Remove black streaks motorhome: 5 simple step guide

Hiring out a motorhome? Obviously you’ll want your vehicle to look as attractive as possible, and that includes getting rid of unsightly black streaks. These annoying dark patches on an RV exterior can make even a newish motorhome look grubby and uncared for – definitely not the impression you want to give to potential hirers. The good news is that these types of marks are easy to get rid of to make your motorhome look sparklingly new. Follow our five easy steps on how to remove black streaks from a motorhome.

What are black streaks on a motorhome?

Before you learn how to remove black streaks from a motorhome, you should understand what these marks streaks are and how they’re caused.

Normally starting under and around windows, doors and vents on a motorhome, black streaks are caused by any black rubber seal in these areas breaking down (denaturing) over time. When it rains, debris from the rubber seals plus any associated dirt and algae are washed out of the small gutters around the windows or doors, to run down the motorhome body, causing black marks.

How to remove black streaks from a motorhome: 5 steps

First up, the necessary supplies for how to remove black streaks from a motorhome. Make sure you buy a product specifically to remove these types of streaks, as other cleaners can be too abrasive and damage the paint on the vehicle.

There are plenty of cleaning products on the market designed for this:

• Fenwick's Caravan and Motorhome Black Streak Remover, 1L, £9

• Caravan Cleaner Black Streak Remover, 1L, £7.99

• Pro-Kleen Black Streak Remover Spray for Caravans & Motorhomes, 750ml, £11.99

• Kampa Black Streak Remover, 1L, £9.25

• Mothers Marine Black Streak Remover, 24oz/710ml, £10.99

• Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner, 1L, £13.49

• Maypole 6687A 500ml Black Streak Remover, 500ml, £14.44

• PROTEX Caravan & Motorhome Black Streak Remover, 750ml, £9.98

You can also check out black streak remover products on Amazon.

You’ll also need motorhome cleaning products, detailed in Step 1.

1. Wash the motorhome

As withhow to polish a motorhome, how to remove black streaks from a motorhome means thoroughly washing the vehicle first. This should remove the top layer/s from the streaks, making them easier to clean off afterwards.

Supplies:

• Large bucket –Faithfull 60L Flex Tub, £18.54

• Ladder or step ladder –combination step ladder with extension, £78.45

• Access to water, and a hose –hose pipe, 15m, £14.59

• Long-handled brush –1.8m extendable brush, £24.50

• Caravan and motorhome cleaning product –Fenwicks 304 motorhome detergent, 1L, £9.95

• Soft wash mitt or microfiber cloth for cleaning solar panels –microfibre cleaning cloths, 3-pack, £1.50

2. Rinse off the motorhome

Use the hose to rinse the motorhome with clean, non-soapy water. You can then allow the motorhome to dry, or go straight to removing the black streaks.

3. Apply black streak remover to a microfiber cloth

Pour or spray a small amount of your black streak remover product onto a microfiber or other soft cloth, then use gentle circular motions to buff away the streaks.

You can also spray the remover directly onto the streak.

4. Leave for five minutes

The remover will take a few minutes to work so sit back and let it work its magic.

5. Rinse

After five minutes, rinse the remover off with clean fresh water (or, if spraying directly onto the streak, wipe off with a clean cloth). With luck, all marks will be removed; if not, repeat Steps 3 and 4 for more stubborn black streaks. You might need a bit more elbow grease here!

How to remove black streaks from a motorhome – done!

How to protect your motorhome against more black streaks

Of course, you might not want or have time to thoroughly clean your motorhome every time you need to get rid of black streaks. Keeping an eye on problem areas and using black streak remover when any spots appear is a good idea for all motorhome owners. But it’s possible to protect against more black streaks once you’ve finished the first treatment, using two easy steps:

1. Pre-empt when you clean your motorhome

Any time you clean or just rinse off your motorhome, add black streak remover to the window, door and vent seals. This will remove any denatured rubber particles before they start to leak down the motorhome body.

Supplies:

Black streak remover, as above

2. Apply a surface protector

This is the simplest way to help keep your motorhome streak-free as much as possible. After washing the motorhome, apply a protective coating to make the vehicle surface slippery and thus less susceptible to clinging dirt and debris. A motorhome polish and/or seal will also do the trick.

Polish:

Autoglym SRP001 Super Resin Polish, 1 Litre, £12.29

Care-avan Caravan Polish, 500ml, £13.99

MER MASUP5 The Ultimate Polish, 500ml, £10.99

Sealant:

Autoglym 325ml Extra Gloss Protection High Gloss Paintwork Sealant/Preservant, £11.99

Krystal Kleen Detail PURITY-X Polymer Concentrate, £5.99

Make back your motorhome maintenance costs

Whether it’s how to remove black streaks from a motorhome or adding extra features like solar panels, there’s no need to stress about motorhome maintenance or improvement costs. Listing your motorhome for hire on Camplify can earn you up to £10,000 a year – and is completely free.

Earn a return on your motorhome

Camplify connects owners like you with local and international holidaymakers - all of whom are verified to maximise the safety when you hire out your motorhome. Discover more of our advantages for owners below:

• It's free to list your motorhome.

• If you don’t have all-risk insurance, we can provide you with it when you sign up.

• We give your van a 24/7 RAC breakdown cover.

• You have complete freedom to approve or reject guests interested in hiring your motorhome. Your wheels, your rules.

• We provide you with tips and step-by-step guides on how to improve your service and your motorhome to get more and more bookings!

The sooner you set up your listing, the sooner it will start to receive visits and bookings! See how much you could earn if you hire out your motorhome with ourfree income calculator or sign up now to start enjoying the above advantages today.

If you still have questions, want to discuss your income potential with an expert or get more information on how to list your motorhome, call us on ☎ 0330 808 1811 or visit www.camplify.co.uk. We’ll be happy to help you with anything you need!