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ALANSD · 09-09-2006, 08:05 PM

Mike- you have that may holes? I patched the screw holes in mine, maybe 6. I used the bondo product that comes pre-mixed in a tube, then when dry sanded it smooth. It worked well.

63Airstream · 12-17-2006, 07:07 PM

Follow up with a coat of FUTURE FLOOR WAX. This will prevent new sticky and seal up your beautiful new wall.

Amy

Alumi-Naught · 12-17-2006, 08:16 PM

Thank you to all. We have a similar situation, not yellow just sticky. YUCK. We thought the stickyness was from cooking but still had doubt. We have'nt been able to do much cleaning yet but did try a small area with Sun and Earth dish soap that did nothing. Then tried a little Cinch Spray Cleaner just to see what would happen, nothing still. Suprisingly the best was Endust Cleaning Spray it took the stickyness away. We will be trying Simple Green it has worked wonders for us in the past and its gentle. If it does'nt work we will definately try the products listed. This is the first steps to bringing back Sammie. The next steps are interior reupholstering. $$$$$.

We will let you know how the Simple Green works out.

63Airstream · 12-24-2006, 08:56 AM

I used the purple stuff from Walmart and WOW! Whatta product! EZ
Amy

ALANSD · 12-24-2006, 01:50 PM

for the money the AWESOME from Dollar Tree is very good also.

Thealt · 01-14-2007, 10:38 AM

Luckily, our PO's were not smokers so our Safari is in pretty clean shape, but I once moved into a rent house that was previously occupied by some professional smokers. You could tell this as the walls were Antique White till I removed a Metallica poster to review the walls were actually bright white.
I found that TSP, Tri-sodium Phosphate (available at paint stores) did a wonderful job in removing the guck. Don't know how this product will react to the interior, so test it in an inconspicuous place. The only problem we had though was if you took a shower, the walls would bleed yellow tar as sheetrock is porous and the tar ran deep. The only thing we didn't hear was "GET OUT" from the Amityville Horror house.
After many subsequent cleanings we finally got the mess stopped. At least an Airstream is not a porous as a home wall.
ALT

Melody Ranch · 01-14-2007, 10:51 AM

Don't!

Skyeyes2blue · 05-18-2007, 06:38 PM

Didn't see old fashioned bakeing soda and hydrogen peroxcide, both are bleaching agents, together they foam away most anything use a bristle brush in a circle motion then rinse w/ water. I did not have this sticky yellow problem in my Airstream, but did in a lake house vent-a-hood, grease smoke bugs you name it. Carefull not to get in eyes , wear rubber gloves and mask anytime .

ALANSD · 09-14-2007, 03:34 PM

Update- a year later all is still clean. The walls are not sticky and they look very clean. New curtains, flooring, carpet and painted trim really helps. Now we are doing kitchen curtains, and I am finishing painting the ceiling a glossy white.
I hope to pull the vinyl off the small walls in the bathroom this winter and redo them.

imeynstein · 11-05-2007, 02:20 AM

I, too, am getting ready to clean my interior. This has proven to be somewhat more difficult that I had originally anticipated. Have you tried Oxyclean? I bought some at the dollar store and it has really helped tremendously. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes and then scrub with a scrub brush. I was really amazed at the results. Let me know if anything works better for you. I may end up gutting my old Soveriegn as I really want to have a rear bedroom.....That will have to wait a while.....Please keep me updated on your projects and I do wish you good luck.....

Paul J Mauro · 03-01-2008, 06:25 AM

I have the same yellowing issue with my 86 345 bedroom area -is it possible to locate a new looking replacement ?

ALANSD · 03-06-2008, 04:06 AM

Tried oxyclean and a bunch of other items. The outdoor bleach mixture worked the best for me

Phil/Edee · 07-14-2008, 01:08 PM

I've been searching all the interior cleaning threads but can't seem to stumble onto any that have advice for cleaning the interior walls that are covered with the "stubble" ... the almost velcro-like covering in the front area of our '99 Excella. Sorry to interupt this thread (which has given me some other good ideas ^_^) Any suggestions on where to look???

Thanks!

Edee

Anton66 · 10-07-2008, 07:58 AM

The walls of my 66 Caravel had the same tacky, sticky feel as many other people have mentioned. I also found the purple Superclean ( by Castrol ) worked very well. After 2 really thourough cleanings, I waited for a few months. The stickiness was gone, but the walls still looked old and yellow to me. So I covered the walls with two coats of Kilz oil based primer, then followed with latex paint. That was a year ago and its held up very nicely.

imeynstein · 11-07-2008, 01:51 AM

I used the spray on Oxyclean and it worked wonders!!! I then spray painted--(I know--ugghh to the thought)--to the zolatone in the interior....I used only the 97 cent spray from Wal-mart and my Airstream 'mansion' looks SOOOOO mcuh better already...I am getting ready to bring her home....She has been 'camping' at my mother's home for the past 5 years and I need ALOT of help from you guys to get her back into shape....So far, I have placed the strip coat of Orange peel to the exterior and is has worked wonders for the exterior...I am having the greatest difficulty thus far with the mechanical jack...My husband and I have tried everything to get my jack to working so that we can move my beauty to her new home so that I can work on her----BTW----I NEED a LOT of help from you guys on making her the Queen that she is.....a 1974 Sovereign that needs a lot of T.L.C....
I will post photos as as soon as we can move her from my mother's to home.....

Eliminator46 · 11-07-2008, 06:36 AM

I am in the Polypropylene industry and sorry to say that the "Plastic" end caps and any other "PLastic" pieces will not change or get white again from age or heat. All plastic degrades over time. This being a High Density plastic from the days probably did NOT have some ingredients we use today to preserve plastic. We currently use antioxidants and preservatives to keep plastic from turning yellow. That is why your white lawn chairs can sit in the sun and still be white a couple of years from now. Plastic has come a long way in the last 30yrs. The vinyl lining will as well have a level of degridation, but not as much. My Tradewind sat up for over 18ys, closed, and was full of yellow, and black mildew. Some would probably call it black mold. I used a cheap spray form WM called "All purpose Cleaner". It seems to be a mix of bleach and water with something else. It really looks generic and under a dollar. I was amazed to how clean my interior got from a spray, scrub lightly with scotch bright pad and wipe with paper towels. I do know if the off colored plastic will not go white again unless I paint them, but good enough for me (I can say "Original" interior. I am not going for the "Rich with Granite" look anyway. I have owned boats, and do know and will try myself the "Hull Wash" from WM just to see if "Maybe" it will change the yellowish on the plastic. I doubt it, but have some at home. It is refered to as a light "acid wash" I don't think it will hurt if used and rinsed well. But I really DON't think you will whiten the degraded plastic, only condition it. Here is a couple pics to look at. Notice the bottle of cleaner in the bath on the last pic. I was cleaning the bath that day. Still yellowish plastic, but edibly clean. (maybe)
Adam

hampstead38 · 11-07-2008, 06:58 AM

I've had good luck with Marine Clean. At $21 a gallon, it's not cheap but I have found it works well, though I haven't don't much of the interior yet. I think the goal for us will be to repaint the interior. I tend to agree with those who say that the natural yellowing/aging process will resist even heavy cleaning/bleaching to some extent.

bugz42 · 03-11-2009, 08:10 PM

We just bought a 1976 Sovereign 31' with the side bath. It is in great condition but there is a whole lot of yellowing going on. We really want to maintain the wall vinyl if possible but some of the matching trim pieces are pretty yellow. We recently came across this Retr0Bright » home and are going to give it a try on some hidden places. Maybe this will help someone else. Either way I will post our results.

Lisa

Mexray · 03-11-2009, 10:27 PM

I'm another user FRIMLY in the Por Marine clean camp!

I tried many of the other products above, including Krud Kutter, Oxyclean, Simple Green, etc., etc, etc...

Por-15 Marine Clean is the ONLY product I found to do the job quickly and thoroughly, bar none! Open all the windows, put a fan inside if you want, mix up some POR-15 MC and go to it!

I also used Future Floor Wax (an acrylic product) to coat the vinyl interior to seal the surface...works great, no more 'slimy' 'grimy' inside walls!

IMHO - don't screw around with Dollar store or WM products - go online and get a jug of Marine Clean (you use it diluted) and get it right the first time...