Cleaning a old caravan

Weso · 25th June 2014, 19:44

My next little project is to clean my "Lady friend's" caravan prior to a possible sale on ebay.

Have plenty of decent car cleaning gear, not that I want to use it all on this project.

Any ideas a good step by step process to use, happy to get stuck in for a couple of days.
Any cheap household products I can use given the surface area of the thing.

Lastly the caravan appears to be continental I suspect german and is marked/labelled as "Dethleffs" "Nomad" and a 4 berth I believe.
Any one know the history of the brand.

Photos to follow asap

Will do my own research when time allows

Mark

Weso · 25th June 2014, 19:50

A few photos of a rather dirty caravan not too much green stuff just a lot of dirt and grime
Am I likely to get exterior half decent?
Someone said Mer products are good for this sort of task?
Thanks in advance

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reworht · 25th June 2014, 19:59

Have a look at this on your other thread Mark - I've had excellent results from them.
I am NOT an expert, but many people will say don't use car cleaning materials on caravans, as it is a totally different type of paint which is used on them.

WD40 will often help with stubborn stains too !

Weso · 25th June 2014, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by reworht

Have a look at this on your other thread Mark - I've had excellent results from them.
I am NOT an expert, but many people will say don't use car cleaning materials on caravans, as it is a totally different type of paint which is used on them.

WD40 will often help with stubborn stains too !

Great info Rod! will investigate the Fenwick caravan cleaner, any ideas if it can be bought anywhere other than a camping/caravanning type place?
At worst I will ebay the stuff...

Many thanks you have given me the confidence to give it a go!

Mark

reworht · 25th June 2014, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weso

Great info Rod! will investigate the Fenwick caravan cleaner, any ideas if it can be bought anywhere other than a camping/caravanning type place?
At worst I will ebay the stuff...

Many thanks you have given me the confidence to give it a go!

Mark

Ebay probably as good as anywhere Mark - I got mine half price in a one-off sale at a local 'department store'.
The one car treatment which you could use, as a final polish, would be Autoglym Super Resin - I did the front of my 'van before setting off for Cornwall this year, and it certainly made it easier to clean the dead bugs off after 450 miles of slaughtering them

Weso · 25th June 2014, 20:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by reworht

Ebay probably as good as anywhere Mark - I got mine half price in a one-off sale at a local 'department store'.
The one car treatment which you could use, as a final polish, would be Autoglym Super Resin - I did the front of my 'van before setting off for Cornwall this year, and it certainly made it easier to clean the dead bugs off after 450 miles of slaughtering them

Thanks Rod, great stuff, have ebayed the Fenwick products and already have a unused bottle of Autoglym Super Resin,
can't wait to give it a go, bored with cleaning MG's

spyder · 25th June 2014, 20:48

Easy off bang and a high pressure washer used at a safe distance. Once clean then a good car cleaner. Dishawashing liquid works well at the initial stage, as the polish has to be restored later anyway.

Supervinnie40 · 25th June 2014, 20:49

Truck cleaner has a good effect on most of that dirt and grime. It will also have little negative effect on the poly-something fabric that is used on the outside. In most cases they use colored plastic, which means that any scratches and swirls are hard to notice (especially because of the un-flat skin on the thing).
So after some truck cleaner, you can just wash it with a washmitt (maybe a slightly rougher one?), and it should come up a treat.

Correcting is a different story, plastic can be hard to correct and machine polishing is difficult because of heat buildup.
You can use wax on this material, but don't expect the same durability because wax isn;t designed the adhere to plastic. If possible, do not use any wax with chemical cleaner-additives (like limonene and such).

Georgies Dad · 25th June 2014, 20:59

Its a continental caravan,because the door is on the other side to our caravans

Sidetops · 25th June 2014, 21:52

I used car cleaning products on my caravan. Although only 7 years old the front and rear panels had completely lost their shine, similar to paint oxidising.

First of all I tried T-Cut, I don't recommend you use this, it seems to turn the paint yellow.
Instead I used some Farecla G3 (only on the front and rear GRP panels!) with a machine mop, followed by some 3M Finesse-it, and finally some polish/wax (I used Supagard) On the sides (and roof) I did the same process but used Farecla G10 instead, as G3 would have gone down to the metal!

All this might be a bit far fetched if you're selling it. But here is the finished result anyway:

25th June 2014, 19:44	#1
Weso I really should get out more....... Mondeo ST TDCI Estate Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Norwich Posts: 2,834 Thanks: 919 Thanked 358 Times in 284 Posts	Cleaning a old caravan My next little project is to clean my "Lady friend's" caravan prior to a possible sale on ebay. Have plenty of decent car cleaning gear, not that I want to use it all on this project. Any ideas a good step by step process to use, happy to get stuck in for a couple of days. Any cheap household products I can use given the surface area of the thing. Lastly the caravan appears to be continental I suspect german and is marked/labelled as "Dethleffs" "Nomad" and a 4 berth I believe. Any one know the history of the brand. Photos to follow asap Will do my own research when time allows Mark

25th June 2014, 19:59	#3
reworht This is my second home Honda HR-V 1.6 i-DTEC SE Navi 5dr Diesel Hatchback Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: North Yorks Moors Posts: 14,446 Thanks: 782 Thanked 2,156 Times in 1,497 Posts	Have a look at this on your other thread Mark - I've had excellent results from them. I am NOT an expert, but many people will say don't use car cleaning materials on caravans, as it is a totally different type of paint which is used on them. WD40 will often help with stubborn stains too ! __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rodney - you plonker! ... but more commonly known as Rod !

25th June 2014, 20:48	#7
spyder This is my second home 75 CDT Auto Tourer , Rover 45 , Astra, Zaffira, Chev Captiva Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Wilts Posts: 3,342 Thanks: 203 Thanked 436 Times in 360 Posts	Easy off bang and a high pressure washer used at a safe distance. Once clean then a good car cleaner. Dishawashing liquid works well at the initial stage, as the polish has to be restored later anyway. __________________ Chrome skull caps, EGR cleaned (original housing), Mondeo lower mounting, 12V outlets in the armrest and tourer boot, cat fixed, working FBH, Lidl plenum covers, DD with reverse camera.New speakesr/Tweeters with MDF rings. wood dash, Memory leather seats, wooden finished steering and handbrake, Xenon headlights.

25th June 2014, 20:49	#8
Supervinnie40 I really should get out more....... Rover 75 1.8 Club Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Tilburg (Netherland) Posts: 2,615 Thanks: 572 Thanked 336 Times in 247 Posts	Truck cleaner has a good effect on most of that dirt and grime. It will also have little negative effect on the poly-something fabric that is used on the outside. In most cases they use colored plastic, which means that any scratches and swirls are hard to notice (especially because of the un-flat skin on the thing). So after some truck cleaner, you can just wash it with a washmitt (maybe a slightly rougher one?), and it should come up a treat. Correcting is a different story, plastic can be hard to correct and machine polishing is difficult because of heat buildup. You can use wax on this material, but don't expect the same durability because wax isn;t designed the adhere to plastic. If possible, do not use any wax with chemical cleaner-additives (like limonene and such). __________________ Proud owner of the Dutch "Golden 75". A much loved Gold White Metallic Rover 75 1.8 na from 2000.

25th June 2014, 20:59	#9
Georgies Dad This is my second home Land Rover Join Date: May 2013 Location: Thorpe St Andrew,Norwich Posts: 14,715 Thanks: 933 Thanked 2,925 Times in 1,979 Posts	Its a continental caravan,because the door is on the other side to our caravans __________________ Steve and Georgie Together Forever Lonely days are long Twilight sings a song All the happiness that used to be Soon my eyes will close Soon I'll find repose And in dreams, you're always near to me I'll see you in my dreams And then I'll hold you in my dreams

25th June 2014, 19:50	#2
Weso I really should get out more....... Mondeo ST TDCI Estate Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Norwich Posts: 2,834 Thanks: 919 Thanked 358 Times in 284 Posts	A few photos of a rather dirty caravan not too much green stuff just a lot of dirt and grime Am I likely to get exterior half decent? Someone said Mer products are good for this sort of task? Thanks in advance ImageUploadedByTapatalk1403725779.089657.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1403725794.020678.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1403725822.557344.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1403725851.153444.jpg

25th June 2014, 21:52	#10
Sidetops I really should get out more....... Land Rover Freelander 2 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: East Sussex Posts: 2,252 Thanks: 293 Thanked 327 Times in 240 Posts	I used car cleaning products on my caravan. Although only 7 years old the front and rear panels had completely lost their shine, similar to paint oxidising. First of all I tried T-Cut, I don't recommend you use this, it seems to turn the paint yellow. Instead I used some Farecla G3 (only on the front and rear GRP panels!) with a machine mop, followed by some 3M Finesse-it, and finally some polish/wax (I used Supagard) On the sides (and roof) I did the same process but used Farecla G10 instead, as G3 would have gone down to the metal! All this might be a bit far fetched if you're selling it. But here is the finished result anyway: