Exterior Cleaning

[k9jackie]

I took my silver bullet on her maiden voyage to a dog show in Suffern, NY yesterday and had to drive back to NJ in a snow storm. Now she is covered in road muck and de-icer.

What do you do to keep your AI clean? Do you wash the exterior at home or can you take it somewhere?


By the way, I was very impressed at how she handled the road and the snow... I expected some sliping and sliding but my AI was very stable.

[Protagonist]

Washing vehicles at home (apartment complex) is not allowed by the terms of my lease. As it happens, there is a Blue Beacon truck wash about three miles from my local Camping World, so every time I visit one, I make a small detour to also visit the other.

Important— if you let Blue Beacon wash it, make sure your roof vents are closed (MaxxFan and bathroom vent) because the long wands they use WILL reach the roof and can turn your vents into a waterfall. Do not ask how I know, but fortunately the one that was open was the bathroom vent so the water running in just ended up in the gray tank through the shower drain. And tell them specifically not to spray water directly into the furnace exhaust on the driver's side. Spraying into the grille on the water heater door is okay, though, as long as the water heater isn't running at the time; it's designed to get wet when you drain it anyway.

Blue Beacon will not wax it— their sprayers don't spray wax like the do-it-yourself places— but they will Rain-X the whole van, which is an adequate substitute considering how much of the exterior is glass anyway.

[Ron_CA]

I've taken mine to Blue Beacon a couple times on the road and just take blue painters tape and put over the furnace and battery vents. Not to waterproof but just as a reminder for the guy with the water wand in his hand.

At home I wash mine myself and have about a 4' extension pole with a microfiber mit on the end. About every 3 rd time, I get out the step ladder and with a helper holding it, give the top a good washing.

I also use deionized water so do not have to dry it off and it drys without any water spots.

[paiceman]

I second Protagonist, go to a Blue Beacon in your area and instruct them as to exactly what you want them to do. Low pressure spray with undercarriage spray as well and then hand wipe down using micro fiber mitts that they will let you inspect for cleanliness.

Even though I can wash mine in our driveway IF we ever run into a salt situation I immediately get it cleaned this way, plus my driveway would then freeze over. The main thing you want is to get the salt off and our of the rivet heads and in my opinion the only way to do this is with a sprayer.

[k9jackie]

Thanks guys. I've never heard of blue beacon but I'll look for them.

[Soyboy]

Microfiber pad on a pole using Meguiars Gold Soap does a nice job on mine (it's polished). Since mine is polished and bare aluminum, I avoid taking it on salty roads. It gets enough of that at the beach! LOL.

[73shark]

Do mine in the driveway w/ hose and microfiber head on extendable pole and Meguiars Gold soap. At the end of the travel season, I'll use a step ladder and do the roof.

[Ron_CA]

Marc, I do my roof more frequently as I like to keep my solar power at optimum.

[73shark]

I rinse it off more often for that some reason.

[bennu36]

I have one of the black ones ....yes I know I know but it looks soo good when it is clean. having said that I took it to a detailer last year and spent like $400 to have the out side done . He removes all the water spots on both the paint and the glass and gave the paint a good coat of wax. Since then I make a trip to Blue Beacon about once a month. It still looks good, but I have plans to take it back to the detailer for another coat of wax in the next month or so.

[featherbedder]

Blue beacon and other truck washes use reclaimed water from washes also some water contains acid as they used on our alum. semi trailers, specify no acid, some times polished alum. turns white from acid, we always told only what to use acid water on. Yes they do good job but there are other truck washing places, use any of them but spec. no acid on AS. AS I wash at home with turtle wax car soap and several other brands I use micro fiber mitt, soft brush on ext. pole, some times wax w/liq. car wax. My 76 AS still looks good excpt for baldness. I'm still trying to get enough nerve to paint top white. Salt not a prob. as inside for winter.