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leaning The Exterior
C
To protect your recreation vehicle's exterior finish, wash it often and thoroughly.
For recreation vehicles with painted exterior graphics: If desired you may wash and wax
your vehicle 60 days after purchase. The exterior paint does need time to cure before any
wax is applied to the exterior surface. Careful maintenance for the first 60 days will assure
a long lasting durable finish.
Your recreation vehicle is exposed to many environmental conditions that have an adverse
affect on the paint finish:
Road Salt and Sodium Chloride
Road Tar / Bugs
Bird Droppings / Tree Sap
Industrial Fallout / Acid Rain /Pollution
UV Exposure and Moisture
The most common problems resulting from these conditions are corrosion, staining, and
chemical spotting. Generally, the longer the foreign material remains in contact with the
exterior finish, the more extensive the damage. These problems can be minimized by
regularly scheduled washing and polishing. Wash your recreation vehicle as soon as possible
if it becomes contaminated with foreign material.
Avoid parking under trees or near ocean sea salt. Ice or snow should not be scraped from
the painted surface: Brush off!
Gravel roads should be avoided. Anti-freeze, gasoline or washer solvents if spilled on the
painted surface should be rinsed off with water immediately. Bugs and bird droppings
should be rinsed off daily.
Washing
Commercial washing should be avoided. Wash with cold water using a mild liquid soap.
Dry wiping with a dry cloth is not recommended.
Make sure the recreation vehicle's surface temperature is cool, under 90 F, and out of direct
sunlight. A shaded area is ideal for washing your vehicle as direct sunlight causes water
spotting. Use a mild soap or detergent. Most auto care stores will carry a car wash shampoo.
Try to avoid combination wash-n-wax products as these waxes can cause build up and are
designed for smaller surfaces. Have two dedicated sponges or wash mitts: one for the exterior
walls and one for the wheels and under- carriage. Brushes or wash mitts that are made of
plastic bristles are acceptable for use on tires and wheel wells, but are not intended for use on
the exterior walls. Avoid using such items on painted surfaces as they will damage the finish.
Wash the wheels and wheel wells first as this removes heavy dirt and debris and prevents it
from splattering on panels. Wet the entire area down to remove loose dirt and grime, then
hand wash one area at a time using your dedicated paint finish sponge or wash mitt.
Wash from the top and work your way down, rinsing frequently to minimize grit abrasion.
Follow with a final rinse of water. This process will remove most contamination from
the recreation vehicle's surface. For stubborn stains such as road tar or bug stains, use an
ammonia based glass cleaner or a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a damp cloth followed
immediately by warm soapy water, and rinsing with clean water.
This may not dissolve the road tar, but it will loosen tar and bug stains and remove them
Maintenance Record
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