Proper cleaning of caravan exterior panels - retro caravan

[Deejuk]

Hi all any help/ideas would be great on this. The interior of our 1993 Sprite 450C is looking great and water tight now so all that's good. However I would love to properly clean the exterior getting back a more factory fresh look to the panels.

The only trouble is as you will see from the image attached the surface has this horrid bobbly texture. I've had a go with the obvious soap and water, fenwicks caravan cleaner, washing powder, cutting compound and even a test patch with some thinners on it, plus tried acetone ... te he I've tried all sorts to bring it up. Sadly though the panels always end up looking patchy and grubby somehow.

So I've run out of ideas really, has anyone any super secret or blumin obvious ideas that may work? I know the van is very old but hey one can but try. If I can bring it up I can get new decals for it and it should look a little bobby dazzler.

Thanks in advance

 

[woodsieboy]

I have had good results with Gunk Traffic Film Remover, they make different strengths and also it needs to be diluted, I use the green one which is the mildest.

 

[borderbilly]

hot water and bleach in a spray bottle, mrs. uses that in our shower and it gleams white.

 

[Beachball]

You could try Autoglym Caravan and Motorhome Cleaner it left my caravan with a nice shine

 

[shouldknowbettor]

The reality is only machine polish will have the desired effect. The external layer will be permanently stained and needs polishing back if you want a factory finish. Depends on the materials as to what you could use. I'm lucky as mine was aluminium so I could just hit it with regular car polish. The results were good!

 

[Deejuk]

Hi thanks for that, the panels are aluminium also and I have a machine polisher and cutting compounds in two grades, I gave it a go but due to the bobbly nature of the surface, it made it look worse as the polisher didn't get into the deep elements as much.

All the same thanks for the advice perhaps it's best I admit defeat on this one especially given the nature of the texture. Maybe I should resolve to understand that it's natural patina due to its many many years of fine service 🙂

 

[Buckman]

Hi thanks for that, the panels are aluminium also and I have a machine polisher and cutting compounds in two grades, I gave it a go but due to the bobbly nature of the surface, it made it look worse as the polisher didn't get into the deep elements as much.

All the same thanks for the advice perhaps it's best I admit defeat on this one especially given the nature of the texture. Maybe I should resolve to understand that it's natural patina due to its many many years of fine service 🙂

It is not advisable to use a machine polisher on any caravan as the paint is so thin.

 

[izzy]

We used to have a motorhome with a textured finish, it was like an inverted bobble effect, like little circular indentations and all the cleaning seemed to go across the top so it ended up looking spotted.
I had the best results with diluted white vinegar, a little liquid soap and circular motions with a microfibre cloth.
It's not perfect but it's not bad. Polish afterwards
Good luck

 

[GaryB]

A pair of decent rubber gloves, a new nail-brush and bleach. Scrub it in then leave it to soak in, scrub again and wash off. Don't use anything abrasive as it'll remove the paint from the tops of the raised bits and it'll look worse. You could also try Mr Muscle oven cleaner, I use it for cleaning classic car parts BUT try it on a hidden area first as it is very caustic and can damage bare aluminium.