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03-16-2019, 03:20 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Delaware
Posts: 279
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rubber roof cleaner and protectant
Is there a majority on what cleaner to use on the roof on my 243 coachmen Catalina one piece "vinyl" roof?
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03-16-2019, 04:03 PM
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#2
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Your roof is not vinyl. It is either EPDM rubber (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) or TPO (ThermoPlastic Olefin). Each has their own maintenance guidelines. Also each manufacturer has their own recomendations. Alpha Systems TPO does not recommend any treatment, just washing with Spic'n'Span or Top Job. I use regular Dawn dish soap on my TPO roof and it works fine. See the attached pdf.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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03-16-2019, 04:06 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,790
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Should be roof maintenance info sheet, in your owners manual packet.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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03-16-2019, 04:26 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Delaware
Posts: 279
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Brand new trailer,, no owners manual. I knew it wasn't ""VINYL"" I just didn't know what to call it at the time. Now I still don't. I'll read your attachment. I know I can just about clean it with common soap and water but I want a good protectant afterwards. The FR dealer had a habit of robbing peter to pay paul, so my manuals are missing. When I saw the trailer It had two bar stools. When I picked it up, they were missing,, so they went and took them out of another trailer.
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03-16-2019, 04:38 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,790
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Lee, have you checked the Coachmen website, for downloadable manuals?
I just went there and found all kinds of manuals to download there.
Even for Catalina models.
Also found roof care and maintenance information.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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03-16-2019, 04:39 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 5,725
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You probably have this TPO roof from Alpha Systems...
no protectant necessary claimed by Alpha Systems
watch this maintenance video...
https://youtu.be/it2ZIKs821k
__________________
"nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle."
Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell pg. 2, June 11, 1807
2014 Shamrock 183
2014 RAM 1500 Bighorn Crew Cab, HEMI, 3.21 gears, 8 Spd, 4X4 TST TPMS
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03-16-2019, 05:01 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Delaware
Posts: 279
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I'll do that!! Thanks!
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03-16-2019, 05:08 PM
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#8
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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A way to tell the difference between EPDM and TPO is to push lightly with your thumbnail. EPDM will dent with minimum pressure, TPO will not. If you do it with the right amount of pressure the dent will disappear in a few minutes.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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03-16-2019, 05:34 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Delaware
Posts: 279
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Found the site,,,was going to print it out,,its like 80 pages! It did say the roof was Carlise but just said don't use silicone based items'
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03-17-2019, 12:17 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 9,584
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If you really want to be sure...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
A way to tell the difference between EPDM and TPO is to push lightly with your thumbnail. EPDM will dent with minimum pressure, TPO will not. If you do it with the right amount of pressure the dent will disappear in a few minutes.
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If you really want to be sure, take down the inside trim ring for one of the skylights or fans. The roof membrane will be visible where it is tucked into the opening. EPDM is white on the exterior surface, black on the other surface.
Larry
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03-17-2019, 12:22 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 9,584
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"Carlisle" not definitive
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Pedrick
Found the site,,,was going to print it out,,its like 80 pages! It did say the roof was Carlise but just said don't use silicone based items'
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"Carlisle" is not definitive information. They make both an EPDM product and a TPO product.
Carlisle Syntec is owned by Dicor.
Larry
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03-17-2019, 12:54 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 153
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
Your roof is not vinyl. It is either EPDM rubber (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) or TPO (ThermoPlastic Olefin). Each has their own maintenance guidelines. Also each manufacturer has their own recomendations. Alpha Systems TPO does not recommend any treatment, just washing with Spic'n'Span or Top Job. I use regular Dawn dish soap on my TPO roof and it works fine. See the attached pdf.
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X2
__________________
2014 Coachmen Brookstone 325RL
2015 Chev Silverado 2500 Diesel.
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03-17-2019, 09:42 PM
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#13
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Retired Old Fart
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: McDonough, GA
Posts: 971
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X2 on Dawn. Just keep in mind that Dawn, Simple Green, and other similar products will also strip off your RV wax on the RV sides, so start with the roof and plan on cleaning and re-waxing the sides afterwards. There is really no way to keep the Dawn from running down the sides. Even a spray on touch up wax application would be better than nothing.
__________________
Just the 2 of us in a...
"Currently between trailers"
Sold the 246RKS in 2023
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03-18-2019, 05:51 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: L\Anywhere and everywhere
Posts: 263
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I use West & Forget. Saw an ad on TV for this products used to clean house awnings as well as mold on a painted surface. Tried it on the trailer awning and worked like a champ. Knowing that a lot of roof discoloration is mold based, I called the factory and asked if it would work on a rubber RV roof. they said it would. I did and I will never have to crawl up and a slippery rubber roof again. You can get it on Amazon for about $30 for a one gallon bottle. Mixed 5 to 1 with water for 6 gallons of cleaning fluid. Apply with a small two gallon sprayer. It will dry and become activated every time it rains
__________________
Kayo
2014 Primetime Sanibel 3051 pulled by a 2013 Chevy Silverado 3500HP dually diesel. Full timers wince 2003 with DW of 53 year. NPS Park Ranger
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03-18-2019, 06:35 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,460
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kayo
I use West & Forget. Saw an ad on TV for this products used to clean house awnings as well as mold on a painted surface. Tried it on the trailer awning and worked like a champ. Knowing that a lot of roof discoloration is mold based, I called the factory and asked if it would work on a rubber RV roof. they said it would. I did and I will never have to crawl up and a slippery rubber roof again. You can get it on Amazon for about $30 for a one gallon bottle. Mixed 5 to 1 with water for 6 gallons of cleaning fluid. Apply with a small two gallon sprayer. It will dry and become activated every time it rains
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Does
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03-19-2019, 12:27 AM
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#16
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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I forgot to mention this in my earlier post another way to tell if you have TPO roofing, the TPO surface has an orange peel texture, EPDM surface is smooth.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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03-20-2019, 02:57 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Delaware
Posts: 279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
I forgot to mention this in my earlier post another way to tell if you have TPO roofing, the TPO surface has an orange peel texture, EPDM surface is smooth.
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Scrapper, you win, I got up there and checked, its TPO,,,,very thin TPO! But It answered my protection question. None needed after washing.
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03-20-2019, 03:39 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 878
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https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40492-W...gateway&sr=8-4
Best stuff I've found. I use it in the spring and the fall and cleans well and helps keep it clean all season. I've never waxed my RV. Just used this twice a year. Works on the roof, walls and awning and removes the grime with one of those soft bristled car wash brushes you hook a hose to. Makes it easy to wash bugs off also if I travel and night and get some gut splatter on the front end.
__________________
2020 Chevrolet 2500 LTZ, 2019 Forest River Wolfpack 23Pack15, 2014 EZGO Golf Cart.
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03-27-2019, 10:37 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kayo
I use West & Forget. Apply with a small two gallon sprayer. It will dry and become activated every time it rains
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I take it that is Wet and Forget, lol. So, you just spray it on and walk away? No scrubbing or rubbing? Hose it off?
Top of our Clipper 17FQ is almost black. Bought it used and it was a semi-permanent set up. I want to clean it good and keep black streaks off the sides and awning.
Please, tell me more.
Thanks!
__________________
Hal
2016 F150 SCrew 2.7 EcoBoost
2005 Georgetown SE
2011 Kia Soul+ (dinghy)
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Linear Mode
