Using car wash soap

Cruisehunter · Newbie

Using car wash soap

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang Mark, enjoy here and out in the playground.

What to use instead is the big question.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Is the caravan hot inside & washing with cold water. Over time micro cracks will appear from thermal expansion & contraction cycles.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I have an old version of this in a bottle & it works well.

http://products.crlaurence.com/crlapps/showline/offerpage.aspx?Productid=6697&GroupID=4337&History=39324:4308:4336&ModelID=4337

Possum3 · Guru

Welcome to GN's Mark, Unfortunately as Dometic are the major supplier to the caravan manufacturers as they are about the cheapest available - personally I find most of the fitments in modern caravans quite lacking.

Brodie Allen · Guru

Cruisehunter wrote:
Why do Dometic windows crack when using a car wash soap when cleaning the van, basically means the windows are not fit for use.

Goodness - have never experienced that.

I don't think that there's any way detergent would even craze, let alone cause cracks.

I use car wash detergent/polish all the time. There's more to this than the soap.

Are the cracks very deep - ie, can you feel it with a fingernail?

How old is the van - I have one 5 yo and never been under cover and 80k miles and

Certainly no sign of cracks. A few scratches from time to time that have polished out

with perspex polish.

I'm not sure of the make of my window - Jayco wouldn't use anything too flash!

All I can think of is that there is crazing from using incompatible chemicals?

Soap would'nt "crack" the perspex.

Get back to us.

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Saturday 20th of March 2021 09:18:02 AM

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Saturday 20th of March 2021 09:34:00 AM

oldbloke · Guru

Cruisehunter wrote:
Why do Dometic windows crack when using a car wash soap when cleaning the van, basically means the windows are not fit for use.

I'm finding that a bit difficult to believe. Not scratches?

Rob Driver · Guru

We have had two full size vans to date and had no problem using car washing soap on windows.

I try only to use microfibre cloths to wipe perspex windows and that Plexiglass polish works well on scratches.

I would imagine that cracks would be more temperature related than washing soaps.

Regards

Rob

elliemike · Guru

As previously stated by "oldbloke" I have always thought those swirl type fine scratches looked like damage caused from rubbing a dusty window with a cloth.

I used to see this happen to Perspex/Polycarbonate guards and panels on machinery in a packaging plant. People wiping down "dry" and within a couple of months you could not see through them.

Then everyone blamed the "crap Polycarbonate" and proceeded to do the same to the replacement panels and guards.

A picture would be good to see if the cracks are Cracks or swirls from grit scratches.

-- Edited by elliemike on Saturday 20th of March 2021 02:35:16 PM

orid · Senior Member

Ive always used car wash plus car wax , no problem. To get the fine scratches and swirls out I use Mazernas final finish paste , works wonders. Regards Orid

laurieoz · Senior Member

oldbloke wrote:
Cruisehunter wrote:
Why do Dometic windows crack when using a car wash soap when cleaning the van, basically means the windows are not fit for use.

I'm finding that a bit difficult to believe. Not scratches?

Oldbloke

I think you should believe it

See attachments

Laurie

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Wash with 1/2 cup Kerosene in wash water .

oldbloke · Guru

Well, I'm amazed. I would question if they are "fit for purpose"

I noticed they recommend talcum powder on the seals. I can vouch for that. Stops them sticking.

Brodie Allen · Guru

laurieoz wrote:
oldbloke wrote:
Cruisehunter wrote:
Why do Dometic windows crack when using a car wash soap when cleaning the van, basically means the windows are not fit for use.

I'm finding that a bit difficult to believe. Not scratches?
Oldbloke
I think you should believe it
See attachments
Laurie

Well those links and their information are certainly definitive. You certainly have to

wonder what deleterious chemical is in whatever wash you are using.

Please tell us what the name of your wash is so that we don't use it.

I use a regular carwash but my windows and body are preserved with a powerful

marine polish - if it can stand salt water and sunshine on a boat, it will certainly

stand ordinary rain and sunshine away from the salt.

Maybe the quality of a good polish would have prevented intrusion of whatever

you have cleaned with and preserved the perspex.

I lost a window completely last year when "somebody" didn't close it and it blew out.

It's not much of a job to remove and replace the perspex by disconnecting the retaining

arms and raising the perspex unit right up and away it comes. no need to take the frame out.

Five minute job.

And I was surprised how relatively inexpensive the perspex was - had one overnight

thru a Jayco dealer in Geelong.

gdayjr · Senior Member

I have plenty of perspex blinds at work, and we use a product called Vuplex.
I use it to clean the visor on my helmets and the windscreens on my bikes.

Made for the job of cleaning Perspex.

www.bunnings.com.au/vuplex-375g-blind-bistro-plastic-cleaner_p1284749