A well-maintained RV holds its value — provided you know the best way to wash, wax and buff out oxidation

By Bob Livingston / Photos by the author

eeping an RV’s exterior looking new requires a serious commitment from the owner. RVs have rightly been referred to as “homes on wheels” — but you never had to concern yourself with bugs hitting the front of your brick-and-mortar home at 60 miles an hour. Allowing dirt and bugs to bake on the surface leads to a dingy look — and, in many cases, accelerates oxidation that leads to a dull fiberglass, metal or painted exterior.

It’s not easy to wash and wax an RV, but there are techniques that will curtail the amount of time and effort needed to get the job done. Professional detailers always have a few secrets up their sleeves, and after watching the process of having our fifth wheel detailed multiple times, I came away with a bunch of “why didn’t I think of that” ideas to add to my arsenal of tried-and-true products.

Cut & Rub
The fifth wheel in question (mine) had developed an issue with oxidation that followed the pattern of the aluminum structure that holds the rig together. While the sidewalls generally held up nicely during the last five years since the rig was new, a noticeable pattern had developed on the left sidewall that detracted from the overall look of the fifth wheel.

While in Elkhart, Indiana, last summer, I cut the sidewall with Mequiars Oxidation Remover 49, a liquid compound formulated for RVs and boats (around $16 at auto parts stores; www.mequiars.com) and re-waxed the surface. Most of the “scars” went away but returned by the time we landed back in our Palm Springs, California, winter RV park. Juan Romero, the detailer I’ve used twice a year during the entire life of the fifth wheel, agreed to rub out the sidewall but offered no guarantees.

Evidently, the intense desert sunshine baking on the one side of the fifth wheel contributed heavily to the oxidation. Romero, who has years of experience working on RVs in desert environments, cut the fiberglass with Meguiars Oxidation Remover after washing and worked the area until the unsightly streaks blended into the sidewall, but was not optimistic it would last — and it didn’t. Three months later, he returned to compound the surface with a more aggressive product available to professional detailers, which seemed to do the trick.

There are, however, plenty of options for do-it-yourselfers, including Buff Magic Compound from Shurhold Industries (shurhold.com). A longtime supplier of cleaners, waxes and tools for the RV and marine industries, Shurhold’s website also includes literally dozens of “pro tips” for getting the job done.

Removing oxidation can be accomplished by an owner using the right tools and compound. Trying to rub out a sidewall by hand is futile; you’ll need a random orbital buffer and the appropriate pads. Since most owners will not buff out their RVs more than a couple times a year, opting for an inexpensive random orbital buffer from Harbor Freight will suffice. As a matter of fact, many professional detailers use the Bauer 6-inch Short Throw Random Orbit DA Polisher, which seems to last lot longer than its $79.95 price tag suggests (harborfreight.com).

Don’t even consider using a drill motor and a pad for any type of buffing on an RV; it will burn the surface in a hurry and lead to expensive repairs. If you want to upgrade from a Harbor Freight tool, consider the Shurhold Dual Action Polisher Pro, which has proved to be a workhorse in the detailing arena ($208 at Shurhold or at Home Depot).

Using the right pads is paramount. When compounding fiberglass, a wool pad will do the best job; a foam pad is used for painted surfaces. In all cases, choose the compound wisely; those products that cut deeply will likely get you in trouble.

There are a number of liquid rubbing compounds on the market formulated for painted surfaces. Unless you are experienced with rubbing out painted surfaces, it’s best to seek a professional opinion on product selection. Other great sources for information and products for maintaining painted surfaces we’ve used include Griot’s Garage (griotsgarage.com) and The Wax Shop (waxshopbrands.com).

Time for a Bath
Before even thinking about removing oxidation, the RV must be washed.

Most of us will grab a bucket, fill it with a mixture of water and a washing product, pull out a water hose and connect a wash brush to a telescoping handle. You can improve dramatically on that scenario by adding a small pressure washer to your tool collection. The Ryobi 1900 psi, 1.2 gpm pressure washer ($159; Home Depot) is compact and lightweight, easy to maneuver and store. Add a foaming nozzle, like the Chemical Guys EQP324 Big Mouth Foam Cannon (chemicalguys.com; $89 and at Amazon), and you’ll get the job done faster and more efficiently. Lippett also markets an even more compact, cordless pressure washer, the Power Pro Max Portable Pressure Washer, which retails for $258.95 (store.lci1.com).

The foam, which is available online and at many auto parts stores from a variety of sources including Chemical Guys, Mother’s and Uline, clings to the surface and removes dirt, making it easier to scrub with the brush. Make sure the brush is made for vehicles; there are a number of these brushes on the market, but again the products offered by Shurhold are longtime favorites of mine. Even better, most of them are designed to be attached to the company’s telescoping handle ($34.95) which features positive catches to prevent unwanted collapsing — and the brushes are plenty soft and durable. The first step is to rinse and wash the roof. This is the most dangerous part of the job; a wet, soapy roof is slick and requires careful footing. Professional detailers are as surefooted as mountain goats; it’s best to do this from a ladder if you’re not comfortable walking on the roof. A pressure washer and telescoping brush handle will really come in handy when working from a ladder. Rubber roofs will require additional attention if they are not cleaned at least twice a year.

Once the RV is washed and waxed, apply a coating of Aerospace 303 Protectant to the rubber or TPO roof and you’ll be amazed how well it will weather the elements—and take less effort to clean. While Aerospace 303 Protectant is not cheap and you’ve probably seen it at your local auto parts store in a 10-ounce spray bottle, RVers should consider buying it in a gallon container to save money (available at RV supply stores, Amazon and Home Depot for around $60).

Conventional wisdom suggests that it’s best to work a section at a time so that the soapy water will not dry on the surface, creating even more effort. Using a foaming nozzle connected to a pressure-washer wand allows a larger area to be washed at a time. Since the soap is suspended on the surface, it gives the user time to brush out the sidewalls, although you still can’t lag. Once the surface is brushed, it must be rinsed thoroughly with clean water. And that’s the rub if you’re dealing with hard water — it must be dried quickly to prevent water spotting.

A trick method of drying the surface is to blast it with air from a leaf blower, then follow-up with a large dry towel. The towel can be draped over a rag attachment with hook-and-loop strips that allows it to “stick” to the end of the telescoping pole, or you can throw it over the wash brush. Leaf blowers come in all sizes and velocity, but if you don’t want to spend a lot of money, choose one that plugs into 120-volt AC power; you get a lot of velocity for the size and it’s easy to handle and store. The leaf blower also comes in handy for cleaning the patio and forcing leaves and debris off the awning and slide-out toppers.

Plan on cleaning the tires at the same time you’re soaping up the sides. Again, the foaming agent from the pressure washer works well. Scrub the sidewalls with a medium bristle brush and rinse thoroughly. This can also be accomplished with a spray-on wheel/tire cleaner found in auto parts stores if you don’t have access to a foaming nozzle, but a brush will be needed to release the dirt and brown protective coating that usually finds its way to the tire sidewalls. When dry, treat the rubber with Aerospace 303 Protectant (another reason for buying it in bulk) and don’t worry about over-spraying the wheels. We discovered the protectant builds up on the wheels and makes it easier to clean down the road.

Wax On, Wax Off
Waxing the fiberglass or painted body is almost an art into itself. Doing it by hand is possible, but will expend a ton of energy. This is best done in a shaded area, but many detailers work in the sun because of necessity. Here’s where a random orbital buffer “shines.” Work in small areas at a time, apply the wax to a dedicated wool pad and let the buffer do the work. Most people apply too much wax to the pad, which will make a mess, but after a few tries, you’ll get the rhythm down.

Remove the wax with a clean cotton towel slung over another pad connected to the buffer, which can be a foam pad rather than using the pad specific for this purpose. That way you won’t plug up a bunch of pads, which drives up the costs. Buff the walls and caps using the same technique with a clean towel and dust off the surface by hand with a microfiber towel as the last step.

You’ll be surprised how fast this process goes using a random orbital buffer. Many folks who prefer to work by hand typically do a section at time and get the job done over a few days. Don’t forget to open the slideouts so their walls can also be cleaned and waxed. Once a year, apply the Aerospace 303 Protectant to the slideout seals.

Glass and Bugs
The best stuff I’ve ever used for windows is Invisible Glass (invisibleglass.com), available online and in many auto parts stores as either an aerosol or spray-on product. Dry with a clean microfiber towel and the windows will sparkle.

Bugs are a menace — and a pain to remove, especially if they are allowed to dry and stick to the surface. Over the years, I have relied on two products to make that job more palatable: the Love Bug Eraser (bugsoffpads.com) and Simple Reflection Bug & Streak Remover (simplereflection.com). The Love Bug Eraser is a thin foam pad, developed in Florida in “honor” of the copious Lovebugs that can damage painted surfaces if not removed immediately. It’s designed to be used with soap and water only and can be reused countless times. For around seven bucks (google “Love Bug Eraser” and numerous sites will pop up), you’ll have a pad that can remove bugs between washings quickly without damaging the fiberglass, paint or clear coat.

Simple Reflection bug remover is part of a family of products that includes cleaners and protectants, a robust telescoping pole that will extend beyond the roof line and possibly the best microfiber towels on the planet. The bug remover dissolves bugs almost instantly and the cleaner is perfect for between-wash touch-ups to keep the exterior looking nice. Actually, using the cleaner regularly will help decrease the frequency for major washing, unless the weather is bad and the RV collects excessive road grime. The cleaner also applies a protective coating on the surface, which helps preserve the finish.

Water May Not Be an Option
When it’s not possible to wash your RV with running water while on the road because of campground prohibitions, many owners turn to waterless cleaners. There are a number of these products on the market and one that really works well is a liquid concentrate called Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine (optimumcarcare.com). Adding two ounces of the No Rinse to two gallons of water is all you need to wash the exterior with a microfiber cloth and wipe dry; larger rigs might require multiple reloads.

The liquid suspends the dirt so it can be easily wiped off without scratching the surface and leaves a protective coating. You can buy it in bottles as small as 8 ounces ($6.99) or as large as a one-gallon container ($44.99, both prices from the company website), but trust me, you’ll want to get it in bulk — and it will last a long time. Also, rather than locating the 2-gallon mark in a standard 5-gallon bucket, I purchased a 2-gallon pail at a home improvement store and use it exclusively for mixing the No Rinse — and it’s easier to store.

Maintaining the look of any RV will pay off handsomely when it comes to resale and personal satisfaction. Who knows, you might even have fun doing it.