Removing Black Streaks

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radioflyerdave

New member
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
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3
I HAVE A 2000 WILDERNESS TRAVEL TRAILER WITH SMOOTH METAL SIDING. WHAT CAN I USE TO CLEAN THE BLACK STREAKS, ALSO THE RUBBER MOULDING AROUND EDGES AND WINDOWS HAS WHAT LOOKS TO ME LIKE MILDEW. WHAT CAN I USE THAT WILL NOT DAMAGE THE FINISH ON MY CAMPER? THANKS IN ADVANCE.
 
Hi Radioflyerdave,

Try Korkay. It is a very effective black streak cleaner. You can use it full strength if necessary. However, it will leave a residue if it drys which can be washed off. I work part time at a dealership in the summer and they get it in 30 gal drums. I usually spray some on and let it sit for a couple of minutes and then wash it off. Takes off black streaks and bugs. You should be able to find it at a dealership or Camping World.

 
The black streaks come from water running off your roof and  removal depends to some extent on what sort of dirt was in the water.  In areas where there are industrial wastes (smoke, petroleum residue, etc) in the air or acid rain, removal can be VERY difficult. In other areas it isn't too bad but still requires a heavy duty cleaner or automative/boat type cleaner and polish (not just a wax).  The good news is that the painted aluminum siding on your trailer is pretty much impervious to anything short of aceton, lacquer thinner or brake fluid. It can, however, be scratched by arasives such as Comet cleanser.  If you can't find the Korkay that Jim recommends (excellent product), try some other industrial grade cleaner/degreasers or heavy duty household products like  Simple Green.  Fiberglass boats often suffer from water borne streaks and smudges and I have found that boat cleaner/polishes often work well to remove surface grime from both painted and glass RVs.

The vinyl moldings do get moldy and are darn near impossible to clean up.  The best solution is to simpy replace it - it's not too expensive.  The domed vinyl strip just pops out of the metal track and a new one is inserted by folding the new strip slightly and pressing it into the track.  For attempted cleaning,  I've used a cloth moistened with lacquer thinner with some success but you must be very careful to avoid getting any on the sidewalls or any plastic surface. Bleach ought to kill the mold but it doesn't seem to get ii out of the pores, so you are left with discolored vinyl that is gray instead of black.
 
RFD,
We've tried several black streak removers and all seem to work with varying degrees of elbow grease. Living 3 miles from the airport, we're most often cleaning residue settling on the roof from jet fuel. We've found that Simple Green works as well as task specific cleaners and has a lot of additional uses as well. We spray Simple Green on with a small garden sprayer at full strength and let it work for 5 or 10 minutes, don't let it dry on the surface. Then, using a soft bristle push broom, we scrub....and scrub....and... well, you get the idea. It takes a couple of hours to do our 26 foot trailer. If you're up to it, a coat of automotive polish will go a long way to making the job easier next time but it's a pain in the b**t to do. As for the vinyl trim, X-14 or similar mildew remover works as well as anything but it will never be as white as it was when new. We replaced our white (grey) trim with black vinyl and solved the problem.
Good luck,
Jim
Growing Older is mandatory.
Growing up is entirely optional.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood. ; )
 
THANKS FOR THE REPLIES, BUT I'M WONDERING WHAT SIMPLE GREEN MIGHT DO TO THE DECALS.
IF IT WON'T DISCOLOR THEM, I WILL USE SIMPLE GREEN AND A TRUCK WASH BRUSH. THANKS
 
Simple Green shouldn't harm your decals at all.  You could probaby even use it full strength but that should not be necessary.

Be careful of petroleum solvents (can loosen the glue) and waxes, which fill the pores of the decal and give it a flat or mottled look.

Once you get it clean and shiny, I recommend a product called Protect-All to put a shiny, dirt-shedding finish on the siding. It is easy to apply - basically wipe on and wipe off. It is not a wax, so no rubbing if used per the instructions. That should make future streaks much easier to remove.

 
radioflyerdave said:
Thanks for the help. Hey, this really is the friendliest site on the web!

Thank you.  I'm glad you feel that way because we try.  Welcome to the framily.

Regarding black streak removal I have been using a product called Dri Wash n Guard since 1993to clean and maintain the exterior of our MH.  Any black streaks just wipe right off.
 
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