Cleaning exterior - Yes/No/How often/What to do

[ToolmanJohn]

 I don't care for cleaning and waxing cars, but I do it once or twice a year to preserve the paint.

I never cleaned the exterior of former campers, and I also had no sheltered storage or covers. If there was bug/tar splat on the nose, I would generally clean that off once or twice a year.

Does anyone get on a ladder and clean the entire exterior, then wax? I know we SHOULD do it but does anyone bother? My toy hauler is super white, I am not sure if general dirt will show very much. But I already see the darn streaks from the plastic/rubber trim pieces. What's up with that? Cars don't have those streaks from their moldings, why do campers do it?

[Diversteve]

We use a standard automotive wash product.
We hand wax twice a year.
The unit looks as good as the day we picked it up.

[mojospeople]

Follow up question that I was about to do a search for....what about dealing with minor scratches from branches and such? Is there a good product to help rub those out? I need to be more aware of brush and branches when pulling in/out of places
Thanks!

[pjcd]

I TRY, ( ) to wash the rig once a year, I Never waxed it or any other TT I have owned. That being said, I would think any car wax should do the job.

To wash, I use one of those car brushes, (claims to be safe on car finish) with an expandable pole and what ever car wash is for sale at "Pep Boys".

[Pinstriper]

This is our fifth season, and I'm slowly building up the ambition to wash and wax our 14DBS.

We are under covered storage, though. We're supposed to have some rain this week, I'm thinking of pulling her out to get the rinse. She doesn't need it, really. Looks as clean as anything on the lot.

[Merlin]

Follow up question that I was about to do a search for....what about dealing with minor scratches from branches and such? Is there a good product to help rub those out? I need to be more aware of brush and branches when pulling in/out of places
Thanks!

The finish on our era Camplites is automotive paint, so if you have heavy scratches ask at an auto parts store for a recommendation. Light scratches and typical battle-scars from campsite brush can be polished out with a good car wax like NuFinish, which is what I use.

[Capt J-rod]

A very fine polishing compound can be used to buff out the scratches on the metal. They make de-swirling compounds which is what I use. I wash mine after each trip with auto washing soap. Collonites 845 is my go to wax, but as merlin said Nu-Finish is hard to beat for the $$$. I also use a clay bar kit to get the bugs off after a good scrub. You don't have to wax the whole trailer every time, but a coat of wax on the front helps to get the bugs off. I would wax at least once a season. I also use Plexus on the windows pretty frequently to keep them from fogging up like head lamp lenses. All this said I am pretty OCD on this stuff, I waxed the inside of my shower this weekend LOL!!!

[Pinstriper]

A very fine polishing compound can be used to buff out the scratches on the metal. They make de-swirling compounds which is what I use. I wash mine after each trip with auto washing soap. Collonites 845 is my go to wax, but as merlin said Nu-Finish is hard to beat for the $$$. I also use a clay bar kit to get the bugs off after a good scrub. You don't have to wax the whole trailer every time, but a coat of wax on the front helps to get the bugs off. I would wax at least once a season. I also use Plexus on the windows pretty frequently to keep them from fogging up like head lamp lenses. All this said I am pretty OCD on this stuff, I waxed the inside of my shower this weekend LOL!!!

OCD no kidding. I don't do ANY of that stuff EVER, and we just had someone walk into our campsite and ask to take pictures.

I mean, has there been ANY reports of the windows fogging up ? Not that I've read.

I'm pretty sure I'd notice if there was a patina of bug guts on the front of our trailer. But there isn't.

I did hose the thing down back in April. I'm too old and busy fishing to worry about soap and scrubbing something I can just hose off and let air dry and have it look like new.

[ToolmanJohn]

Wax the shower??? I think that's a decent idea. Never thought of that.

What about Rain-X on the shower walls (not the floors)? I may try that.

I'll give the exterior a spray wax and rinse treatment before storage. I also use a UV protector on all the plastic hatches and window trim.  No covered storage or camper cover though, just parked in the back yard. No trees though, which is a plus.

[MikeT]

I seem to have a lot of streaking which appears to be coming from the aluminum roof.  Even after a good scrub, they remain.  Any (easy) ideas?  I do wax it once a year.

[ToolmanJohn]

The only streaking I've ever had on campers is from the black trim around doors and windows. I don't know why the RV industry doesn't adopt the same materials used on cars, which don't have black streaks. GO figure.