Cleaning products

[mayco]

happy new year to you all!!

i would like your recommendations as to the best products you folks have found for cleaning both inside and out of my classic. i dont have the time or the money right now to consider stripping and polishing the exterior of my 310 so im interested in finding the best product for cleaning the exterior. all the normal stains and what not that have accumulated over the years. is it possible to buff the exterior to help the appearance or will this damage what is left of the clear coat.

also, we still need to do a deep cleaning of the interior walls and ceiling surfaces. its my understanding that walls and ceiling are a vinyl over aluminum, is this correct?

so, if any of you have found products that you are particularly fond of please share. in my house i use a Rubbermaid citrus product for washing walls and ceilings, works great in the kitchen but must be sure to rinse thoroughly.

[Waipio Rim]

We paid a college student to strip the remaining clear coat off of our 310 a couple of years ago. He was working in an Airstream restoration shop and had some skills, masked off everything that could be damaged by the stripper and went to town with some kind of water soluble stripper. The coach looks better now, have made no attempt to polish but have been doing research.

[Aldo]

I have found that Simple Green works best on just about anything. I picked up a gallon jug and a spray bottle a few months ago. I used it to remove all of the oxidization from the outside of my argosy, before washing and waxing. It works great on the interior also.

When I bought my motorhome, it had been sitting for a coupe of years. There was a funky grease covering the ceiling and smudges on the walls. The Simple Green worked great on these too.

[andreasduess]

Our everyday cleaner is simply a mixture of water and white vinegar. It works amazingly will for most things.

[karenjude]

Mr Clean magic erasers are truly magic. They're just a plain sponge type thing so you use whatever product you want but I sometimes just use them with water. They're great a removing scuff marks, stains etc and do a fabulous job on the shower door and walls.

[mayco]

Thanks for the ideas folks. Do,you need to rinse well after using the Simple Green product? Ive heard of its cleaning properities before but have never used it. Is it available at retail stores?

[mayco]

We also use the vinegar and water mix for cleaning. Vinegar is magic! Never thought about using it for the exterior.

[Bill M.]

The only thing I have found that will take the dirt and sticky off of the interior vinyl walls is Krud Cutter. Can get it at Lowes, Walmart, etc. I use the Krud cutter and follow with simple green and a rinse. The sticky is adhesive that bleeds through the vinyl coating and it is pretty tough stuff to clean off.

I use RV wash when I can wash with water. Envy waterless detailer to really clean it on the exterior.

[TG Twinkie]

I used Simple Green straight, then rinsed with clear water. It worked great. Completed the inside of my 26' Argosy, walls, ceiling, cabinets inside and out. Took about 8 hours working in areas about 4' square at a time.

[mayco]

Great info

[TerraYacht]

I use Griot's products on all my wheeled vehicles and 'homes, and also on the carpet inside my house (two cats contribute to carpet "accidents"). The interior cleaner is the mildest, and the carpet cleaner really does a super job, almost unbelievable. Outside I use the car wash, wash and wax, bug barricade, and some others that are in the garage. Paint is more tender than most aluminum so adjustments may need to be made by you--my fiberglass needs more careful applications.

There are lots of other good products, so the question is good and I lok forward to more inputs.

www.griotsgarage.com

[mayco]

Are the griot's products available at retail stores? Sounds like they have quite a wide variety.

[73shark]

Pretty sure that they are catalog/internet only. They may have a store in Washington.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by 73shark

Pretty sure that they are catalog/internet only. They may have a store in Washington.

Amazon carries some Griot's products. Probably not the full line, though…

[webspinner]

Our '71 Tradewind had been used as a poker den by the PO. We tried Simple Green with only moderate success. It took engine degreaser to get the scummy film and stink off the inside curved walls.

[mayco]

Whoa, a poker den, thats a new use of the airstream! Traveling mini casino, my retirement is set!

[Vycan]

Recommend simple green for most jobs. It's not harsh, environmentally friendly, and tough enough to use in industrial and military applications.

[mayco]

I ended up going with krud kutter and then rinceing real well with clear water. It worked great, no more funky stickiness. Im going to go over it one more time with vinegar and water to make sure all residue is gone. Thanks for all the suggestions!!

[Vycan]

Final note on simple green.... It's non-toxic, and can be used around food prep areas and drinking water. I personally used a small amount to sterilize a camelback while in an austere environment. Water was potable, camelback was contaminated.

[ASTailgate]

This is the best stuff in the market!!! It puts simple green to shame and what's even better it's only $1. Get it from dollar tree or family dollars. It called LA's Totally Awesome. When I bought my Rv 8 yrs ago it belonged to a smoker that used it as his home. The walls were yellow and some spots were brown especially around the stove top where grease was plentiful. I tried everything with no success. My dad bright me this bottle of stuff and said try this and voila you could see the grime melt off the walls. I use it for EVERYTHING NOW! I've even help out a guy at an Rv park that couldn't get grease stains off of his hood. We sprayed it on and it took all of it off. I use it in my carpet shampooer for my rentals and in my power washer. Try it. It's only $1 and the best $1 you'll ever spend. oh and I swear I'm not a rep.