Cleaning the Roof 2604

[sailingsuppo46]

All,
Reading through my information, I see the MFG recommends using Murphy's Oil Soap to clean the membrane. Has anyone used this method to clean their roof? The dealer was pushing a cleaning solution and conditioner st over 30 bucks a gallon. MOS is a lot cheaper if it does the same thing.

Also, is it safe to walk on the roof? I know that might sound stupid, but I really don't know and do not want to damage the foam or AC ducts that are cut into the foam. Is there a best practice out there to use? Thanks,

[Arn]

MOS & a soft bristle brush on a long handle works great. Clean your skylight & all plastic covers first then do the TPO membrane. Roof is safe to walk on but make sure your shoes are clean. Any stones from a driveway etc. can do some serious damage to the membrane. I leave the trailer a little nose up for drainage & start at the front. For variety sometimes I leave nose down & start at the back. Budget a lot of time cuz you'll probably want to wash the rest of your trailer once you see what runs down from the roof. Be careful up there, it's a long way down!

[milzat]

I second that.

[sailingsuppo46]

Thanks. Plan togive her a good wash after she comes back from the dealer. Taking her in on Saturday for some warranty work. I figure she will need it after begin back on the lot for a few days.

Do you condition the rubber with anything besides MOS? Thanks,

[Arn]

Not a rubber roof. It's vinyl (TPO). Supposedly tougher & more UV resistant than rubber. No treatment required, just a couple of washings a year.

[powerboatr]

MOS is a good emulsifier and not to strong, it works super and is again affordable,
it also wont eat off graphics on the sides and i have found its less prone to streaking as the day goes and your scrubbing the whole rig.
i barefoot on the roof, and move slow as it gets a bit slippery


i have also used the same car soap i use on all the other vehicles to do a great job as well, but tends to be SLICK up top

around roofs and flexible sealed joints

use a soap just strong enough to remove dead bugs and sap, but not harsh enough to breakdown the sealing properties of the caulks and bedding compounds that seal your vents and skylights

always rinse several times

[Arn]

Yikes, barefoot. It sure is slippery. I always wear soft rubber soles for traction. By the way powerboatr, that is a very impressive toad. Beats the heck out of anything I've seen.