cleaning autosleeper symbol

I am trying to clean my symbol but seems to have a lot of grime that doesnt come off with the Fenwicks cleaner. Also have black streak cleaner which is good but still lots of grime which needs lots of elbow grease. Any ideas of anything stronger and can I only use soft cloth?
Also how do others clean the roof and top front??? I have step ladders but not enough, you guys must have a solution please..........

I bought one of these:

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with the intent to use the 'tressle' shape using the platform supplied.
However, I could still not reach over the bonnet successfully but just by using it as an 'A' frame ladder, I am able to reach over one side at the front and then the other side.
I can also reach to well over half of the roof from one side as well.

PB

Hi,
I find that "Silky cream cleaner" on a moist cloth shifts the black streaks etc. I bought a similar set up to Peugeot boxer and found the same problem but as I need to get to the front above the windscreen i'm going to have to find a way of blocking it up a bit,
Regards,
Chris

Could you put the steps inside and open the roof light to reach the top? Think that's what Mr B did last time we did ours.

Yep, step ladder inside the van, stand on the ladder with body through the Heiki skylight. I used an extendable brush in conjunction with Fenwicks products. Lots of buckets of water to rinse off.

reenag06 wrote:I am trying to clean my symbol........

Also how do others clean the roof and top front??? I have step ladders but not enough, you guys must have a solution please..........

Yes my solution is to let someone younger, fitter and safer than me do the job!!

Just simply washing off without any waxing or whatever would cost me more at home than what it would to run into one of the many vehicle wash cleaners as i'm on a water meter. I pay a local car wash place just six quid for a hand wash, wax and dry. OK thats only the body and upper roof sides, but i'm hoping to get the roof top professionally done which will make keeping it clean much easier.

My advice OP is to keep off step ladders at all costs. You are of similar age to myself and last year I was desperately trying to get the roof aerial refitted after the original had corroded away at the base mount. It's a two man job but i'm on my own, my mate is severely disabled as the result of a stroke, and my younger super fit son lives 200 miles away....so I tried myself with the aid of some step ladders.....and very nearly ended up on my back in the driveway after losing my footing.

It goes without saying, even as a spritely 51yr old, I still apply common-sense and ensure someone is holding the ladder. By doing it from inside the van, you are no more than 4 foot off the ground, I wouldn't even consider climbing onto the roof!

If you have room in your drive a set of kwikstage scaffolding is brilliant bit heavy to move around but seriously safe and sturdy for the job. all you'll need is 4 X 8' uprights 4 8' cross bars and 4 X 4' side plank holders plus 4 X scaffolding planks (usually find all on eBay second hand cheap ) Set them up with planks at approx 5' high stage and simply drive into them the windscreen will meet the planks just above wiper height then set at 6' height work on roof, small set steps takes you on to platform work away like standing on the ground. last a life time and suit any motorhome or van.

Thanks for all your comments, have now cleaned van, took a lot of elbow grease as seemed lots of grime on it built up from the previous owner but looks fab now. Managed to get a male tall friend to help with the top!!!!!

have only tried to clean my symbol once, in 18 months, using insufficiently tall ladder and extended soft brush - not very successful.

thank you all for your suggestions here - i think i'll try the 'ladder inside thro the roof' idea as i'm only 5' tall and on my own

i'm not overly precious about its appearance, however, meevan did look a little more presentable and less green when i'd finished.

trish

See this thread for our roof cleaning.

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Parked next to the house and used a step ladder , safe as the steps did not have space to tip. Took 8 hours to clean and polish though.

alanm wrote:If you have room in your drive a set of kwikstage scaffolding is brilliant.......

Set them up with planks at approx 5' high stage and simply drive into them the windscreen will meet the planks.......

The best results I ever have was the last time I cleaned it.
I filled a pump action garden spray bottle with strong solution of Fenwicks and water.
Then went up some tall decoratoring ladders and sprayed the top of the roo.
Left it for 20min (brew time) to let it get to work, the got back on the ladder with a series
of extendable brushes to get in all the nooks and crannies. The hardest places to clean was behind
the Heiki rook windows and down behind the awning. All the brushes I used were from B&Q.

NB, I hate cleaning the van as I'm not very good on step ladders and I always get my wife to hold the ladders.

Zozzer wrote:The best results I ever have was the last time I cleaned it.........

NB, I hate cleaning the van as I'm not very good on step ladders and I always get my wife to hold the ladders.

Any chance of me 'borrowing' your wife?
(I'll do the ladder holding bit though as i'm not good on ladders any longer!).

I had a mobile specialist guy booked to do it but when the weather has been decent, he's never turned up!