Gutter-cleaning brush?

I have searched the forums and can't see that this subject has been discussed before. Does anyone have a recommendation for a brush suitable for cleaning between the hi-top and the gutter (cant-rails) for our Topaz (or any other van with the same fittings? Our van is 5 years old and now has a thin coating of green algae in the gap.

I've searched the web and only come up with one likely candidate (which is available in the USA), most of the flexi-brushes available seem to have the twisted-wire core and have a sharp point which, even if fitted with a plastic cap, may lead to scratches.

Cheers,
Pete.

I used my Kaarcher pressure washer. Seems to do the trick.

PB

PB, thanks but as an Engineer I am reluctant to put a 2000-4000 psi hydraulic jet anywhere near mastic-filled joints. imho this might lead to another water-ingress thread!

Cheers,
Pete.

Gutter cleaning Hmmmm possibly a use for old toothbrushes ?

Cheers John

I agree with Johno, I keep old toothbrushes for various 'nook & cranny' jobs, also, I use a couple
of those kitchen (crockery) washing up brushes, one clean for such as your gutter jobs, & one
I use only for muckky jobs, i.e. oily, degreasing etc.

Hi there,

I don't bother with a brush.

I use the "jet" facility on the end of an ordinary garden hose to wash out all the debris and at the same time use a length of thin stainless steel wire (hooked over at the end) to keep rodding out the holes at the ends of the channels.

We have friends that we visit in Scotland where we have to park under a huge spruce tree that sheds needles by the million so we save the gutter cleaning for after a visit.

Best regards and

Thanks folks; the toothbrush idea will not work because not all parts of the cant rail have enough clearance to allow the brush in there but, more importantly, I need something with bristles on the "end of the shaft" to dislodge the green stuff which is at the bottom of the gutter. I gave it a good squirt when I washed the van today and got all the solids out but the film of algae remains; I'm wondering about a solution of Jeyes as a one-off to kill the algae, followed by another blast from the hose. I'll pop into our local Lakeland store soon, as they have something on their website which looks like it might work- will report back.
As we have pine trees around I'll keep an eye on the situation when the needles start to fall again.

Cheers,
Pete.

Our van doesnt have a gutter as such but does live under some large trees which are a pain (as far as the green stuff goes) I use ordinary car shampoo on ours with a soft bristle brush and it gets the stuff off the roof and round the exterior fittings, toilet door, mains hu cover & etc without too much effort.
You dont have to have a power wash blasting the bodywork - they will operate at reduced pressure thats how I keep the solar panel and other stuff on the roof clean

Only problem I can see with Jeyes fluid is it might stain.
Have you tried white spirit vinegar?
Or bicarbonate of soda?

Both are used* in e.g. pools, fountains etc to kill algae.

* but not mixed together - that's for another reaction!

The vinegar is a very valid point Roger on a PVC

The 1st white car I bought the old guy at the garage who had just valeted it told me always add vinegar to the wash on a white vehicle as it stopped streaking and help keep the whiteness. Something I have done on cars but never tried on the plastic of the coachbuilts.

Roger and Roger (!) thanks; as the van is a recent purchase I have not tried anything other than soap and water so far; having messed about with Lotus glass-fibre cars for many years I'm aware of the dangers of applying extreme force to painted GRP surfaces. I think that diluted Jeyes left on the glass-fibre hi-top for 15 minutes max will not stain or damage the paint.
roli- the "gutter" on the Topaz is about 50mm deep- plenty of scope to accumulate crud but I'll keep an eye on it.

Would one of these help

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I know it is based on a twisted wire but I have used one similar for cleaning all manner of things, motorbikes boats etc.

Hi Ian. (Tommy-darcy)

I got one of those brushes free with a motorcycle magazine ages ago now. It comes as a loop into the handle. What I did was cut through one side of the twisted wire next to the handle to make a long single brush. It is quite flexible and can be bent into any shape required. Great for getting into all the nooks and crannies.

Cheers. Whisky.

How about one of those Toilet Duck cleaning thingys on the end of a handle, the business end seems quite flat but I don't know if the handle angle/joint will allow enough room to get into the gutter ??

Toilet Duck- are you completely quackers?

This gizmo is the nearest thing I've found so far; it looks thin enough to get through the narrow gap, yet wide enough to clean the width of the gutter; I'll get one and report back. Thanks for all the help folks.

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Cheers,
Pete.

Completely quackers ? Of course- and proud of it !!! I always look at bits of stuff not for what it was intended but what could it do, like my circular bread board on casters under a 907 Camping Gaz bottle to assist in unscrewing the regulator .... hmmmmmmm

newterry wrote:Completely quackers ? Of course- and proud of it !!! I always look at bits of stuff not for what it was intended but what could it do, like my circular bread board on casters under a 907 Camping Gaz bottle to assist in unscrewing the regulator .... hmmmmmmm

Could you supply a smaller version for my wife- when she opens a bottle of wine she holds the corkscrew still and rotates the bottle!

I like her style ! Just had a look at your brushes with fluffy tops and might get some for myself as someone attached a awning making the nearside gutter quite difficult to reach. Just need to attach them to one of those wire sink blockage things to push them all the way through the gutter from one end.

Hi, I use one of these to loosen the built-up dirt etc and rinse out with water.

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barberq, I looked at something similar but was put off by the sharp ends to the steel wires, even bent into a "U" shape there is steel at the end of the brush.
I have now purchased the soft-ended set from Lakeland:

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The small one fits nicely into the gutter:

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I don't seem to be able to post photos direct but the links work (for me!).

Cheers,
Pete.

How did you do that? I tried to link to the photos stored on my PC and then tried to link to flickr; both methods work on all the other forums I'm on.

Cheers,
Pete.



EDIT: After much fiddling about I cracked the code!

Hi Pete,

They look better than mine- Thank you.

Martin