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How to clean A Dirty Girl?
There are all kinds of products out there to clean with, but what have you found best to clean your bus? Most parks do not allow you to wash your coach and that is true where I am as well. I also do not have a truck stop within 100 miles that has a drive through slop-around. So I need something not requiring water that the parks can object too. Allow me to break this down in four groups.
1. Exterior: to include the chrome sides…
2. Diesel engine: that will clean the engine and not eat up the hoses/plastic…
3. Basement: for the aluminum/plastic parts, fittings and chrome/aluminum facings…
4. Tires: Something that does a good job of cleaning without damaging the rubber…
I’ve been afraid of the non-water products for fear of scratching the paint and chrome? But the more I read and look at videos it seems like they do a good job.
What do you use? As I recall doesn’t ETLC use a liquid to wash/wax? Or do they use water/soap wash first?
Harry
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22 Replies
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Harry,
Without water, you are asking for problems…. problems that are chemically created… very dangerous.
I would not do it.
Pres
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Hi Pres, And I must admit the non water part was the reason for my post. You see all of this waterless wash/wax products and they all show happy customers with a beautiful coach in the background and a smile on their face. One guy had such a great experience his finished product grew a tag axle.
My bus isn’t as dirty as it is dusty just from normal dirt, sand, rain etc in the air. Much of it created by RV’s motoring around. I don’t know, but not spraying it first with water brings up all kinds of bad thoughts. Like Tom in a two piece, ahhhhhhh!
So what’s the answer with no truck slop-around and no washing at the campground?
Harry
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It’s easy to hide swirl marks in a photo.
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From my perspective, once you take water out of the equation … you’re pretty much down to solvents and other “things” that aren’t necessary environmentally friendly unless captured at point of use. Plus given the scale of the project (Harry’s 40′ coach), their use would be time consuming and expensive. Most of the water-less cleaners I’ve seen are dispensed in handheld bottles and which makes them awkward to use on a coach due to its height.
In my book, low and moderate pressure water combined with a mild soap is still the best option.
Have you thought about getting out and washing the coach with a soft brush on a rainy day? This might sound stupid, but the rain water is “soft”, clean (once the dust is flushed from the air), and its “free”.
We used the PC discount card at the Blue Beacon entering Florida on I-75 a few years ago. There was a special deal for new customers to get a Rain-X shower after the was. I tried the Rain-X deal.
After that, we noticed that every time it rained, the coach was “clean”. About 98% of the dirt (mostly dust and some road grime) came off the coach in the rain. During our return to Wisconsin on that trip we drove over roads that had been salted due to light snow and some freezing rain ahead of us that thawed by the time we drove through. So the coach was covered with salt. Before I could get out to wash the coach at home, we had a couple of thunderstorms in late March/early April. Much to my surprise, almost all the sale and road grime was gone after the storms. Thanks Rain-X.
So Harry, you might want to try running your coach through a Blue Beacon next time you’re out and about. Tell them to go easy on the pressure washer (Jon likes to hear me saw that.)
Beyond that Dawn dishwashing liquid (in varying concentrations) for the engine compartment, weak Dawn on the exterior and/or a car wash liquid. I like Simple Green too on tough dirt and grime. If you have something really, really greasy and oily … ZEP makes a foaming degreaser that we use on the race car when we have an oil/lube leak that really gets the job done, but I’ve learned to wipe the majority off with a blue paper shop towel first as the stuff is a little pricey, but sure gets the job done. Then Dawn in water to do the final cleanup.
I’ve seen the policy on coach washing all over the board at campgrounds, parks, resorts, etc. No washing, washing only in the designated location, wash anywhere, no posted.
I can understand having some restrictions on washing a coach because we’ve all seen the owners who don’t have a nozzle on the hose, they leave it lay on the ground with the spigot open, and next thing you know hundreds of gallons of water is going down the street. Have you asked the park owner where you’re at if they can figure out how to let you wash your coach once in a while? $20 for water each time? Even $30 is cheaper than trying to take it somewhere. 50 cents a foot for water seems fair. I think I could make money at that rate!
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Dick, What a terrific response and I thank you so much for it!!! Washing the coach in the rain is so brilliant I’d have never thought of it? It also works great for engine cleanup because it would help wash away any residuals. And the dawn will break up the oil/grease and not discolor the concrete.
I didn’t know about the Rain-X deal and I will be on the lookout for that for sure.
It was most kind of you to post such a thoughtful reply that I’m sure will be helpful to many of us. I’ll take that as your Christmas gift Dick and thank you again for your kindness.
Harry
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we also have found most parks have a no washing policy. I noticed many parks I would see a mobile wash truck come and wash coachs . I did use this at first but after being charged anywhere from 150 to 450 , the 450 was for a hand wax .. I did ask the park managers why the could wash and we couldn’t. in almost every case was the use of water . I asked if could wash mine with my water and they said yes. they asked me how I was going to do that.. I told them I would go to Walmart and buy 1 gal jugs of water . they agreed but wasn’t allow to wash my engine .. I agreed .. I purchased the 20 v worx battery operated pressure washer and the 20v leaf blower … I purchase 20 jugs of water and do it myself.. I have been watched to make sure I wasn’t using there water and not washing my engine … i even had my neighbors ask me how much I charge… I usually say, you go buy the water and when I am done you can just feed me a steak and a beer or 10 … I use rain x wash and wax and it works well….
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Thanks BusNet, For another good idea.
I saw a woman using a solution with a pad on a pole on her Tiffin, but that’s as close as I’ve seen to someone washing their coach in a park. Where I’m currently parked for the winter I can have a company come and wash the bus as you said. I’ll ask them if maybe they can be more flexible in the off season.
Harry
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Harry: I received the Blue Beacon discount card after renewing my PC membership and paying my dues one year.
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Our very own Jon does a good job washing my coach every year in April when we all meet at the RV park in Foley. You should ask Jon to wash your coach too.
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Michael, are you getting into the Christmas cheer a little early? I own a Liberty. Part of my Liberty ownership contract forbids me from even looking at a Country Coach, much less touching one.
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Good to know, Jon. I know you covet my CC.
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I do not recall seeing PC has a Blue Beacon discount. We have a Blue Beacon in the Greenville, SC area.
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At one time we had discount cards available but the response was underwhelming.
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Harry maybe you could hook up your hose to your fresh water bay spigot and tell the park you bring your own water tank. Of course you would disconnect your coach from the parks water while doing it. You have that faucet in your driver side 4th bay. I have seen many parks with those regulations that allow you to wash from a bucket of water. One side a day.
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Hi Greg, I tried the plan to use my on board water supply but they didn’t like it much. BTW Greg how’s that old bus of yours doing? One day when you have time on your hands how about posting a picture of that sweet looking bus of yours?
Harry
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