Washing Exterior while on the road

[VinceJJ]

Wondering if anyone has some products or methods to keep the exterior of your AS in good shape while traveling. Most RV parks do not allow vehicles to be washed and bug splatter and grime builds up.

[batman]

We have used local car wash's with the power wand sprayers.

-Dennis

[SeeMore]

Try Blue Beacon Truck Wash with convenient bays all over the country.

Here is a link to their web site for pricing and locations.

https://bluebeacon.com/our-services/rv-motorcoach/

[Bgibbs]

I use Wash Wax All. All you need is a ladder, a few microfiber towels (one wet) and a few dry. That's all I use even when home.

[VinceJJ]

Thank you Bgibbs!

[VinceJJ]

Thank you SeeMore!

[VinceJJ]

Thanks Dennis!

[azflycaster]

Be careful with products that claim you can apply them with a towel and wipe off. Many have a disclaimer that you should not use them is the trailer has sand or mud or a build up of road grime. This could cause scratching. They recommend you wash the trailer off first.

We try and find a coin operated (Now credit card) car wash that we can safely navigate the rig trough.

[SailorSam205]

I use the Wash-Wax All company's cleaning pole. Has a head that holds both a wet and dry micro fiber cloth. I've used both Wash-Wax all and Meguiar's G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax. I found the Meguiar's to be marginally better at cleaning. Upside, you can buy it at auto parts stores and Walmart among others. Downside, the gallon size W/W All is a bit lower in price.

[Bob Peahl]

I use the Aero Cosmetics RV system. It is designed for aircraft and RVs to be washed without water and does not require a ladder. Works great for general cleaning and detailing, although I also do soap and water washes for big grime.

[Trowbridge]

At do-it-yourself car washes, try to find ones which have truck bays. Cost is a bit higher (those quarters do disappear quickly!) but they often have heated soapy water which removes the debris an Airstream may accumulate on a long trip (bugs, tar, pine sap [grrr], etc.). Depending on your trailer year, clean or waxy water can be used to provide better protection. It also stops new stuff from sticking 'quite' as much.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by VinceJJ

Wondering if anyone has some products or methods to keep the exterior of your AS in good shape while traveling. Most RV parks do not allow vehicles to be washed and bug splatter and grime builds up.

I do NOT wash on the road. If the clear has not been compromised the bugs and grime can be removed at home where I have complete control of the process.
If I feel something is really needed, I go to a truck wash and use the power wand with WATER only.

If you have spent time using a product to shine & protect your AS...do not use a dish soap, Dawn is for ducks & dishes, and will quickly remove all the you have so carefully applied, use a quality car wash soap.

I use Griot's products for all our toyz. The One Step lasts and looks great.👍

This for the AS exclusively.
POI the microfiber stuff is sooper.

Bob
🇺🇸

On the road at 17yrs....

[StanA]

I do clean off the bugs now and then. A bucket and a sponge, or some dryer sheets if needed. Top it off with some spray wax. This is only on the front. You can get away with “spot cleaning” almost anywhere. If it gets real dirty, you can use the same technique and do panel by panel. Spread out over a couple of days, it doesn’t look like you’re washing it, just touching it up.

[demijac]

If trailer is really dirty and we are in a hurry, we go to Blue Beacon truck washes which are typically found on the Interstates.

If we just want to do a quick touch up, e.g. windows or a single aluminum panel, the Aero Cosmetic products using wet & dry rags work well anywhere: even in places with wash restrictions.

When we want to do a full wash & wax, we scrub down the trailer with a brush and water, hand dry and then repeat with Aero Cosmetics products to leave the trailer clean and waxed. This can be done using one bucket of water per side and we usually do one side per day: maybe 60 to 90 minutes per side. The wax is usually good for one to two months depending upon weather conditions. Because we are using very little water and are doing one side per day, we are not drawing attention to ourselves and we can use this approach almost anywhere.

[DougFelts]

I don't have water where we store the Airstream, and typically use a 'waterless wash' product. There are a few on the market, and I've found that the RainX Waterless Carwash and Rain Repellant, available at my local Walmart, does a good job. We use it on the road, as well, for a quick cleaning at the campsite, using a step ladder. I would use a bucket and water, with carwash soap (not Dawn) for muddy areas. Then, Walbernize twice a year!

[PamsCruiser]

I have a newly polished 1953 Cruiser so our process is different. We don't "wash with soap" ever. First time we tried this it stripped some of the shine off our trailer that had just been polished.

We do:

1. Find a self service car wash (most will accomodate a trailer) that has good clean soft water. Look for staining on car wash bay walls that indicate rust or hard water. Don't use if you see any signs that the water is tainted.

2. Use high pressure "water only" spray to clean grime off trailer. If there are bugs or other stuck debris we gently removed with micro fiber and water. Rarely, we use a long handled microfiber mop to removed excess dirt. The high pressure water sprayer removes the majority of all the dirt and debris.

3. Generously spray the trailer down with "wax only" spray. The wax water will bead up all over the trailer. We go over the trailer 2-3 times to get a good amount of wax on the trailer. We pin point spray any dried bugs with wax spray.

4. We then dry the trailer with clean large shammy's. We start at the top of the trailer and gently drag the shammy downward until the entire trailer has been wiped down. We do not rub or use circular motions. We may use small microfiber cloths to dry water drips from drip rails above windows or other places.

It's a process and a two person job, although I've washed and dried the trailer all my myself at home using this method. When I wash the trailer, I wash it within a hour before dusk so there is no harsh sunlight making it to dry quickly.

So far, so good...keeping our trailer looking good.

Pam

[featherbedder]

When using Blue beacon be care full as they use recycled water that can contain acid from prev. washes.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by SeeMore

Try Blue Beacon Truck Wash with convenient bays all over the country.

Here is a link to their web site for pricing and locations.

https://bluebeacon.com/our-services/rv-motorcoach/

I have mixed feelings about Blue Beacon. I'd be careful of the mix they wash with, I've been cautioned that it has harsh chemicals to cut grime on semi-trailers.

Some coin wash places have an RV bay where there's an elevated walkway along the sides for washing the roof of RV's and trucks.
Or, a "wash bot". Never seen one in person, but maybe the way of the future. Battery power, like a car wash on a pallet jack.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Snip..."When using Blue beacon be care full as they use recycled water that can contain acid from prev. washes."

^
X2

I would not use anything but water at a truck wash facility.
Also I used a 'soft' boars hair guaranteed not to scratch brush once...it scratched.🥴
I really don't worry about dirty on the road...If I've done my job well it will all come off at home.
As Carly said..."I'm not so Vane"

Bob
🇺🇸

[LvngTheStrm]

We use Blue Beacon while on the road when the trailer and truck get especially dirty. We have done so several times with great results. We then wash them by hand when at home as needed and Walbernize the trailer at the start of every season.