Cleaning slide tops

Tinner12002 · 10-17-2017, 04:33 PM

So what does everyone do when camping at campgrounds and its time to pull your slides in to leave? Do you get on roof of your rv and sweep the slides off, do you carry an 8ft ladder to access the slide tops...what's the best and efficient way to go about cleaning your slide tops off before pulling them in or do you not bother and just pull them in??

earlzach · 10-17-2017, 04:48 PM

At the moment nothing yet! But my plan is a battery or corded electric leaf blower with a pvc modified extension with a 45 degree turn down.

MarcS · 10-17-2017, 04:54 PM

I added slide toppers so I didn't have to find a way to get up there to sweep them off.

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Tinner12002 · 10-17-2017, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcS

I added slide toppers so I didn't have to find a way to get up there to sweep them off.

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Lol, that's what we plan to do also but in the meantime???

MarcS · 10-17-2017, 05:06 PM

I've never carried a ladder with me. Before I had slide toppers, I would drag the picnic table over or park the truck next to the camper, if there was room, and broom them off. I know some people use blowers.

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Tbos · 10-17-2017, 05:28 PM

Folding ladder in the pass through. Use it and a broom and towel if needed. The toughest time I've had was one CG where the squirrels kept playing target practice with the slide even while it was being pulled in.

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**chuckster57** · 10-17-2017, 05:43 PM

Properly installed toppers don’t need cleaning before slide is retracted. Fabric rolls from the top of the tube so any debris should just fall off the edge as it rolls up.

Gegrad · 10-17-2017, 06:12 PM

I carry a 4' step ladder in the truck and a small Black and Decker electric blower in my pass through. I usually already have an extension out and run for cooking outside, so I just grab the ladder and blow the both off in just a few minutes.

SteveC7010 · 10-17-2017, 07:04 PM

I have a 10 foot ladder; really the bottom half of a 20' extension ladder. I installed those nice painter's pads on the ends so I can lean it right against the side of the trailer without damaging the filon. I carry it bungeed to the trailer's roof ladder.

The Cougar has 4 slides. The smallest is a hair over 48" wide, and the dealer said it was too small for the smallest topper made. So that one has to be cleaned off manually. I've always just climbed up the ladder with soft carwash brush and cleaned it off. That brush removes pollen pretty well and where we camp in the spring, that's kind of a big deal.

On the to rest of the story. June 2016, we're all packed up and ready to go. The slides are still out so I climb up the ladder to brush it off. Had I done just that, things would have been just fine. But silly me, I turned to the other side of the ladder to brush some of the pollen off the topper. Bad move! I started to fall away from the trailer and didn't find anything to grab in time. So, thinking I'm still a 16 year old trapped in the 68 year old body, I push off to land on my feet. It was roughly a 5 to 6' fall. Unfortunately, the ground was peppered with exposed tree roots. I landed with my weight equally distributed to both feet and my knees flexed. My left foot missed all the roots and landed squarely on the packed sand. My right heel hit squarely on a root which efficiently and quickly shattered my heel bone into 6 pieces. This ended my 2016 camping season.

DW has banned me from climbing ladders but it is still bungeed to the trailer ladder. When she's not looking, I sneak in some upkeep every now and then. But the blower and extension pipe is getting more attractive. It's either that or a Swiffer duster on a really long handle.

I have a long window washer's extension handle for the carwash brush, and use that to brush off debris and pollen when I retract the other 3 slides with toppers and the main awning. Especially in the spring, a lot of the debris doesn't just fall off when I roll them up so the brush helps a lot.

**JRTJH** · 10-17-2017, 07:25 PM

Steve,

Carefree of Colorado has a slide awning that fits slides 42"-49.9" wide. The total fabric width is 53.5". If you have slide covers on all the others, you might want to take a look at this one for your "short slide"...
https://www.e-carefree.com/ecarefree...=48&action=cfg

**sourdough** · 10-17-2017, 07:53 PM

I use a cordless blower to blow off the slides. I have a 7' collapsible ladder from CW that I use to access the tops. If (usually) it's damp or wet I use an extend a pole with a stiff brush on the end to get the slides and the gutters. The gutters can get really mushy and ugly in a couple of months in wet weather. Never had a problem.

**flybouy** · 10-18-2017, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Properly installed toppers don’t need cleaning before slide is retracted. Fabric rolls from the top of the tube so any debris should just fall off the edge as it rolls up.

My sentiments exactly! After 6 cervical spine surgeries and 5 shoulder surgeries a leaf on a slide topper isn't that important to me any more.

Tinner12002 · 10-20-2017, 10:59 AM

Thanks for all the replies, have it put up for the winter now so I'll mull over the ideas mentioned and see which one I end up with! Still want slide toppers so maybe those are in my near future too.

earlzach · 10-21-2017, 12:47 PM

What I did today!
https://youtu.be/uQbcmpPPO0w

**sourdough** · 10-21-2017, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earlzach

What I did today!
https://youtu.be/uQbcmpPPO0w

Good job! That will be pretty handy. I'm afraid it won't work too well in wetter areas or after you've sat a few weeks under some of those trees that drop what I call "hula hoops" (pecans, some of the trees in FL, MS etc) that just bind together and form "clumps" that won't move without a brush. Other than that looks like it might be a time and work saver. Thanks for sharing.

rhagfo · 10-21-2017, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Properly installed toppers don’t need cleaning before slide is retracted. Fabric rolls from the top of the tube so any debris should just fall off the edge as it rolls up.

My thoughts also, well worth the cost, keeps leaves and needles off, keeps heat off the slide out roof, also an additional layer of protection from rain.

LarrySharon · 10-21-2017, 05:11 PM

I have a slide topper. Never had to clean.

gearhead · 10-22-2017, 07:14 AM

I use the aluminum extending ladder from CW that John told me about. Either a broom, the blue extending carwash brush, or the electric leaf blower.
I'll get toppers on the next one.

Treasa · 10-26-2017, 09:08 PM

Use an aluminum ladder and a leaf blower.

Dave W · 10-27-2017, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earlzach

What I did today!
https://youtu.be/uQbcmpPPO0w

Now that I like. Until this year it was a ladder climb but an Eye problem tends to keep me on the ground now unless I can use a regular ladder and have a better step off and longer handle, so to speak. Lots less space used vs my 13 foot very heavy, bulky Werner multi purpose ladder

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