Waxing RV

[mmorris]

I know that wax on decals is a no-no. I've been using 303 as a UV protectant on the vinyl decals and Meguiar's Marine RV Cleaner Wax #50 on the fiberglass. Trying to wax around the decals is a PITA, so I was wondering if you put the 303 on the vinyl first, could you then just wax over the whole RV without damaging the decals? If you say "yes", can you substantiate your answer?

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[mark5w]

It's real simple, don't use a wax that has any petroleum product in it. Use a polymer and you won't have to worry about it. This is from one of my previous posts:

Vinyl decals on RVs can be damaged by chemicals such as petroleum distillates that are contained in some waxes, by prolonged exposure to the sun's ultra violet rays, excessive scrubbing when cleaning the exterior of the RV, etc.

There are two proven ways of protecting the vinyl decals on an RV. The first is by treating them with a protectant. The one I highly recommend is 303 Aerospace Protectant. Below you can read what the manufacturer says about their product.

"RV, Motorhome and Vehicle Decals
Have you ever had your decals or 'stripes' on your RV or motorhome fade or crack from oxidation? Here is why.

The decal/stripes on RVs are vinyl. As a general rule, one should refrain from using anything containing petroleum distillates or abrasives on vinyl, including Vinyl decals. Unfortunately, most waxes contain petroleum distillates and often abrasives.

and

Wax causes the adhesive backing to fail, causing curling and peeling...as well as cracking and fade!


All the major vinyl graphic manufacturers such as 3M will tell you this, as will the major RV Graphic Companies such as Sharpline, ZombieKiller, Performance Graphics and the big one Valley Screen Process who furnish graphics to Jayco, Forest River, Thor and more.

[mmorris]

Mark, I used the polymer in the "orange bottle" (New wax?) for years on my other RV, but wanted to help restore the luster on the 08 Cruiser we just purchased so I use the Meguiar's Cleaner Wax#50, but still use the polymer on the front cap which they reclear coated before we bought.
So, if you use the 303 on the decals first you should be able to then go over them with the polymer without harm. I'm looking for a "shortcut" to waxing around the decals and then carefully putting 303 on them. This should save ONE intricate step, right?

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