Barkeeper's Friend

[Lisa M.]

Many people on the forum mention using Barkeeper's Friend on trailers where there is oxidation involved. No one has said which they are using--powder or liquid, so I'm curious. We are getting ready to do some serious cleaning and waxing! Thanks for the help!

[Jon in AZ]

The product that was recommended to me is the liquid, but I can't buy that locally, so I buy the powder and make my own liquid. Diluting it makes it gentler on the gelcoat. In general, use as little pressure and scouring as you can.

For lightly oxidized surfaces, some of the specialized marine fiberglass products may be even kinder to your trailer. But they're pricey.

[reeves99]

Does Barkeeper's Friend get out bug blood stains? The 3M Marine polish, which works beautifully on black drip marks, doesn't seem to work on bug marks. They seem to have almost dyed the finish.
And dryer sheets don't work on those stains either.
Thanks
Phil

[Jack L]

When I got my Bigfoot, I had some heavy rust staining on the roof and left side. Some of the fasteners on the roof had rusted badly and the stains had run down the side. Barkeepers ( powder ) removed the stains but it took several applications. I put a paste of Barkeepers on the stains and let it sit for some time. Keeping the paste moist until the initial scrubbing did the job.

[reeves99]

Thanks Jack. The problem with 3M is that it puts a layer of wax over the stain "setting" it even more solidly. The stain is probably in the wax anyway and hasn't dyed the gelcoat. BF will take all that wax off, and hopefully the stain with it. I'm going to give BF a try, letting is soak as you've suggested, then rewax.

[Donna D.]

If it's blood causing the stain, have you tried Hydrogen Peroxide on a saturated rag? Hydrogen Peroxide is available in different strengths. I'd get the strongest possible.

[CindyL]

I used Barkeepers Friend in spray bottles that I ordered from Amazon. I used Erasermate from Costco to do the washing. Now the the Bigfoot has several coats of Polyglow, we will likely only use the Barkeepers Friend and soft rags.

CindyL

[Donna D.]

I took a 16 day camping trip back in September. At the end of the trip, the nose of Ten Forward looked like I hit every possible bug in Oregon, California and Nevada (and a family of frogs!). What a mess. At the Escape rally in 2015, I was introduced to Bug Melt. I couldn't find it locally, so I ordered a gallon from the website. This stuff works EXACTLY as described. Doesn't remove wax, doesn't harm the gelcoat, doesn't discolor aluminum or chrome. Makes removing those dang bug splats and road kill a breeze. My Ford F-150 has a large chrome grill. No more scrubbing! When this gallon gets close to running out, I'm buying it again.


BUG MELT - PPC

[mary and bob]

I used the liquid version of the Barkeepers Friend

[CindyL]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I took a 16 day camping trip back in September. At the end of the trip, the nose of Ten Forward looked like I hit every possible bug in Oregon, California and Nevada (and a family of frogs!). What a mess. At the Escape rally in 2015, I was introduced to Bug Melt. I couldn't find it locally, so I ordered a gallon from the website. This stuff works EXACTLY as described. Doesn't remove wax, doesn't harm the gelcoat, doesn't discolor aluminum or chrome. Makes removing those dang bug splats and road kill a breeze. My Ford F-150 has a large chrome grill. No more scrubbing! When this gallon gets close to running out, I'm buying it again.


BUG MELT - PPC

Just bought some. Thanks!

CindyL

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by CindyL

Just bought some. Thanks!

CindyL

You're welcome! I was afraid my post was going to get lost in the thread and I was responding to you since you mentioned you were going to continue using Bar Keepers Friend and I really don't think you want to do that with the finish you've just put on your trailer.

Best of luck!

[reeves99]

Thanks Donna
I gotta find Bug Melt! Hope we can get it in Canada. Seems to work on every type of surface too.

[Darwin Maring]

I used a spray of something like bug melt that I bought at an auto supply store and it melted the bugs right off. That was several years ago. Hope you can find so e.

[chrischampion]

I used the liquid BF, and for tough stains, I also used a Magic Eraser to scrub the BF in. It stripped everything off, but my Scamp was so oxidized when I got it, that was the only choice.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by reeves99

Thanks Jack. The problem with 3M is that it puts a layer of wax over the stain "setting" it even more solidly. The stain is probably in the wax anyway and hasn't dyed the gelcoat. BF will take all that wax off, and hopefully the stain with it. I'm going to give BF a try, letting is soak as you've suggested, then rewax.

Actually that is only true if you are using the lightest consumer grade compound product they make called "3M Marine Cleaner and Wax".

The "3M Marine Restore & Wax" product was a bit heavier compound and I found it will take off most bug strains well.

If that fails the next product up in the consumer line is the " 3M Marine Super Duty Rubbing Compound" it will take heavy oxidization off as well as pretty well any stain. Works best with a buffer and wool applicator.

[reeves99]

Thanks Carol
These are all great suggestions and helpful hints.
I hope the OP got the info she needed too!

[stevebaz]

Last Saturday on our Scamp 13 we stripped our 3 year old Zep job using 1/2 gallon of the zep stripper full strength. After we stripped it we used one full bottle of the liquid Bar Keepers Friend to get the trailer really white even color. We used we used blue Scotchbrite sponges with the soft plastic blue scrubbie on one side of the sponge. After stripping and cleaning we washed the Scamp with automotive car wash soap and then applied 4 coats of Zep floor finish. Took about a quart of floor finish. Pretty long day for the 2 of us. Total about 13 man/woman hours. The work isnt hard but takes a toll on your muscles that havent been stretched or used that hard in years. Doing the top working from a ladder is the toughest part. You get a reminder every day for the next 2 days but the trailer looks so good your still smiling.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

Last Saturday on our Scamp 13 we stripped our 3 year old Zep job using 1/2 gallon of the zep stripper full strength. After we stripped it we used one full bottle of the liquid Bar Keepers Friend to get the trailer really white even color. We used we used blue Scotchbrite sponges with the soft plastic blue scrubbie on one side of the sponge. After stripping and cleaning we washed the Scamp with automotive car wash soap and then applied 4 coats of Zep floor finish. Took about a quart of floor finish. Pretty long day for the 2 of us. Total about 13 man/woman hours. The work isnt hard but takes a toll on your muscles that havent been stretched or used that hard in years. Doing the top working from a ladder is the toughest part. You get a reminder every day for the next 2 days but the trailer looks so good your still smiling.

Wow Steve, a 1/2 gallon? I used just a tad over a quart on my SD 17 that had 5 coats of Zep on it. I used a spray bottle, and worked 3x3' areas. Only left the stripper on about 10 seconds and scrubbed with the same type of sponge and rinsed. Only had 2-3 small spots I had to redo. Be interesting to hear from others that have stripped the Zep off and how much stripper they went through. I don't know, maybe after two 120* summers my wax was eager to get off .

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by reeves99

Does Barkeeper's Friend get out bug blood stains? The 3M Marine polish, which works beautifully on black drip marks, doesn't seem to work on bug marks. They seem to have almost dyed the finish.
And dryer sheets don't work on those stains either.
Thanks
Phil

Hi: reeves99... I used Bar Keepers powdered to get a serious, grape coloured, goose grease stain off the front of an Escape 5.0. You just need to apply it with a sopping wet sponge and rub gently!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie