LA's Totally Awesome-Cleaner

[Peregrine]

Morning-need to spring clean the roof-Winne Sightseer.Lots of pine tree sap stains and other stuff from the winter.Fellow camper here at park recommended this LA'S AWESOME cleaner/degreaser available at the Dollar Store.
Anybody familiar with it?
If so-any good ?-not good idea ? opinions please.
Questions-dilution rate to water ?
              -any damage to roof seals ?
              -directions warn against contact with glass-hmmm-what's that about.
As always-any reply's gratefully appreciated .
Thanks
Jeff

 

[Weewun]

I use AWESOME and it is great for a general purpose cleaner.  Have never used it to clean the paint on the MH or car, would be leery of it as it is powerful stuff.

For cleaning oil and grease it is better than any DeGreaser I have purchased.  I use it to clean my Hydraulic bay as well as any area that I am going to paint.  Not sure how it would do on Tree Sap.

 

[COMer]

I've used it on everything on my truck and trailer.  Great stuff.  But it is at DollarTree, not the Dollar store.  That means it is $1.  The Dollar stores version is a little more.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Probably as good a heavy duty detergent as any, but its not going to touch pine sap. For that you need either isoproply alcohol or mineral spirits. If it's a rubber roof, definitely use alcohol because the mineral spirits, used in the quantities needed, can penetrate and loosen the adhesive. The alcohol works better anyway, in my opinion.

You will want a strong solution and add bleach as well (roofs often need it), but be prepared to rinse thoroughly and also to  wash the sides of the rig afterward as well. The detergent will suspend a lot of gunk from the roof and re-deposit it as it runs down the sides, so flush it well and wash it off the sides when the roof is done. Check the detergent label before adding bleach, but it should be ok.

I've used Greased Lightning, Simple Green, Purple Power and Spic N Span brand detergents on mine. All seemed effective and all required the same techniques.

 

[Stan Birch]

I've found nothing better than Tide laundry detergent, mixed anywhere from a paste, to just a cup to a pail. It does an excellent job on white fibreglass!

When it comes to pine sap though . . . as Gary sez, you will probably have to use mineral spirits.

As with any cleaner, they do no work instantaneously. Give them time to do their work, sometimes requiring a half hour or more to accomplish their purpose.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Actually, what I recommended is isopropyl alcohol. I carry a pint bottle with me in the coach - all it takes is a rag dampened with it and the sap comes right off.  We have dozens of Sand Pines towering over our Florida home - I have a LOT of experience with sap!

Thanks to Richard Sharp for the original tip about alcohol and pine sap, though. He tipped me to that maybe 15 years ago...

 

[Lou Schneider]

WD-40 also does a good job of loosening pine sap - that's what I use when I get sap on my hands, followed by soap and water to get rid of the oil residue.  But I'd rather use isopropyl alcohol, not WD-40's petroleum base, on a rubber roof.

 

[Onthegulf]

This product is a degreaser you are not supposed to use products like this on a Rv rubber roof, check with the manufacturer before using.

 

[HappyWanderer]

This post is nine years old. The roof has probably been cleaned by now.

 

[udidwht]

This post is nine years old. The roof has probably been cleaned by now.

Still info that applies to the OP post. No need for a new post on the same subject.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Still info that applies to the OP post. No need for a new post on the same subject.

The last time the OP was here was in 2017. Plus the cleaner is becoming scarce at Dollar Tree - 32 oz bottles of LA's Totally Awesome cleaner are selling for $8-10 on Amazon.

 

[Onthegulf]

This post is nine years old. The roof has probably been cleaned by now.

I didn’t see that, thanks. I still think it’s important to warn anyone like myself that wandered on this thread. I learned about this from our owners group. It’s sad Rv makers don’t put a more durable roof material knowing owners will make this mistake.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It’s sad Rv makers don’t put a more durable roof material knowing owners will make this mistake.

They do, e.g. TPO, PVC, fiberglass, or aluminum. But EPDM rubber is still the cheapest and so many American buyers always opt for a lower price over better quality.

 

[Onthegulf]

Sorry but it’s not “people opting for this”, it’s what most Rv manufacturers are using all three of my Rvs had this, I didn’t opt for it and there was no other roof offered. Last Rv was a better Tiffen/Vanliegh product and my current Rv is top of the line Rv from same company both had the rubber roof with no other option. Some of the other types of roof you mentioned are on motor homes, 5th wheels are slowly starting to come along, but this is squarely on manufacturers!

 

[Ray-IN]

They do, e.g. TPO, PVC, fiberglass, or aluminum. But EPDM rubber is still the cheapest and so many American buyers always opt for a lower price over better quality.

I agree Gary; buyers seem to opt for lower prices. In this day, one really does get what they pay for.

 

[Boat Bum]