.) Our trailer now looks like a dalmatian!!
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Old 01-14-2014, 09:40 PM   #2
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Sounds like you will have to file a claim against his insurance company
and take it to a body shop for a proper cleaning.
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Old 01-14-2014, 10:27 PM   #3
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My guess is that this has happened before - it sounds like a common risk associated with the sprayed product - so how about asking the culprit for a solution?
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Old 01-15-2014, 08:57 AM   #4
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Perhaps try a 3M or Meguires combination cleaner/wax product for boats or fiberglass RVs. Try to use as little as possible and test before applying to whole area. I would put another good coat of marine wax after it is cleaned.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:05 PM   #5
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Stain update, well, the company keeps saying it just washes off, NOT. Had the guy out to try and wash it off and wax it off and he couldn't do it. Well, I tried vinegar, lemon juice, Clorox2, all to no avail. The Good News… GelGlos works great! The Bad News… it takes a lot of elbow grease! And, a lot of the spots are between the A/C and the MaxxFan (not an easy place to get to.)

Now, please don't tell me that GelGlos is bad for the Escape finish some how.
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Old 01-15-2014, 01:14 PM   #6
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Best thing I found for taking off stains on the trailer is liquid Vim.

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Old 01-15-2014, 01:43 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by techfan
...Now, please don't tell me that GelGlos is bad for the Escape finish some how.
GelGlos is made for fiberglass - so should be fine. We've used it on our fiberglass shower for years and has kept it looking very good. It also stays cleaner longer after we give it a good GelGlossing. Downside as you say is that it takes a lot of work.
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Old 01-15-2014, 02:31 PM   #8
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There is a whole line of Gel-Gloss products; I assume we're talking about their original product, just called Gel-Gloss, which is the only one they claim as specifically suitable for fiberglass. That is specifically made for fiberglass, or rather for the gelcoat or similar surface layer usually found on fiberglass products. It is an abrasive (as are Vim and most products called "polish"), plus a wax (just like the many automotive cleaner/waxes). Since the abrasive is suitable for acrylics, at a wild guess it seems to likely be suitable for the Escape's gelcoat, if not used excessively.
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Old 01-15-2014, 04:17 PM   #9
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Yes, talking about the original Gel-Gloss product for fiberglass. I tried several other fiberglass waxes, including the Scotchguard one that is for fiberglass boats that I used to wax the trailer. None of the other products touched the stains. I suspect it might be the turpentine or one of the other products in the Gel-Gloss that is making a difference. In a small area I tried Bar Keeps Friend but it also did not touch the stain, so it must be more than just the abrasive in the Gel-Gloss that is doing the trick. The Gel-Gloss still must have fewer abrasives than a rubbing compound, even the one that is a swirl remover which would have the finest grit. I wanted to go with the least abrasive that I could get away with and still remove the stains. At least I know I can get the stains off with the Gel-Gloss as long as no one has a good reason not to use it. Thanks ALL for your input. Below are two pictures of the problem. This is what remains after washing the roof 3 times. The dark spots are really adhered to the gelcoat!
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_2395.jpg   IMG_2397.jpg  
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Old 01-15-2014, 04:37 PM   #10
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Old 01-15-2014, 04:47 PM   #11
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That is ugly. What did the spray company have to say in their defence?
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Old 01-15-2014, 04:50 PM   #12
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Oh man Tim - sorry to see that! Have you contacted the company that caused the damage - I would think they would be liable for that. Anyway we have used Meguires for quite a few years and love it. Especially the oxidation remover. You might give it a try.
http://www.meguiars.com/en/marine/pr...n-removal-kit/

I know you can buy it at West Marine here in Portland - do you have one out your way?

Good luck!
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Old 01-15-2014, 07:20 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by techfan View Post
In a small area I tried Bar Keeps Friend but it also did not touch the stain, so it must be more than just the abrasive in the Gel-Gloss that is doing the trick. The Gel-Gloss still must have fewer abrasives than a rubbing compound, even the one that is a swirl remover which would have the finest grit.
I've never used Bar Keeper's Friend, but from descriptions it seems to be quite fine. The size (coarseness) of the abrasive is more important than the amount. A "rubbing compound" generally has coarser grit than a "polishing compound"; I assume that Gel-Gloss is a polish/wax.
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Old 01-15-2014, 09:15 PM   #14
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Not only is it a lot of work to remove the stains, it's even more work when you consider the new wax job that's needed. My condolences, Tim.
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Old 01-15-2014, 11:11 PM   #15
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I've got a oldy, but goldy all molded towable.. so this is from some experience. Put the GelGloss on the stains...keep it WET, a few minutes later... rub it off. You must allow the "chemicals" to work. If you do, it will be more of a cleaner and less abrasive. Yep, the instructions say to put it on and allow to dry to a haze...like all waxes. But, I've found "wet" and "time" work to lift stains. YMMV
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Old 01-16-2014, 01:11 PM   #16
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3M Marine Restorer & Wax has worked well for me in getting off tough stains with little work and it will keep the shine on the trailer unlike Bar Keepers Friend. They also have a 3M Marine Clean and Wax that will take care of most light stains.
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Old 01-17-2014, 08:15 PM   #17
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The place we have our 19 stored is in what used to be a dairy farm's pasture. The new owner no longer keeps cows and has built covered RV storage bays on most of it and the rest is left to grow grass. We happen to be on one of the major flyways for migratory waterfowl and the Canada Geese just love that pasture. One day when a huge flock of geese was grazing on the north side of the storage bays, someone's dog ran through the pasture and started chasing them. They took off, flew south and as they flew over the bay where our 19 was stored, one of them took a huge dump and it landed right on the front of our 19 . Major stain. We discovered it about three days after the fact. We used some bug & tar remover we bought at Canadian Tire and it worked, albeit with a lot of elbow grease. We now store the 19 with a tarp covering the front

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