Exterior cleaning - Wax recommendations

[BackofBeyond]

Other than the Oliver suggested product - does anyone have experience with a good, tried and tested marine wax? I know from my experience, what works very well on modern automotive finishes - my marine knowledge is , well nonexistent.

 

Thanks in Advance

 

 

 

RB

[John E Davies]

You cannot find a more satisfying product than Rejex. Read the reviews. It is amazing stuff, and a single coating will make your Ollie glow. Two coats will make your jaw drop. (Great for dark colored cars with paint in good condition.)

 

https://www.amazon.com/Rejex-High-Gloss-Protective-Finish/dp/B00GM6NF0I

 

You must remove all existing wax from the surfaces before applying. Dawn dish detergent will strip off wax, and a followup with a paint prep solvent like this ...

 

https://www.amazon.com/3M-General-Purpose-Adhesive-Cleaner/dp/B00Y957GWC/ref=sr_1_2?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1534521368&sr=1-2&keywords=3M+adhesive+cleaner

 

.... will remove tar, tree sap, etc etc. You can get it locally from an auto paint supply store for as little as $15 per quart (and no shipping). At NAPA it is close to $30. You need about half a quart to do an Elite II, including the roof, if it isn't too dirty/ spotty. I suggest that you buy two quarts to be safe, and for future use. Good stuff... use with gloves and adequate ventilation. It smells a little but it does not knock your head off like MEK or acetone. I use square cotton rags folded twice to apply, flipping when they start to turn black. That gives you eight clean sides to work with.

 

I only need half a bottle of Rejex to do "Mouse".

 

Dried three week old bug carcasses on the front wall do not "rinse off" but they do come off completely with absolutely minimal pressure. It is very satisfying compared to the old routine of multiple hard scrubbings, which is hard on you and also hard on the gelcoat.

 

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[KountryKamper]

I have used Meguiars Marine wax for over 10 years on Casita's, Escape's, and now the Oliver. I have tried several other products but have always gone back to the Meguiars.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-M6332-Flagship-Premium-Marine/dp/B0000AY60S?th=1

[Yukon]

This wax is used on boats and corporate jets. Must be applied out of the sun and wiped with a micro towel.  I am sure there are many good wax’s out there......yukon

[BackofBeyond]

So I took John's advice, bought the REJEX. Starting in small areas, as I am a one-armed bandit for the next 6 weeks. It does not apply as  visually clean as the Meguiar's I use on my vehicles, but it seems to look as good. I hope the long lasting claims are valid. However, the south bound lower end of  #359 looks pretty darn nice. Now for the other 90%.

[SeaDawg]

For over ten years,  we've  used 3 m ultra marine paste wax. We use the same wax on our boats. Does well in the Florida sun. It's  expensive , and a pita to use, twice a year. But it works

 

Sherry

[topgun2]

Another Oliver owner suggested that I use products produced by a North Carolina company call Duragloss (www.duragloss.com).  Previously I used Rejex but after I received a "free" demonstration I was sold - at least on the interior products and for a quick cleaning of the exterior.  Using 4 parts Duragloss "Fast Clean & Shine" (923) mixed with 1 part Duragloss "Aquawax" (952) a quick spray and wipe with a microfiber towel cleans and shines EVERYTHING on the interior - including the mirrors - without streaks.  I use this same combination for getting bugs off the front and general cleanup of the exterior.  I also bought Duragloss RV wax but I've not had a chance to use it yet.  While most of us can afford it, Rejex is certainly not the cheapest product around and Duragloss is cheaper even with the shipping included.  If the Duragloss exterior wax is anything like the other two products that I've used I will not return to Rejex.

 

Bill

[underdug]

Has anyone used the Starbrite Premium Marine wax and polish with the PTEF?  (the polymer  coating).

 

I have used this on my boats for years, and year after application you can't keep the water on it to wash it. I use a wool buffing wheel to put it on and there is nothing  that it wont remove and leave shiny. I saw in other post similar products from Meguiars, and 3M. My concern is the amount of gelcoat on the Ollie, on my boats it was very thick. I love this product but you can teach an old Doug new tricks.

[geO]

So I took John’s advice, bought the REJEX. Starting in small areas, as I am a one-armed bandit for the next 6 weeks. It does not apply as visually clean as the Meguiar’s I use on my vehicles, but it seems to look as good. I hope the long lasting claims are valid. However, the south bound lower end of #359 looks pretty darn nice. Now for the other 90%.

 

I just finished today using REJEX and applied it while the sun was shinning.  While applying it was somewhat difficult to see where I put it and where I did not. After waiting the 15-20 minutes I uses a microfiber cloth and I must say I'm impressed. I plan on putting another coat on some.

[Overland]

I'm getting really bad black streaks on both the trailer and my truck after using Rejex.  It must be reacting with something in the air or water, but even my wife commented on it.  So I'm rejecting the Rejex.  I just ordered a bunch of Duragloss products and I guess I'm going to try to strip off the Rejex and rewax the whole trailer.  What a pain - definitely not what I planned to do right before our upcoming trip.

 

[geO]

Oh CRAP, I just spent the last 3 days shinning Ollie up. Seeing your image Overland makes me cringe.

[KountryKamper]

Per Bill's (Topgun2) recommendation I just switched to Duragloss products this year. I just finished inside and out last week and the trailer looks great. Time will tell how it holds up.

 

Mixed 4 parts 923 to 1 part 952 in a spray bottle and did the inside using a microfiber cloth. Only took 15 minutes for the inside. The outside 501 is just like waxing with any other wax except I did wipe everything down a second time just to get a polished look. So far I am very happy with it.

 

 

[attachment file=20190318_114259(1).jpg]

 

 

[Overland]

Oh CRAP, I just spent the last 3 days shinning Ollie up. Seeing your image Overland makes me cringe.

 

Oh man, tell me about it.  At least it looks like the streaks come off with soap and water.  I'm going to try washing it this weekend and see if they start to come back.  I'm wondering if I can spray over it with the Duragloss detail spray to sort of seal over it.

 

I'd really like to know if yours does the same - it's possible that its from some tree or soot in the air, or maybe somehow I did something wrong - but I've never seen this before, and to see it both on the trailer and the truck right after using the Rejex, I have to think that's the culprit.

[Overland]

Tom, that looks fantastic.  I really like the streamlined look of the Ollies without the solar panels.

 

I couldn't decide between the 501 RV polish or the 152 Fiberglass polish.  I ended up getting the 152 - no idea if that was the right choice.

 

I also got the 601 Bonding Agent.  I've never used anything like that before so I'm half interested and half nervous about trying it.

[topgun2]

Looking good Tom.  Isn't that mixture on the interior great?  So easy and fast with no streaks - hard to believe.  For touch-ups on the exterior (like the top of the propane cover and the bug splattered front) I use just the 952 Aquawax or the same mixture that I use on the inside.  Nothing hard about it - glad you like the stuff.

 

Bill

[Geronimo John]

@ Tom & Cheryl:

 

I also use Meguiar's M6316 Flagship Premium Marine Wax and purchase it via Amazon.  However I purchase it in the 30 ounce bottle.  Saves a bunch.

[underdug]

Overland,

 

 

 

There is a product called "Roll-Off" that is available at RV, Marine supplies and amazon. This stuff is amazing for removing those black streaks .  Wet, spray it on rub with a soft brush or microfiber  and let sit and rinse. This stuff has been a boaters secret for a long time cleans shines and does not hurt the wax. A quart may save you some elbow grease.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Roll-Off-Multi-Purpose-Cleaner-oz/dp/B000FSDZTU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3MIO9T6WAA6YI&keywords=roll-off&qid=1553953984&s=gateway&sprefix=roll-off%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-3

 

Doug

[Overland]

Thanks Doug - I may give that a shot if the streaks don't come off with a wash.

[BackofBeyond]

Over the winter I put a coat of Rejex on our Ollie. Having just returned from a week in Pensacola and PCB, I washed the Ollie and it looks great. The grim came off with little effort as did the bug splatter. So far I'm happy. I imagine I'll use up the bottle before trying anything else. At least one more coat. However, I may try something else on the interior.

 

As for those pesky plastic window channel covers - NOTHING gets the black stains off of them. Best I've done is turn them a light grey. If I can find another of same design only black, I'll go that route.  Surly there is a black window channel cover somewhere in the universe.

 

RB

 

 

[topgun2]

RB -

 

Have you tried acetone?  If you try it, GO LIGHTLY until you get the idea of what its doing.  I've used acetone on some of the caulked areas to get the road grime and black stuff out.

 

Bill

[BackofBeyond]

Bill,

 

Yes I tried that, and some adhesive cleaner, along with rubbing compound, wheel n  tire cleaner, and on. Its just stained permanently.

 

RB.

[topgun2]

Bummer!

[rideandfly]

Purchased Bow To Stern BTS to use on Ollie's exterior later this month. It may take up to 2 to 3 applications for best results.  Some folks tried BTS on one of the Casita forums with good results while using this gel-coat sealer & UV protection.

 

https://www.btsproducts.com/about/btsdifference/

[Overland]

Just to update on the Rejex.  I just washed both the truck and trailer for the first time since waxing - the black streaks came off without too much effort, except for on the window trim.  I'll have to find some sort of solvent to try to get it off there.  I think what's left is faint enough though that only I'd notice.  What surprised me was that the water wasn't beading anymore, which is weird because it beaded with just the bare fiberglass.  After it sat for a while it would, but not like it was before.  More interesting is that here was one patch that was still beading, and I'd remembered that I didn't wax that part because I wanted to reapply the graphic there since it had a small crease in it.  So I took a closer look, and sure enough, there were no black streaks on that patch.  The streaks petered out as they went down it, then picked back up on the lower section that had been waxed.  So definitely the streaks and the wax are related.

 

I really don't understand why the waxed areas are beading less than the unwaxed now.  They beaded more when I first put it on.  I hope it didn't do something to the finish.

 

Anyway, my blunt verdict is that this stuff is junk.  Don't use it, don't let your friends use it, send a bottle to your enemies, etc.

[ScubaRx]

Just to update on the Rejex...

 

...Anyway, my blunt verdict is that this stuff is junk. Don’t use it, don’t let your friends use it, send a bottle to your enemies, etc.

 

Thanks for this info. I was contemplating buying a bottle.