Keeping The Machine Clean

Keeping the coach clean is a big job. I see many RV owners that outsource the cleaning of their coach to a mobile detailing service. For a few hundred dollars, a couple of people will spray down the coach, scrub off the dust and dirt, rinse everything off and finish the job after an hour or so.

I prefer to detail our coach myself. I find it very rewarding when the coach looks its best. Yes, it can take a lot of time and effort. And yes, it can be frustrating because, once detailed, it doesn’t take much to start all over again from square one. Like our recent drive from Florida to California.

2,500 miles in all sorts of road conditions will definitely get the coach dirty.

I do not like a dirty coach.

Once we arrived to our site at Desert Shores Motorcoach Resort, I spent about six hours over two days washing the coach. Not detailing it mind you. Just getting it back to being clean.

Yesterday, I began the process of detailing the coach. I like to start with the tires and the wheels. Done well, detailed tires and wheels can really set off the beauty of a coach and it is not hard to do.

First, the equipment and the product.

I am a big fan of McKee’s 37 products and there are two that I use that do an amazing job on tires and wheels: McKee’s 37 Tire Gel and McKee’s 37 Fast Metal Polish. Highly recommended. You can learn more about McKee’s 37 products for RVs here.

Other helpful products include a degreaser, tire gel applicator pad, rubber gloves, microfibre towels and a hose and bucket.

The process is straightforward.

I clean my wheels and tires using a good quality automotive soap. I then work on one tire at a time. I start by degreasing the tire. The degreaser gets rid of the browning and other contaminants on the surface of the tire. I spray a liberal amount of degreaser on the tire, agitate the surface aggressively and rinse thoroughly. I then dry the tire and the wheel and I am now ready for the polish and tire dressing.

Using McKee’s 37 Fast Metal Polish, I apply a small amount of product to the rough side of a microfibre cloth and firmly rub the product against the surface of the metal. I continue applying the product until the entire wheel has been polished. I then use a second cloth to buff out the polish.

The tire requires less effort. I apply a generous amount of McKee’s 37 Tire Gel to the applicator and stroke the product firmly and I ensure an even amount of product goes on the surface. Depending on how much gloss I am wanting on the tire, I may apply a second coat.

And that is all there is to it. A beautiful set of wheels. Here is a video I made that walks you through the process.