Cleaning the trailer

[NW Cat Owner]

Okay gang, might need some advice, help, answers or whatever here. Yep, I most certainly will. ;D

I've washed the trailer multiple times, so I think I have that part down. Got one of those extendable Shurhold handles with a soft yellow brush attachment that works pretty well. Plus a squeege attachment that's kind of a PITA to use but it worked pretty well at getting a ton of the standing water off the flat spots on the roof.

Arriving on Wednesday will be an attachment that holds a lambs wool pad that I think will be helpful for putting wax on the roof in the areas I can't reach from the ladder. Got 2 of 'em. We'll soon see how they work. Brilliant ideas and all that don't always work.

This morning I got the trailer all spick, span and shiny clean. Even washed the wheel wells! Dang, that was a first.

Started waxing the back end first. I applied Scotchgard Marine Liquid Wax, which is what a guy at Marine Supply suggested we use. I went through an awful lot on just the back and driver's side. I put it on and could see the haze it created. Not sure how long I was supposed to leave it on, but wiped it off until the trailer was shiny again.

I did the back and driver's side and that's all my arms, hands and shoulders could handle for one day.

I hope that's the correct way to do it. I used some non-linting towels.

Cleaned the outside of the windows on the sides I waxed with regular, citrus based cleaner. When I sprayed it on I saw tons of splotches/circles on there. I know it's not from where it was sprayed on as I also tried spraying it on the cloth first and saw the same thing when I wiped it on. I'm wondering if this is due to the tinting on the windows. It all wiped off just fine. I'm hoping this type of window cleaner won't destroy the trailer windows.

So, is all this a good way to wash and wax the trailer? If not, please give me some suggestions and all that.

I have some more questions, but I'll put them in a separate post.

Thanks!

 

[NW Cat Owner]

303 Aerospace Protectant

I applied this stuff to the rubber seals on the door, windows and front storage box. Plus the side storage hatches. Tires. Wheels.

Then I find out I need to put it on the plastic bits. Haven't done that yet.

Will this also include the covers for the outside lights? Not the brake light covers and such, but such as the porch light. Heck, what about the brake and reflector light covers? Do they need 303?

How about the metal cover to the front storage bin? Anything special to clean/protect that other than what I'm using to clean the trailer? I'm using Gel-Gloss RV Heavy Duty Concentrated Wash & Wax stuff which was recommended by a forum member. Got the gallon size which will last me a while.

Oh, how about the metal cover that I remove to turn on the hot water heater? And the covers on the outside storage hatches.

Dang! I think I've covered it all. I know the plastic bits would be like the vent covers and such. It's the other bits I don't know about.

Thanks

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Weep holes & wheel well chips

I think I've found 'em. As I was washing the wheel wells out I ran the rag along the underside of the trailer and some white stuff came off the trailer. Freaked me out. I ran my finger along and found what appears to be a hole. It was right behind the door. I found another one behind the rear tire. I didn't feel around for any on the driver's side.

So, is this what I found and I don't need to freak out over 'em? I'm assuming the chunky white stuff was some fiberglass and that had me a bit concerned.

Yeah, first time I really cleaned under there.

I also found what looks like 2 chips in the fiberglass in the wheel wells. I remember some folks got that chunky protection stuff sprayed in the wheel wells but we decided not to get that option. Might be rethinking that decision now.

Any suggestions on what to do to cover up those chips? I don't want them to get any bigger.

Thanks!

 

[Karen H.]

HA! I have absolutely no answers to your questions. But I do have a suggestion...when you get your answers and are finished with your trailer, maybe you could travel north about 100 miles and do mine? Wish I had a son-in-law like some on the forum do. ;D

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Free-standing clothes lines

Okay, what the heck does this have to do with cleaning my trailer, you ask. Everything!

My next door neighbor likes to hang their towels and such on a line run between two tree stumps. Problem is that it's pretty close to the fence and when I'm washing the roof, water goes over the fence and most likely will hit her laundry.

Not cool. So, I try to wash the trailer when she hasn't hung laundry out. Doesn't always work that way. One day I lugged out the ladder as she didn't have anything hanging out. Went back in for the cleaning bucket and there was stuff on the line. Rats. Didn't wash the roof that day as I can wash the rest of the trailer without getting water over the fence if I'm really careful.

I'm willing to purchase them a free-standing clothes drying line, but I've never used one so I don't know what would be a good one to suggest. I looked on Amazon and I'm not too keen on paying 100 bucks (or more!) for one. Yeah, that's kind of pricey.

English is not her first language and it's been impossible to talk to her about her laundry drying schedule. Getting hold of her husband is hit and miss. He speaks English quite well. I want to make sure she can still do it and I can still wash the trailer. They have plenty of room on the other side of the backyard for a free-standing one (just not one attached to anything like trees).

So, if you've used this type of clothes line at home, do you have any suggestions on what will work and still not cost an arm and a leg.

Thanks!

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Ladders

Is there such a thing as a folding ladder that has wider steps on it? My feet are still killing me from going up and down and standing on the ladder to wash off the roof. It's one of those ladders that you can set up in various ways. We just usually fold it in half and I can reach all of the roof using it. Long arms, being tall and the extendable handle for the washing brush does help. ;D

But, holy cow, those narrow rungs are a killer on my feet. I already have problems with plantar however it's spelled and wear orthotics in my shoes. Including the rubber ones I wear when washing the trailer. I can't imagine how my feet would feel without 'em. My arches and the balls of my feet are screaming at me!

Thanks again folks.

 

[Brian B-P]

So, if you've used this type of clothes line at home, do you have any suggestions on what will work and still not cost an arm and a leg.

I use something almost exactly like this:
Household Essentials® Gullwing Clothes Drying Rack

This one from Amazon.com might be even closer, since it has those funny shoe or sock or whatever thing on the bottom, like mine:
Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Gullwing Clothes Drying Rack
Decently sized tubes, rather than little wires; solid and functional. I doubt I paid as much as CA$80 for it; I would expect to find something similar for less, but I would not settle for a wire rack.

I also wouldn't try to get a neighbor, especially one who doesn't speak much English, to use a different style of rack for my convenience... but it might work.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

HA! I have absolutely no answers to your questions. But I do have a suggestion...when you get your answers and are finished with your trailer, maybe you could travel north about 100 miles and do mine? Wish I had a son-in-law like some on the forum do. ;D

HA yourself! You have some pretty vivid dreams, Karen. ;D

Least your trailer is much smaller and probably not as high. Just guessing on that last part. You could get yours washed and waxed in one day. Just wear your sunscreen even on cloudy days!

Don't have a SIL to do this for me. Dirk told me early on, even before we ordered that if I wanted the trailer it'd be my responsibility to clean and wax it and all that. He will haul the ladder out for me if he's around when I'm doing it.

AND, best of all, when I get home from a trip and back it down the driveway, he's right there to help me as there's too much traffic to do it without a spotter (I have to back across the road, angle it a bit and then down a driveway). And he'll set up the levelers and tire boot clamp.

So, yeah, I'll wash and wax the trailer without any complaints or ask him to do it.

 

[Mike Lewis]

The home improvement stores sell those folding sets of steps that are like ladders but they have wide, platform steps. But they only go up to four steps, I think, which may not be tall enough for you to reach the trailer roof. I have a three-step one, and it isn't tall enough.

Whatever you end up with, be careful.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

(snip) I also wouldn't try to get a neighbor, especially one who doesn't speak much English, to use a different style of rack for my convenience... but it might work.

I guess I should have added that I plan to talk to the husband about it and suggest he look on Amazon for something. I might print out a few as suggestions. He can then let me know which one they want and I'll have it delivered to their house. I would never just get one for them without them deciding what they wanted.

I was just wondering what others have used that work. I did see that one on Amazon and wondered about it. Glad to know it works for you.

 

[Mike Lewis]

My next door neighbor likes to hang their towels and such on a line run between two tree stumps.
Thanks!

If you hang a wet towel on a clothesline in Florida, the next day you will have a wet towel on a clothesline, possibly with bird poop on it.

Yeah, I know this post isn't helpful; it just reminded me why I don't have a clothesline at home.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

The home improvement stores sell those folding sets of steps that are like ladders but they have wide, platform steps. But they only go up to four steps, I think, which may not be tall enough for you to reach the trailer roof. I have a three-step one, and it isn't tall enough.

Whatever you end up with, be careful.

Yeah, I have a 3 step one that's way too short. A fourth step wouldn't help either.

And yeah, always careful on ladders. Don't like 'em, so I'm super careful when using 'em.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

If you hang a wet towel on a clothesline in Florida, the next day you will have a wet towel on a clothesline, possibly with bird poop on it.

Yeah, I know this post isn't helpful; it just reminded me why I don't have a clothesline at home.

I remember reading somewhere about why clothes that hung outside was ironed afterwards (or at least should be). Gotta kill the eggs that bugs lay in 'em. Yeah, that decided me real quick that I would never hang clothes outside to dry.

Plus the bird doo-doo issue.

 

[rbryan4]

Responses inline

I applied Scotchgard Marine Liquid Wax, which is what a guy at Marine Supply suggested we use. I went through an awful lot on just the back and driver's side. I put it on and could see the haze it created. Not sure how long I was supposed to leave it on, but wiped it off until the trailer was shiny again.

I did the back and driver's side and that's all my arms, hands and shoulders could handle for one day.

I hope that's the correct way to do it. I used some non-linting towels.

Sounds fine to me.

Cleaned the outside of the windows on the sides I waxed with regular, citrus based cleaner. When I sprayed it on I saw tons of splotches/circles on there. I know it's not from where it was sprayed on as I also tried spraying it on the cloth first and saw the same thing when I wiped it on. I'm wondering if this is due to the tinting on the windows. It all wiped off just fine. I'm hoping this type of window cleaner won't destroy the trailer windows.

I use Glass Wax Cleaner on the windows when I'm giving them a deeper clean. It's a product you don't see being used much anymore, but you'll see professional detailers and window washers use it every so often.

303 Protectant
I applied this stuff to the rubber seals on the door, windows and front storage box. Plus the side storage hatches. Tires. Wheels.

Then I find out I need to put it on the plastic bits. Haven't done that yet.

Will this also include the covers for the outside lights? Not the brake light covers and such, but such as the porch light. Heck, what about the brake and reflector light covers? Do they need 303?

303 works on all plastics, rubber and vinyl. Works fine on the plastic light lenses.

How about the metal cover to the front storage bin? Anything special to clean/protect that other than what I'm using to clean the trailer?

If you're talking about the factory option storage box, the lid exterior isn't metal, it's fiberglass with a gelcoat finish. Just use whatever you used to wash/wax the trailer.

I'm using Gel-Gloss RV Heavy Duty Concentrated Wash & Wax stuff which was recommended by a forum member. Got the gallon size which will last me a while.

Since you are hand waxing the trailer as well as washing it, you don't need a "wash and wax" product. I like the Wash and Wax stuff for the washings in between the semi-annual or annual waxing. There's no harm in using it, just not needed in this case.

Oh, how about the metal cover that I remove to turn on the hot water heater? And the covers on the outside storage hatches.

The metal cover is painted. Wax will do fine on it. The storage hatch covers are some sort of fiberglass or plastic - not sure. I just wax them too, but I guess you could use 303 instead.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Thanks Bryan for your answers. I dunno, putting your answers in red might piss off certain longtime forum members. I remember getting yelled at for that long time ago.

I didn't know the front storage lid was also fiberglass. The things I learn from here. Will wax that when I hopefully do the other two sides tomorrow. I already did the side storage covers, just in case they were fiberglass. Dirk said they were.

Although now that I think about it, the underside of that lid is that yellowish color, so that should have clued me in, huh?

 

[steve dunham]

I remember reading somewhere about why clothes that hung outside was ironed afterwards (or at least should be). Gotta kill the eggs that bugs lay in 'em. Yeah, that decided me real quick that I would never hang clothes outside to dry.

Plus the bird doo-doo issue.

We still hang clothes outside to dry .Clothes smell so much better when dried by mother nature , sunshine. and a gentle breeze.

 

[cpaharley2008]

I highly recommend the microfiber cloths for washing, detailing, waxing the trailer as well as a damp Mr. Clean white sponge.
https://www.amazon.com/Zwipes-Micro...324&sr=8-1&keywords=furniture+cleaning+cloths
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Clean-Era...&keywords=mr+clean+multi+surface+cleaner&th=1

 

[cpaharley2008]

For the neighbor's clothes drying, I have used one of these and it takes up very little space
https://www.amazon.com/Household-Es...8&qid=1499125281&sr=8-19&keywords=clothesline

 

[rbryan4]

Thanks Bryan for your answers. I dunno, putting your answers in red might piss off certain longtime forum members. I remember getting yelled at for that long time ago.

I didn't know the front storage lid was also fiberglass. The things I learn from here. Will wax that when I hopefully do the other two sides tomorrow. I already did the side storage covers, just in case they were fiberglass. Dirk said they were.

Although now that I think about it, the underside of that lid is that yellowish color, so that should have clued me in, huh?

Ok, fair enough. I'll do them in blue next time...lol.

Just trying to make the a stand out from the q...[emoji23]

 

[gbaglo]

No hard and fast rules about coloured type.
But, if you want people to read what you have written, it's best to steer clear of colour, bold, italics and all caps in large blocks of text.
What Robert did to differentiate his responses just makes sense.
Like any tool, you have to know how to use it.