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Old 05-19-2013, 11:36 AM   #1
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This is why you clean your roof frequently!

Twice a year I make the journey to clean the roof on my sabre.
This was last cleaned in September and was stored mid October in our shed.


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Old 05-19-2013, 11:37 AM   #2
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Wow!
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Old 05-19-2013, 11:42 AM   #3
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What do you use?
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Old 05-19-2013, 11:46 AM   #4
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What do you use?
Soap, water, dish scrubber, dish rag and a stiff bristle hand brush.
Along with elbow grease and determination!
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Old 05-19-2013, 11:57 AM   #5
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Amazing how quickly they become crappy. I kept The Beast covered all winter and when I pulled the cover off, the roof wasn't as spotless as when I put it away. I guess a cover that allows it to breathe allows a certain amount of dirt thru too.
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Old 05-19-2013, 11:59 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by f1100turbo View Post
Soap, water, dish scrubber, dish rag and a stiff bristle hand brush.
Along with elbow grease and determination!
Thought about dish soap & a little Super Clean and a carwash brush with a long handle.
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Old 05-19-2013, 12:10 PM   #7
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What do you use?
Lots of beer

Joking aside DH uses purple power
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Old 05-19-2013, 12:22 PM   #8
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Thought about dish soap & a little Super Clean and a carwash brush with a long handle.
Honestly as dirty as it was total clean time was an hour.
I think that's attributed to keeping it clean in the first place.

Dish soap and super clean will be fine.
Also an fyi clean all sealing silicone runs as that silicone holds some serious dirt.

I'll post an example.
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Old 05-20-2013, 09:01 PM   #9
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have over 100,000 miles towing a cargo trailer (1 piece aluminum roof, never cleaned, 8 years no issues) .. but this is my first foray into a camper/toy hauler with a rubber roof on my xlr27hfs. Roof looks a lot like yours in the photos.
I have some Protect All rubber roof treatment stuff that came with my toy hauler. it's stored outside, and the bottle claims to have uv protective stuff.
I will clean it first as you do, but would i be wasting my time with the protect all product ? just had this 2013 xlr waxed, but my detail guy was asking about what he wanted me to do with the roof..
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Old 05-20-2013, 09:10 PM   #10
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Just do not use anything with petroleum in it!
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Old 05-20-2013, 09:47 PM   #11
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I think if you just keep it clean like Turbs, everything should be just fine.
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Old 05-20-2013, 10:04 PM   #12
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Twice a year clean it and will be fine.
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Old 05-20-2013, 10:33 PM   #13
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I read somewhere that dish soap strips the waxes, is that true? Do you use the dish soap on the roof only? We spent 5 hrs scrubbing our aluminum sided tt last spring and never got the black marks off. We have washed it once a year in the 2 1/2 yrs we have owned it. Getting ready to scrub again this weekend, plan to try awesome. Can I use that on the roof? What should I put on roof to protect it when done? Even the caulking has black marks.
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Old 05-21-2013, 06:05 AM   #14
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I used black streak cleaner all over outside to clean streaks and caulk.
Then car wash soap to wash camper.

I've used dish soap for the roof for years with no issues.
Sun and uvw is much more harmful.

Never have used any kind of protectant.
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Old 05-21-2013, 06:22 AM   #15
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Turbo, I can appreciate what you done to your roof. I just did the same thing to mine. My arms and knees are killing me. After the roof, I washed the sides. I am half way done with a wax. Hope to finish it by Thursday. I have more $$ in beer, than wax, at this point………
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Old 05-21-2013, 06:30 AM   #16
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Turbo, I can appreciate what you done to your roof. I just did the same thing to mine. My arms and knees are killing me. After the roof, I washed the sides. I am half way done with a wax. Hope to finish it by Thursday. I have more $$ in beer, than wax, at this point&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;
Lol.

Hands kept cramping to !

I will say the more you clean it the easier it cleans.
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Old 05-21-2013, 07:33 AM   #17
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I do mine twice a year with murphy's soap, been doing that for years on all the trailers I've owned. It's a good idea to wash the roof first then the trailer, had a buddy once that did it the other way.
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Old 05-21-2013, 07:40 AM   #18
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Dish liquid can be a little harsh on the gel coat, so just be careful about any runoff over the sides. I know, it's almost unavoidable, so when you do the roof, you should should also be prepared to clean and wax the sides. Just saying Turbs. Your roof does look good after the cleaning though.
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Old 05-21-2013, 07:45 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anaro View Post
I read somewhere that dish soap strips the waxes, is that true? Do you use the dish soap on the roof only? We spent 5 hrs scrubbing our aluminum sided tt last spring and never got the black marks off. We have washed it once a year in the 2 1/2 yrs we have owned it. Getting ready to scrub again this weekend, plan to try awesome. Can I use that on the roof? What should I put on roof to protect it when done? Even the caulking has black marks.
What wax
Dish soap is good for removing greasy dirt. Since the roof most likely
does not have greasy dirt but it does have bird stuff, dust, pollen, pollution,
bug droppings, algae, etc I have used simple green at times and just about
any brand of car was shampoo such as turtle wax car shampoo or my
son works at a body shop and he got me a gallon of cherry bomb car soap.
All worked about the same.
Like Turbs said, it takes elbow grease to get it clean.

I'm ok with some remaining grunge. I get most of it and move on.
It's a roof. It doesn't have to look like a whitewall on a show car!

Don't scrub the caulking too hard. Some dirt in the creases is OK!
Do check for any cracks or voids in the roof caulk while you are up there!

Do set your jacks so the trailer isn't rocking and rolling while you're up
there!

DO NOT WEAR FOAM FLIP FLOPS on a wet roof!!!! Just don't do it!!
Bare feet are almost as slippery. I wear normal tennis shoes for reasonable
traction while I'm up there.
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Old 05-21-2013, 07:53 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Rugged Brown View Post
Dish liquid can be a little harsh on the gel coat, so just be careful about any runoff over the sides. I know, it's almost unavoidable, so when you do the roof, you should should also be prepared to clean and wax the sides. Just saying Turbs. Your roof does look good after the cleaning though.
Thank you very much!
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