Best Outside caravan cleaner.

Sep 11, 2022
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So I've purchased a van that's been sited for 2 years, needs a good clean outside where it's been sat. Anybody recommend a good cleaner that gets green off etc
Tia
 
Jan 19, 2002
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Don’t know where you live, but if you Google ‘mobile caravan cleaning’ it might be worth paying for a professional spit and polish first time then maintain its new found shiny self with Fenwicks.
 
Jul 19, 2021
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I used to use the fenwicks stuff but now use any decent car shampoo that I have around (I like cleaning my cars!) and plenty of elbow grease
Last wash was with Autobrite Direct Banana Gloss Shampoo (smells delicious!)
Then because of various lockdowns/Illness I had not polished the 'van for about 3 years and it looked very flat and felt like powder, so polished twice, first pass with Autoglym super resin polish (used this for years) and then a second polish with Autobrite direct Euphoria polish/glaze/wax (again because its what I had available as I had run out of SRP and I love their products) then a final coat of Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection.

You would think that the 'van was brand new now, but it is 7 years old with the usual rubbish Bailey paint that just loves to oxidise .
Several months on, black marks just wipe straight off. Next year I will probably look at doing a ceramic coating as this has been brilliant on my tiguan and santa fe, but was put on by the dealer.
For really bad dirt I have in the past used very dilute G101 , but that's at your own risk!

I had my previous Bailey cleaned and paint restoration by Tourer Shine, they made the 12 year old paint look like new, they wouldn't say what compound they used with the machine polisher but their advice was to go over the caravan with Autoglym SRP once a year
 
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Sep 21, 2022
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Interestingly, Bailey is quite insistant that car shampoos are not used to clean their caravans and indeed make reference to the use of carnauba wax also not being used.
You make a very good point about the finish, and as a newbie and also someone who is used to using such materials, your advice and previous experience have been invaluable. So I think I will be disregarding their advice.
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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I had a 2005 S5 Bordeaux and did pretty well what Bluetonic posted. When I sold it in 2014 the buyer commented on its excellent condition. I seem to recall that during my ownership Bailey promoted a separate cleaning manufacturer and that manufacturer in their adverts stated they were approved by Bailey.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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I had a 2005 S5 Bordeaux and did pretty well what Bluetonic posted. When I sold it in 2014 the buyer commented on its excellent condition. I seem to recall that during my ownership Bailey promoted a separate cleaning manufacturer and that manufacturer in their adverts stated they were approved by Bailey.
I seem to remember that advertiser and if I am correct I think they were on this forum many years. I think one of their claims was that if you used any other product on a Bailey caravan it invalidated the warranty on panels?
 
Jul 19, 2021
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Interestingly, Bailey is quite insistant that car shampoos are not used to clean their caravans and indeed make reference to the use of carnauba wax also not being used
I remember this being bought up on a previous post. I checked my handbook and it doesn't say that

21. EXTERIOR FEATURES
GRP
GRP components need to be washed, waxed
and cared for like a car
. Chemicals and dirt can
collect during storage, and the outer surface
called a gel coat can be stained or marked
when chemicals combine with rain or dew.
Most stains or marks can be removed with mild
dish-washing detergent, but more stubborn
marks may require a rubbing compound. To
help keep your GRP components looking
almost like new, it is wise to wash the parts
monthly (or more frequently) using mild dish-
washing detergent, but avoid using strong
alkaline (e.g. tri-sodium phosphate) or acidic
cleaners or abrasives. Waxing the components
once or twice a year with a good grade paste

wax will help to maintain the colour and finish.

The manual also states that you should use mild dishwashing detergent which I would never use
 
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Jul 19, 2021
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and for an earlier pageant


5.1.1
Exterior
The exterior of your caravan is very durable and easy to clean owing to its high gloss properties. To
maintain a showroom finish one needs only to
wash the caravan regularly with a car shampoo, rinse
with cold water and chamois leather off. Do not forget to clean the roof. A good quality non metallic and
non-coloured car wax that does not contain white spirit may be applied, which will make washing
easier.
▲ Under no circumstances use any abrasive agents, methylated spirit, white spirit, other
solvents or washing up liquid to the exterior of your caravan.
▲ No touch up painting should be carried out prior to consulting with a Bailey Service
Centre for approved methods.
All items stored in the gas bottle storage locker must be secured to prevent impact damage to the
inside of the front body panel when the caravan is being towed. The gas bottle storage locker must not
be loaded in such a way that pressure is exerted on the front body panel as this will cause the panel to
crack.
▲ Do not allow any chemicals, toilet or otherwise, to contact the gas box floor.

▲ The use of high pressure water jets to clean your caravan will invalidate your warranty.
 
Jul 19, 2021
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I looked back at a different caravanning forum where they talk about stuff ;)
There was a user that had received an answer re carnauba wax and Bailey's response was that the not using carnauba wax was an error and that advice was to be removed from future manuals (which must have happened as it is removed from my 2015 version)

But their advice to use washing up liquid makes my teeth curl, I'm not spending two days polishing and waxing my 'van to strip off all the good work the next time I wash it with a product designed to degrease dishes, oh, and add some salt for good measure, not like salt corrodes stuff 🤷‍♀️
 
Oct 21, 2020
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I've recently bought a little nilfisk pressure washer.
My cleaning routine now is....
Spray van with Fenwicks, using the low pressure setting I cover the van with autoglym snow foam.
Using a wash mitt and cleaning bucket I was the van and rinse off with the hose, I then spray with Fenwick Bobby dazzler and leave to dry..comes up sparkling.
Van gets polished with autoglym at the start of the summer.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Some years ago we use own Bailey Ranger 460 /2 end washroom i would always use Auto glym polish and it always had a nice shine
 
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Oct 3, 2013
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Interestingly, Bailey is quite insistant that car shampoos are not used to clean their caravans and indeed make reference to the use of carnauba wax also not being used.
You make a very good point about the finish, and as a newbie and also someone who is used to using such materials, your advice and previous experience have been invaluable. So I think I will be disregarding their advice.
We had a Bailey for a number of years and used nothing but car wash and wax shampoo to clean it ,no detrimental effects ,did a good job.
 
Oct 8, 2006
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Muc-off pushbike cleaner. Bio-degradable, soluble and often does not even need brushing!

Put an eggcup full in your washer bottle and you will NEVER have smear on your windscreen either!
 
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