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Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help.

Posted By: Cab_Burge

Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/04/12 10:32 PM

I had some of the siding replaced on my 1999 Pace Shadow race trailer, the older ones are dirty and streaked compared to the two new ones I bought some of the L.A Totally Awesome cleaning solution to help clean and remove the black streaks from the siding, my questions is to those that use this stuff how do you mix it, 50%, 40%, 10%, 80% or straight with no water or whatever else you mix with it that you found that works good
Posted By: Stanton

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/04/12 10:51 PM

What does it tell you on the container?

I buy the straight stuff direct from the manufacturer who tells me the "Black streak remover" in spray bottles has been diluted 50:1 which won't do diddly on tough stains. I mix it 8:1 in a bucket for the first wash of the season and wash the trailer as normal. After that I mix it at about 20:1. One KEY POINT with this stuff is that you MUST NOT let it dry on the surface - scrub and rinse. If it dries on the surface it leaves what looks like an etch which you will never remove short of sanding and refinishing. Best to wash in the evening or on a cool day when you don't have to worry about it trying before you've done a panel! If you wear glasses and it splashes and dries on them it will leave permanent spots!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/04/12 10:52 PM

Quote:

I had some of the siding replaced on my 1999 Pace Shadow race trailer, the older ones are dirty and streaked compared to the two new ones I bought some of the L.A Totally Awesome cleaning solution to help clean and remove the black streaks from the siding, my questions is to those that use this stuff how do you mix it, 50%, 40%, 10%, 80% or straight with no water or whatever else you mix with it that you found that works good




I use it straight but rinse it soon after
Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 12:17 AM

straight left serious dull streaks annd needed b uffing to get the shine back. the next time I started with only 1/3rd Awesome. it did the job and left the shine
Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 01:29 AM

Off topic some but when using awesome be careful where you have your trailer parked. I used to store my car trailer at my Mothers house during the Winter as she had a nice level concrete pad. The driveway leading up to it was asphalt and coated yearly. when I started spraying the trailer off with the hose the awesome (citrous based) started eating the coating off the asphalt driveway. Great stuff but be careful.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 02:28 AM

I never used the product that your asking about, so no help there. It sounds like Jobshop 600 made by SC Johnson, it'll etch aluminum and is a heavy duty degreaser. I use it but not on finished surfaces.
My experience has been that if the roof is treated like the sides(kept clean) the streaks don't appear.
Most times I believe the streaks are diesel exhaust from out on the highway or if your trailer sit's around diesel trucks like mine do. There's always a ton of diesel exhaust on the roof of my trailers and toterhome after a long trip. I wash the top first and then the sides the streaks don't appear.
I've had 4 enclosed trailers and a aluminun roof toterhome. I've washed them hundereds of times and don't have streaks.

One time I bought a used white 40 gooseneck trailer. I used a 7" wool buffing pad with car wax and removed black streaks and had a killer finish when I was done. Used liquid wax so I could squirt it on my buffing pad and the trailer. Car wax is the best way and protects the finish at the same time.
I used the 7" buffer on that 40 footer and used it for 2 years and sold it for more than I paid for it. I also replaced every exterior screw in it also, so it was nice. Shiney sells fast when it comes to trailers from my experience.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 02:40 AM

Quote:

straight left serious dull streaks annd needed b uffing to get the shine back. the next time I started with only 1/3rd Awesome. it did the job and left the shine




After I cleaned it I waxed the trailer... my trailer
was pretty bad with the steaks so it needed straight
Plus if you dont let it set it wont dull... do areas
about 3' x 3' or a little bigger but you have to
WORK... if you let it stay on there it will dull
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 02:42 AM

This is the buffer I was talking about,I'm polishing aluminum in this picture. I would have a clean pad on it for a white trailer.

Mine is a very old air buffer, an electric one would be better. I have been using this buffer for over 15 years and have done entire 28, 32, 40 49' race trailers and tanker trailers at work many times. You get good with it.

This is what you need for a trailer to keep it nice, no way around it unless you do it by hand.
Nothing you spray on it is going to give it the polished look like when it is new.
I'm using it tonight as I type this, right nowon my RV wheels.
Posted By: MCHBOB

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 03:22 AM

Straight get about a gallon 20 bucks worth pour in a pucket get a sponge mop and apply and rinse
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 11:12 PM

Thanks for the help to all of you Do you guys put it on dry or wet the siding first? It's been raining off and on here the last cuople of days so I haven't been able to try it yet I'm thinking of starting with a mixture around 60% water and go from there
Posted By: rickraw

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/05/12 11:49 PM

apply it on dry surface. it will clean better. start from the bottom, aviods streaking. i use turtlewax ice synthetic spray wax. dirt streaks just wipe off. this stuff doesn't turn white. i use it on everything.
Posted By: Barnstorm

Re: Aluminum trailer siding cleaning help. - 06/06/12 02:33 AM

LA Awsome is great. If you put some 100% in a spray bottle and treat the worst steaks first, wet it first to avoid any drool marks. Then wash with 20% bucket solution. 99 cents a bottle at dollar stores here. Suds up nice.
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