What could be worse than a heavy oxidation stain on your fiberglass? At first, it appears like a slight blur on the surface, and suddenly it spreads throughout the rig’s exterior. Indeed, an archnemesis of any vehicle, so busy running the road.
As RVer, we couldn’t help but become dumbfounded on how to clean up heavy oxidation on our fiberglass windshield and windows. We might even do crazy things such as junking the old bucket and buying a new one.
But hey, before jumping out of impulse, take a look at this guide. Maybe, this information is what you have been looking for to save your camper van from its untimely demise.
Check it out first
Taking a good look at your fiberglass surface is essential for knowing if it has heavy oxidation. Light blur and loss shine do not necessarily count as severe, but it hints you to begin maintaining your vehicle better than before. Besides, damages brought by heavy oxidation are visible.
However, a wrong perception of the stain might lead you to do something else rather than using the appropriate method and materials. Thus, instead of making it looks better, you might ruin it further. Therefore, there’s no harm in being thorough. After all, it is your vehicle.
Prepare your tools
Removing heavy oxidation stains could be a daunting task. For this reason, you need to have some heavy-duty materials and tools to effectively and efficiently accomplish it.
To do so, you will need soap, water, and a soft dry cloth to wash away unnecessary stains. Doing this may prevent you from missing any oxidative damage.
Subsequently, it would be best to have sanding compounds (sandpaper may do) or greasing solutions; the best heavy-duty oxidation removers, polish, and wax. These materials are fantastic in disintegrating fiberglass stains and restoring their lost luster.
Moreover, you may need a rotary buffer and an orbital polisher in applying the compounds, polisher, and wax. It is more efficient than manual application.
However, you must be extra quick and skillful in using a buffer or polisher because compounds could get dry quickly. If you’re slow, it may not spread, and if you put more pressure, it leaves rotation marks on the surface.
Steps in Removing Heavy Oxidation
Washing
As mentioned, you need to wash your RV with soap and water to rinse away any dirt, leaves, animal poop, and dust. Sometimes, it reveals other problems such as scratches and scrapes.
Wet Sanding
You may do sanding using sandpaper or a compound. For sandpaper, ensure that you have soaked it in water for at least one day before using it. Then, rub it on the fiberglass surface in a circular motion to remove stains.
Since sandpaper ruins quickly, you may wrap it around a wet sponge and rub it on the fiberglass surface. Ensure that the sponge lies flat on the surface to scrape off any oxidation.
Apply it using your fingers and use a microfiber cloth to spread and clean off oxidation stains for sanding compounds. You may also use a rotary buffer to flatten the sand and apply it evenly throughout the surface.
Remember, only apply sanding techniques if there is heavy oxidation. If none, you might rip off the paint coating of your camper home.
Rinse and Polish
When the fiberglass surface appears smooth enough, it’s time to rinse the sand off. Then, use water and soap again to clean up and wipe with a soft dry cloth.
Consequently, do not let the vehicle dry under the heat of the sun because it might trigger the oxidation process, and we’re back to square one.
Once the surface is dry and free of any dirt or stain, you may apply a polishing compound manually or mechanically. For manual, pour the mixture on the surface and wipe it off with a dry towel. Hence, this way may be exhausting, and you might not finish everything.
So, you may use a buffer again to apply the polishing compound. Its circular motion powered by a motor allows it to spread the polish evenly and clean.
Waxing
Once the luster restores, it’s time to apply the wax compound. Wax acts as a shield that protects surfaces from dust, rain, and sunlight.
Maintain regularly
Don’t wait for the damage to worsen. Regularly clean your RV. Have a timely RV wash to prevent oxidation build-up.
Consistent RV wash may cost you a little, but it’s way cheaper when you have to remove heavy oxidation. Unfortunately, those steps provided entails pricy chemicals and tools for you to make your vehicle restore its former grace.
More importantly, cleaning a fiberglass surface is more complex than car paint. You may repaint a ruined coating, but how do you replace messed-up windshields?
Besides, you can do it yourself and avoid adding costs when hiring a car wash.
Conclusion
There you go! Indeed, heavy oxidation of fiberglass is a tough job in itself. Fortunately, there are ways to get the job done. Thus, it seems simple with information like this guide.
Sanding, polishing, and waxing are the common ways to deal with heavy damages with might. Costly as it may seem, but there are alternatives where you can be cost-effective.
At the crux of the matter, always bear in mind to treat your RV as your home. Take the best care of it. Hence, it’s your home on the road.