"Stain" removal from white exterior?

mickietucs

Have another issue but just cosmetic. I had my cover on for several months and when I took it off I saw this stain that I THINK is from the cover rubbing in that area. I'm attaching a pic. It didn't come off with just water and I"m afraid it might be embedded into the exterior. Anyone else with a white exterior experience this? Might try soft scrub when I get home but of course wanted to see if anyone on the forum might know. OR I might send the pic to Ed at the factory - thoughts?

RollingBnB

Try some auto polishing compound. That's what I use for stains.

mickietucs

@RollingBnB - any specifics (brand, etc.)? Have you had this type of stain? Thanks@

RollingBnB

I use like Turtle wax or Mcguires. I had a cover on my class A that needed some cleaning after the winter when I lived in Denver. Here in Sahuarita the Tab is in the garage.

mickietucs

Wanted to give an update. After receiving about 4-5 different suggestions (a few from Elsie at the factory, here, and I tried a "fiberglass rv forum" just for the heck of it), the one that ALMOST removed it was Barkeeper's Friend. Elsie suggested alcohol or lacquer (no go) and I also tried the auto compounding stuff. One more suggestion is FSR (Fiberglass Stain Remover) from a marine shop but I haven't tried it yet. I may not have enough strength to rub it entirely out but I was also being careful. Anyway, it's probably faded enough that I'll live with it --- 

ScottG

I have some similar colored spots on the roof of my silver T@B. They are smaller but more prevalent.

They don't come off with pressure washing and while I've thus far been to lazy to try serious elbow grease, they seem pretty tenacious!

Verna

I just washed and waxed my T@B this week, but first I sprayed the product named Awesome from Dollar Tree/Dollar General on the black streaks that appear especially on the front of the T@B.  Then I take a damp cloth and rub it off, which does not use much elbow grease.  No pictures (the cover is now on the T@B and it’s not coming off until Christmas!) , but the streaks are gone. This is the 4th time I’ve used Awesome on the streaks and I am still amazed it takes all the streaks off. 

mickietucs

@ScottG - interesting you had similar colored spots. Well if/when you want to try something perhaps the Barkeeper's Friend or the product Verna suggested. I saw a YouTube video on "Awesome" and will be getting that as well for the black streaks.

@Verna - the YouTube video on that stuff really showed how well it does on black streaks (which I also get sometimes). I'm definitely getting some!! 

cbarnhill

Micky: have you tried mr. eraser?

mickietucs

@cbarnhill - you wouldn't believe how many products I tried! But I didn't try that --- however, it's faded a great deal and I believe I can live with it now. Thanks for the recommendation.

cbarnhill

I love Mr. Eraser! It’s incredible the spots it can remove and I have used it on my trailer several times. Good luck, Mickey. 

BrianZ

We too faced quite a cleaning chore on our white T@B this spring.  It looked good after a wash & wax last fall, then was parked with a good cover all winter, and still looked good after our first two trips in March & April.  But by late May, after sitting uncovered under a big white oak tree in our back yard (because that is the closest spot to our patio where there's an electrical outlet), all that tree dirt that comes down each spring took a toll on our pretty white finish.  It was fine there all winter, but spring is a different story.

There was a lot of debris & blackish dirt & stains from the tree that adhered quite well, plus bits of tree bark and those little strings of pollen-laden flower parts that hang onto everything (and clog gutters very well).  We couldn't go on our most recent trip without a good wash first.  Rinsing did next to nothing, other than removing a little bit of loose debris, so we needed a cleaner plus a good scrub brush.  We went looking for a brush that could be mounted on an extendable paint pole & was somewhat stiff, but not abrasive.  We found this one at Home Depot that worked great..

The plastic bristles on one side were just stiff enough to loosen stuck-on dirt, while the soft mop on the other side was effective for thoroughly washing & rinsing with cleaner.  This was a great fit on the end of a long painter's pole, with the right angles of the brushes for reaching the top of the tab.  It's too bulky to get in tight spots like around fixtures, trim or under the edges of a vent cover, but very effective otherwise.  It's handy to be able to scrub dirt loose & then flip it over to wash it away before it dries.  We used the "Awesome" product @Verna recommended, and it worked great & only cost a dollar at the dollar store - good buy!
Next, we'll be trying out some Nu Finish car wash followed by their polish.  In the mean time, the cover is back on & not under the tree.  Thinking of adding a new garage.

Simbionic

Thanks for all the ideas and comments!