Bodywork shine - Red Max Pro 3 no longer avail - ZEP is same product :-)

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Stella-

It's worth a shot.  The BKF probably won't do any more damage to the decals.  I scrubbed my decals as well as the fiberglass.  My only caution would be not to scrub so hard that the decals come off.
 
I was wondering if there was any substitute for BKF (Bar Keeper's Friend)??  I checked at Home Depot here in Quebec, Canada and haven't found any..
Would comet be a good replacement??

Thanks,

Mars
 
Mars, I don't know about substitutes, but I saw BKF in an Ace Hardware store down here in California yesterday. I've never looked for it in a Home Depot store. Do you have Ace Hardware stores up there?
 
I was thinking of Bon Ami if you have it up there. It is rumored that mechanics used it in aircraft engines for a quick break-in during WW2 in the Pacific due to the lack of new parts. Very mild like BKF.
 
The problem that I would see in using Bon Ami or Comet is the residue that has to be removed while wet (serious wiping and rinsing).  The residue from BKF is much easier to remove.  That's why Bar Keep's and restaurant folks prefer it.
 
Thanks Tom, Will and Lou for your replies...I've found some at ''Canadian Tire Stores''...We even have some in my small town...''Home Hardware'' also has it...Here's what they write about Bar Keeper's Friend...

Overview
.



Powders

?Bar Keepers Friend is an all natural professional powder cleanser
?At Bar Keepers Friend we use environment-friendly ingredients derived from rhubarb so it is non-toxic and biodegradeable
?Contains no phosphates, bleach, or abrasive crystalline silica which may harm many surfaces
?Contains no hazardous chemicals or perfumes, and we DO NOT test on animals
?Gently removes stains other cleansers can't
?Can be used to clean and polish stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic tile, plastic, copper, china, fiberglass, imitation marble, tile, grout, chrome, and composition sinks
?Removes coffee and tea stains, gray marks on porcelain, and even mineral deposits left in tubs and toilets
?Bar Keepers Friend will even remove rust
?Also recommended for cleaning Artisan, Blanco, Delta Faucet, Eljer, Elkay, Franke, Keidel, MIXA, Pfeifer, Rachiele, Revere, and Wedgwood premium sinks



Thanks again!!  Now I just have to get to work...Just can't wait to see the result..Hope it makes me one happy camper... ;)
 
Just spent the morning re-doing the locker doors on one side as the finish had become worn-looking.  That section was our first effort last year, and after we did the rest of the coach the following week, we realized we'd not done such a great job on the first bit.  Needless to say, it's come up grrr-eaatt.  The rest of the coach still looks good to the extent that we get regular comments from folks saying it's nice to see a glossy older coach.

Good ol' Zep. :)

Dougie.
 
drusher said:
A few questions from an avid RV restorer:

1. I'm assuming this works on older filon type exteriors that did not have a clear coat
2. If I have clear coat that has gone whitish, does this bring back the color?
3. Does it do anything to brighten up old decals?
4. Does anybody know how long this lasts or what happens when it wears out?

FYI: I know how to reglue delaminated sides without taking the whole side off.  I can post that trick if anybody needs it.
  I have a de-lamination on my 1990 that i need some instruction on
 
After reading about the success Dougie Brown, Pancake Bill, Lou and others have had shining up their rigs with ZEP, the DW & I decided to give it a try on our 2004 Brave.  The prep work was very time consuming, and we had to use bleach to remove what looked like mildew on the back and sides of our coach.  The BKF wouldn't touch it.  We put four coats on the front, back and right side today and they look great.  Tomorrow we finish up the left side. 

We put the ZEP only on the white, unpainted fiberglass and the graphics.  We decided to use regular auto wax on the painted parts of the body, like the storage bay doors. 

The coach hasn't looked this good in the four years we've owned it.  Thanks to everyone who supplied the info & directions on how to do this.

I attached some before and after pics and a pic of the black spots that only came off with bleach.
 

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ok i "tried" reading through this whole post looking to see if it works on aluminum siding on a travel trailer???  i got so distracted looking at all the motorhome pictures i lost track of what i started out doing LOL :)

thanks
 
Dougie,

Now that we put the ZEP on our coach, we took it on a trip last week and we want to wash the road grime off of it.  When you wash your coach do you use just water or do you use a car wash type detergent or soap?  We don't want to use something that will mess up the nice shine.
 
Detergent shouldn't be a problem.  The Zep is an acrylic coating that requires a special stripper to remove. 
 
Have put 4 coats of Zep so far on the MH.  A definite shine upgrade as described in this thread---thanks for the tip.  One thing I have noticed: the Zep tends to coagulate on my latex gloves, transfers to the microfiber cloth and leave little specks when applied to the MH.  I change my gloves halfway through the process to minimize.  Maybe I spend too much time, but it takes me about 2 hours per coat (using a ladder to reach the high spots); there are worse ways to unwind in the sun after work!
 
It's true you do have to be careful with the waxy adhesions, but I found that they only collect on the gloves if they're allowed to dry out.  If you resrict yourself to immersing the fingers into your bowl/container/whatever, they shouldn't develop the flakes until you're done.

Dougie.
 
Following this thread.  It sounds like just what we need.  Thanks for sharing!!!

JoAnn
 
Try a bucket of water and an old towel to dip and dry your gloved hands. The gloves don't need to be bone dry, just not shiny wet. Or buy a 50 pair box of vinyl gloves at the drugstore and change often. I used the blue long cuff re-useable type from hardware store.

Bill
 
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