[Steve Weatherley]

Hi all

I am pretty new to this game (4 months) and am using WFP's. I cleaned my first static caravan the other day. I pre-cleaned all the black run marks first (Solutions UK Eco Spotter) to great effect, then cleaned with the pole and pure water. The end result looked great but the next day the customer phoned me to say that the caravan had dried dirty. I think that this is due to the caravan wall not being flat (it's ridged) and the water didn't rinse away properly??
Can some of you experienced guys pass on any tips and advice that may help.
By the way, I am thinking of charging around £45 per caravan and have a customer who runs a park with 250 of them on site so it could be lucrative if I get the desired result.

Thanks

Steve

[jeff1]

Hi Steve

Caravans have a variaty of different surfaces Flat,aluminium sheet,GRP and acrylic capped ABS a lot of them are finished off with side trims,

For thoses vans finished with these trims and are poorly maintained, your water can seep behind, and not only start to cause damp problems, but can delaminate the aluminium type surfaces, if this happens you are looking at a huge insurance claim,
so make sure you have an insurance to cover this type of work. make sure the caravans your working on and are poorly maintained, are under 5 years old, the trims are fitted onto a non setting type mastic and according to manufacturers this should be changed every five years, if it isnt and it breaks down then  water penitration can happen.

There sttutco type surface is like a bubbly surface and can be difficult to get a really good clean, that combined with trims can hold the water and continue to run long after you have gone (Hense your dirty run marks) if you see the guy's replies to first cleaning for windows their comments are rinse, rinse, rinse, you will need an awfull lot of water to rinse a static caravan, I would  Suggest you do all your washing with Ordinary tap water until you are sure all the dirt from behind the trims,around windows and doors, has gone,and then give your final rinse with pure water.

Hope this helps, if you need any more help then just email me.

[matt]

2 words

power washer

[Steve Weatherley]

Power washer? I suspect this could cause damage to seals around windows etc?

[jeff1]

They can take the very thin layer of paint right off.

[matt]

its how ive done them, they come up great, you of course dont use full power

i use a cheapo power washer (35 quid from b&q)

ive done a few now, aswell as normal caravans

[jeff1]

Matt you are Obviously experienced with the use of a power washer on caravans, but its not something I would  recommend for someone just starting out cleaning static or even tourers, they can lift the thin layer of paint on them or take of Decals, or cause damage to seals, But yes you are right you can use a power washer to clean them.

I would suggest to steve he goes out and buy's a Haynes caravan manual, in there it will tell him the correct procedure for washing caravans, and what to be aware of.

[jouk45]

steve, mix gg3 with pure water in one of your containers, brush thoroughly. then brush and rinse of with pure water,  the results are fantastic,

[matt]

Matt you are Obviously experienced with the use of a power washer on caravans, but its not something I would  recommend for someone just starting out cleaning static or even tourers, they can lift the thin layer of paint on them or take of Decals, or cause damage to seals, But yes you are right you can use a power washer to clean them.

I would suggest to steve he goes out and buy's a Haynes caravan manual, in there it will tell him the correct procedure for washing caravans, and what to be aware of.

fair enough

i just took it easy and didnt get too close

i do find on the roofs of tourers a bit of white water comes down, this i thought was down to the sun and the paint oxidising

[Steve Weatherley]

How about if I clean with the pure water / poles and then just towel the mobile off afterwards?

[jeff1]

You could give that a try, But make sure there are no runs afterwards, especially from any windows/doors and trims as that is were all the dirt is held.

[Jeff Brimble]

Because of the surface area they can be very hard work. The roofs are also difficult you have to watch you do not put a dint in them and the gutters get blocked solid. Even with a p/washer I had to manually scrub. I found a T bar applicator would cover areas quickly. Do NOT use a filament brush, its scratches them to bits.
Make sure you sign them up to regular cleans and charge a lot extra for the first time.

[matt]

ive got a few that i do every 6 months, once the first clean is out of the way, i just give it a quick going over with the power washer and its done