Rubber Roof Maintenance? [Archive]

geo

05-04-2011, 11:48 AM

Flyguy will be here shortly with a link to his website that has a couple of excellent articles about rubber roof maintenance. If you look at his profile under Community > Member's List, you will find that URL. He has amassed an online library of great information!

On my fiver, I first inspect the roof to see if I need to seal any cracks, etc. I wash it using Borax, water, and a soft brush I got at CW named "Rubber Roof Brush". :D Once the roof is washed and rinsed, the joyous job of washing the sides starts. :rolleyes:

You might want to be aware, when you go down to the grocery for Borax, Dial Corporation has changed the box label! :eek: It took me a good 10 minutes and three trips up and down the aisle to finally find this white box sans the twenty mule team! This is a sacrilege! First they replaced the Old Ranger with Ronald Reagan on "Death Valley Days", and then took the show off the air! And now, there is no twenty mule team on the Borax box. Next thing you know, you won't be able to find a pay phone!!! :rolleyes:

Ron

Jim W

05-04-2011, 12:50 PM

I inspect and wash the rubber roof twice a year, re-caulk as required. In the spring and than again in the fall. This helps to keep the black streaks from occurring on the side of the camper.
I tend to buy the rubber roof cleaner that is sold by CW and other supply houses. This has a rubber roof conditioner in it, that helps prolong the life of the rubber roof.
Jim W.

therink

05-04-2011, 03:20 PM

Scrub roof 2X yr with borax and dawn. Check seams and dicor as needed. Not much more IMO that needs to be done. Doing this way for years and no issues. This is coming from a perfectionist.

dherod

05-06-2011, 03:44 AM

Thanks everyone! Off to find some 20 Mule Team borax.....minus the mule team! I've learned so much from this forum. I'll have to get myself some of the proper materials on my next trip to CW also (dicor & other sealants). I think I'll get some of their roof treatment as well after I clean it. Probably can't hurt. Thanks again!

geo

05-06-2011, 10:53 AM

Dan -

When you go shopping for treatments, etc., for a rubber roof, spend a few minutes browsing the instructions and warnings on the package. If it says ANYTHING about petroleum distillates, petroleum solvents, or citric agents - do NOT buy it and do not use it on your rubber roof! :eek: There are plenty of informational threads on the forum that will fully explain this, just click on "SEARCH". Dicor does make a lap sealant without petroleum distillates, but you will be surprised how many rubber roof products at CW have distillates! Keep looking through the shelves, you will find the correct products . . . and do the Search.

Ron

hankpage

05-07-2011, 07:36 AM

First they replaced the Old Ranger with Ronald Reagan on "Death Valley Days", and then took the show off the air! And now, there is no twenty mule team on the Borax box. Next thing you know, you won't be able to find a pay phone!!! :rolleyes:

Ron

I can't remember where I put the crank handle for the stabilizers but I remember this !!! :( Next ,you're going to tell me you can't use dimes in those pay phones.
The Borax works well but last fall I used the pressure washer as I have seen them do on park models and it did a nice job in a ¼ of the time. I think I may alternate cleaning methods between Borax and pressure washer.

Flyguy

05-07-2011, 07:42 AM

Here's the link to the "Rubber Roof Maintenance" folder on my homepage: http://eaa1358.com/Passport/Rubber%20Roof%20Maintainance/ You can download and save these if you wish. I have found that Boarax powder and warm water is all that's needed. The EPDM rubber roofs are designed to last about 15 to 20 years if maintained properly. Have Fun!

RGwelch

10-19-2019, 07:24 PM

ctbruce

10-19-2019, 08:00 PM

Spic n span is good. Dawn is good but will remove wax from sides. There are several new posts on this topic. The roof membranes are not rig specific, so just search for roof cleaning.

flybouy

10-20-2019, 04:27 AM

Hank those payphones still take dimes. You can find one at any Blockbuster, Radio Shack, or Heath Craft store.:lol:

gearhead

10-20-2019, 06:34 AM

Wet & Forget works for me.

sourdough

10-20-2019, 06:41 AM

I'm reviving this old thread here as I'm looking to clean my Passport 23RB roof for the first time. Does anyone have an updated link to Flyguy's PDF on roofcleaning? It seems the link he gave in this thread is dead.

Also, since this thread is from 8 years ago, and my trailer is new, what are the current opinions on cleaning a rubber roof? I was looking at either using Spic'n'span or Borax and then treating with 303 Protectant. But I've seen some references to not bother with a protectant and some even say not bother with anything other than sweeping leaves off the roof.

Here's a link that provides some good info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOq_XoTeQrc

You can do as much, or as little, as you want to the roof but like anything else you get out of it what you put into it. The roof WILL deteriorate from exposure to the sun and elements and the procedures outlined in the video will definitely prolong not only the looks but the life of the roof.

JRTJH

10-20-2019, 07:33 AM

I'm reviving this old thread ...
Also, since this thread is from 8 years ago, and my trailer is new, what are the current opinions on cleaning a rubber roof? ....

You're right, this thread is 8 years old and "things change"...

Back then, EPDM roofing material was the "norm" for most travel trailers. In 2012-2015, most manufacturers stopped using EPDM (white coated, black rubber roofing) and started using TPO (solid color plastic roofing). That's the reference to pay phones, Radio Shack and if I might be so "bold", EPDM roofs on travel trailers. You simply won't find a "rubber roof" on any trailer built by Keystone.

The two are entirely different in construction, but have the same "intended purpose/use" of covering the OSB/Plywood roof decking to protect it from water intrusion.

While some (actually most) of the maintenance is the same, there are some subtle differences in the sealant used to reseal the openings and edges of TPO roofing.

You've received some good advice and keeping the roof clean is essential, but even more important is keeping the roof inspected and sealed to prevent leaks.

LHaven

10-30-2019, 02:34 PM

You're right, this thread is 8 years old and "things change"...

Back then, EPDM roofing material was the "norm" for most travel trailers. In 2012-2015, most manufacturers stopped using EPDM (white coated, black rubber roofing) and started using TPO (solid color plastic roofing).

Thanks. I came here precisely because I had this question.

I well remember the EPDM roof on my previous rig -- it had that "balloony" feel to it. Today, I dragged out the ladder and started to clean my slide roof for the first time (which I have to get done first in order to close the rig so I can reach the main roof), and the covering looked like tan plasticized wallpaper, so I came here to figure out what Keystone used for roofing.

I went after it with a long-handled brush and the auto-type cleaner I had (Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo). I couldn't get a lot of leverage with the brush from a ladder. I switched to a hand scrub brush, which did an OK job as far as I could reach, but that was only the outer half of the slide. I don't have a power washer, and wouldn't dare use one on the slide anyway, for fear of soaking the inside through the rubber wipers.

I think a better product would have given me better results. Is there an outstanding recommended one for TPO?

Oh yeah, one more question. Everybody's advice is full of "stay away from petroleum distillates." I spent some time in NH last month and was reintroduced to the joys of sap. When I ask the web how to get sap off an RV roof, the advice I see is to dip a rag in mineral spirits and rub the spot. Is that really recommended, or what else should I use?

gearhead

10-30-2019, 06:21 PM

Eternabond makes an aerosol cleaner that says it removes sap. I think it is mostly a prep for applying Eternabond patches.

LHaven

10-30-2019, 06:36 PM

Logan X

10-30-2019, 07:20 PM

Here is my 2c on roof cleaning and maintenance

https://youtu.be/KlhVYQgVVM8

JRTJH

10-30-2019, 07:27 PM

Thanks for the pointer. The company says their cleaner contains a "proprietary mixture of hot solvents" so I requested their MSDS to find out precisely what that means.

I see that the recommendation for Murphy's Oil Soap is validated by no less than Trailer Life (https://www.trailerlife.com/tech/diy/keeping-an-rv-roof-in-tiptop-shape/), so I believe I will be using that for the general (after-sap) cleaning.

The Eternabond Aerosol Cleaner MSDS is located here: https://www.jewettroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Eternabond-Clean-MSDS.pdf

Looks to me like it's Acetone and heptane, pressurized with CO2. Nothing you can't buy at Ace Hardware by the quart in the paint and solvents department (without the CO2 and Heptane)... Pour a little on a rag, rub GENTLY on the pine tar spot and then wipe with a cloth wetted with "plain water".....

ADDED: Thinking about it after making this post, I'm not certain that Acetone would be safe to use on the TPO membrane. I've never used it on TPO, but use it regularly on the metal surfaces on my RV. For the TPO roof, I use Simple Green mixed 1:4 (4 parts water, 1 part SG) and scrub the roof with that. I have sprayed SG full strength on some tough to remove spots. If SG doesn't work, the "Roof Maintenance Manual" https://dicorproducts.com/images/RudysRoofbook_16.pdf says to use mineral spirits on a rag (in limited areas) and not to leave it on the surface for a prolonged time. I've always thought, "It's the roof, nobody sees it, why be anal about keeping it clean?" My belief is that the more I scrub with things that dissolve the membrane, the shorter its life.... Since it's out of sight/out of mind, why focus on keeping it spotless ???? YMMV

LHaven

10-30-2019, 10:00 PM

Here is my 2c on roof cleaning and maintenance

https://youtu.be/KlhVYQgVVM8

Car wax is a hydrocarbon? I had no idea. I thought it came from South American trees, like Folgers or Hershey's. Luckily, the product I grabbed today says "shampoo and cleaner" and not a thing about wax (other than claiming that it won't remove it).

LHaven

10-30-2019, 10:05 PM

Looks to me like it's Acetone and heptane, pressurized with CO2. Nothing you can't buy at Ace Hardware by the quart in the paint and solvents department (without the CO2 and Heptane)... Pour a little on a rag, rub GENTLY on the pine tar spot and then wipe with a cloth wetted with "plain water".....

ADDED: Thinking about it after making this post, I'm not certain that Acetone would be safe to use on the TPO membrane.

I've always thought, "It's the roof, nobody sees it, why be anal about keeping it clean?" My belief is that the more I scrub with things that dissolve the membrane, the shorter its life.... Since it's out of sight/out of mind, why focus on keeping it spotless ???? YMMV

Ouch. I wouldn't even consider using acetone, MEK, Goof Off, or the other really strong hydrocarbons. They dissolve darn near everything. I suppose Eternabond gets away with it because you're prepping to put their patch tape over that spot anyway. I guess I'll go with the mineral spirits and hope I don't need to scrub to get the sap off.

I had to at least clean the slide roof, to remove all the pine needles I carried home from Vermont, so they don't end up inside the rig. There are still some stuck in sap on the main roof which I really ought to address. I used to get up on the roof of my last rig, but given my current weight and my progressing balance issues, I'm going to be stuck dragging a ladder around for this job.

I'd also like to inspect my omni antenna and see if it suffers from multiple broken inductors like another poster found (http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=360129#post360129), because its performance is generally awful... but I really think I would need to put at least some of my weight on the roof to do that.

flybouy

10-31-2019, 12:20 AM

In my feeble thinking the reason most folks "scrub" their roofs are in an attempt to stop the streaking down the sides during water runoff. I was in construction project management for the over 3 decades and I can't begin to put a number on how many commercials roofs I've stood on. I have never seen anyone "clean" a single one. Typically they get regular (yearly) inspections to visualize and repair the seams and penetration defects such as vent stacks, rooftop hvac curbs, drains, scuppers, etc.
I fully understand that buildings are not subjected to the level of tree sap, wind, and vibration that an RV does getting pulled down the highway. Commercial roofs do get subjected to other contaminants not found on RV roofs such as grease and dishwasher vapors from cooking, dry cleaner chemicals, and coil cleaners that hvac techs use to clean the roof top units.
My advice is to follow the manufactures instructions on the inspection, care, and maintenance paying particular attention to the "approved" or "recommended" composition of the chemicals used on that material.

skids

10-31-2019, 05:20 AM

LHaven, if the sap is thick blobs, you might be able to soften it up with warm water and then use two plastic scrapers (dull the corners) to pinch the blob and remove what you can. Mineral spirits on a small area on a rag over your finger tip should work. Do dry the roof spot ASAP. Lots of people have recommended using mineral spirits to clean Dicor lap sealant before applying new and I am quit certain that some gets on the membrane. PS Marshall has a good point in that cleaning of tree sap is not in the normal course of cleaning the roof.

Logan X

10-31-2019, 07:31 AM

Car wax is a hydrocarbon? I had no idea. I thought it came from South American trees, like Folgers or Hershey's. Luckily, the product I grabbed today says "shampoo and cleaner" and not a thing about wax (other than claiming that it won't remove it).

I’m not sure what a hydrocarbon is...but I didn’t pay that close attention in school. (Actually I googled it to find out it was a chief component of petroleum and gas)

I checked with Meguiars specifically if the ultimate wash and wax contained petroleum distillates, here is their reply:

Dear Mike,

Thank you for contacting Meguiar’s! Yes, the Ultimate Wash and Wax does contain petroleum distillates in it as well as most waxes on the market. Most likely if the product has protectant in it, it will have petroleum distillates.

travelin texans

10-31-2019, 09:10 AM

Thought Dicor recommended using denatured alcohol to prep area before reapplying sealant? Or was that the Eternabond? Either way that's what I used as I had it on hand, worked well.

gearhead

10-31-2019, 10:30 AM

Wax (parrafin) is a component of crude oil and is removed in the refining process at the "Dewaxing Unit", at least in my plant.
Carnauba wax is a natural product of a South American tree.
Meguairs Ultimate Wash and Wax, the yellow snotty stuff, has a lot of some kind of wax in it. I like it.
Denatured alcohol is sorta distilled, the way we made it. Syn gas , mostly hydrogen, and acid reacted to make alcohol and then sent to the "Denaturing Plant" to make it un drinkable. The key was knowing where to get the good stuff that was 199 proof before it was denatured. The IRS revenuer just worked straight day shift, we didn't.

Anyway a little alcohol or mineral spirits should be ok. The alcohol would likely evaporate before you wipe it off.
A little more...EPDM is itself a petroleum product. Ethylene Propylene Blah Blah. Ethylene and Propylene are products of cracking and distilling ethane (natural gas), condensate (wellhead natural gasoline) and various other carbon fractions.
It's just the EPDM is not resistant to lighter hydrocarbons and aromatics.
Now my head hurts.

LHaven

10-31-2019, 10:38 AM

Logan X

10-31-2019, 10:49 AM

I was planing to skip the wax and just go with 303, given the rabid following I have found it has here. I had good experiences with Rejex on my last rig, but it was all-aluminum, not fiberglass like this one, so if people say 303 is the bomb, I'm willing to switch,

One thing I have noticed with 303 is that it attracts dirt. I use it and I like it however I recently camped in a desert BLM area and everywhere I had used 303 was coated with dirt. Just something to be aware of I guess.

LHaven

10-31-2019, 11:05 AM

Ugh. Does the dirt at least rinse off easily? I ask because I have a 3/4 mile unfinished desert driveway. I can wash my car in town, and by the time I park it in the garage, it looks like somebody emptied a Hoover on the tail section. In the other direction, I'd hate to start a trip with a shiny TT and end up towing a giant dust bunny by the time I hit the highway.

Logan X

10-31-2019, 11:23 AM

The 303 stays kind of wet so the dirt sticks to it pretty good. Im not sure how easy it is to rinse off, I haven’t washed my truck yet. I included some pictures for reference.

I washed my truck and used 303 on the tires and plastic parts the week before I took the camping trip. The dirt might not have stuck so heavily if there had been more time in between the 303 application and the dirt exposure.

sourdough

10-31-2019, 03:11 PM

Kinda coming in on the tail end of the cleaning the sap deal but I had an experience that might help.

The dealer had my trailer in for work this past spring and as I was getting ready to leave a week or so ago I saw the little square of "sticky stuff" that was left off the tape when they put my repair sticker on. Hardened and stiff. I tried most everything; alcohol, orange cleaner, crud cutter, soap/water, then tried acetone....zero luck. Looking around the barn I had a bottle of black streak and bug remover that I never had any luck with so figured what the heck; it worked! And worked well I might add. Maybe not so good for black streaks or bugs but it pulled that hard, dried adhesive off so it might work on the sap?

https://www.campingworld.com/ultrafoam-black-streak-bug-remover-35174.html

LHaven

10-31-2019, 04:48 PM

Prior to leaving Vermont, I bought a bottle of Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover to get the sap off that had blessed our truck windshield. I was supremely underwhelmed -- took mucho elbow grease to spread each drop of sap into a huge hazy spot, and more elbow grease and fresh rags to clear it up entirely.

Went to the Dollar Store and bought a razor-blade scraper, which did the job to my approval. Unfortunately, that's not suitable for the TV paint or the TT roof.

sourdough

10-31-2019, 05:07 PM

Prior to leaving Vermont, I bought a bottle of Turtle Wax Bug & Sap Remover to get the sap off that had blessed our truck windshield. I was supremely underwhelmed -- took mucho elbow grease to spread each drop of sap into a huge hazy spot, and more elbow grease and fresh rags to clear it up entirely.

Went to the Dollar Store and bought a razor-blade scraper, which did the job to my approval. Unfortunately, that's not suitable for the TV paint or the TT roof.

You might try that black streak remover for the heck of it. I was totally underwhelmed when used for what it was meant for and shocked when it removed the adhesive.

LHaven

11-07-2019, 12:26 AM

I've gotten all the dirt and bugs and sap off at least the front, back, and sides (I'm not going to touch the roof), and now I'm trying to figure out how best to put on the 303. I see a lot of postings by people who put 303 over wax, and other postings by people who use 303 in place of wax. What do the pros here recommend?

As far as attracting and holding dust, I understand from studying the stuff that it takes several days to dry, and as long as you can avoid picking up dust in the first couple days, then you're golden. That's a crapshoot with the dust devils out here, but I'm willing to risk it in the fall season.

I'm not at all worried about the streaking problem if it rains shortly after application, because rain is just not that much of an issue out here.

66joej

11-07-2019, 07:37 AM

Spent a month out on Vancouver Island BC and had LOTS of sap from the trees in the park. Tried a variety of products. The one that seemed to work best was hand sanitizer. Follow up with cleaning off with window cleaner.

Note: This was for the TV and front cap of the TT. Didn't bother with the TT roof. No ill effects to TV or TT on the paint/glass

JRTJH

11-07-2019, 07:41 AM

The "key" to using Goodyear Aerospace 303 is what surface you put it on.

303 is water based, most "surface waxes and sealants" are oil based/petroleum and paraffin based.

Water and oil don't mix.

If you wax or apply a sealant to the trailer FILON, then let it sit for a few days so the solvents can disperse. Then apply the 303 to the DRY surface.

If you "slap on a coat of wax" and then, the same afternoon, apply a liberal coating of 303, you can expect it to "thicken, streak and react to the inability to mix with the oils that are still on the FILON surface.....

It's sort of like using Dawn to clean a varnish brush.... You'll wind up with an "incompatible mess of goo that's hard to clean up".....

Bill-2020

09-27-2020, 11:48 AM

The Eternabond Aerosol Cleaner MSDS is located here: https://www.jewettroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Eternabond-Clean-MSDS.pdf

Looks to me like it's Acetone and heptane, pressurized with CO2. Nothing you can't buy at Ace Hardware by the quart in the paint and solvents department (without the CO2 and Heptane)... Pour a little on a rag, rub GENTLY on the pine tar spot and then wipe with a cloth wetted with "plain water".....

ADDED: Thinking about it after making this post, I'm not certain that Acetone would be safe to use on the TPO membrane. I've never used it on TPO, but use it regularly on the metal surfaces on my RV. For the TPO roof, I use Simple Green mixed 1:4 (4 parts water, 1 part SG) and scrub the roof with that. I have sprayed SG full strength on some tough to remove spots. If SG doesn't work, the "Roof Maintenance Manual" https://dicorproducts.com/images/RudysRoofbook_16.pdf says to use mineral spirits on a rag (in limited areas) and not to leave it on the surface for a prolonged time. I've always thought, "It's the roof, nobody sees it, why be anal about keeping it clean?" My belief is that the more I scrub with things that dissolve the membrane, the shorter its life.... Since it's out of sight/out of mind, why focus on keeping it spotless ???? YMMV

John,
I had to reply to this old thread because I was totally blown away by the ability of the Simple Green. I’ve tried the Dicor roof cleaner and I was not impressed one bit. A gallon jug of simple green, a spray bottle and a new medium stiff brush made my roof sparkle! I’d like to personally thank you for this little bit of information. Sometimes it’s the “simple” (pun!) things in life that give us the biggest bang for our buck. I’ve used SG on many, many other things around the house and vehicles, but I had not considered it for the thin TPO membrane. What a difference it made. I sprayed the 4x4 area, agitated it and spread it around with the brush. I waited about a minute and then brushed it in back and fourth and circular motions. Never have I had such an easy time cleaning the roof. Typically I’m scrubbing with Dawn after the season of leaves and tree tannin has stained the roof. Not nearly as difficult this time around. I agree, no one else will see it, but I know it. Thanks again!