How do we clean the vinyl wall covering on these eggs?

[Buggeee]

Hey all!

I've got a 1973 Playpac with the original vinyl wall covering. The vinyl wall covering is sticky dirty, especially on the ceiling, but in remarkably good condition. My guess is it's cooking grease or something like that because the wasps came right in and started licking it.

What do you clean this stuff with? I don't want to damage it during my restoration.

Thank you wise and experienced egg campers!

[likeair2me]

I tried a variety of things but I got the best results from Zep Purple Degreaser. It's pretty aggressive, don't get it on your skin (it will smooth out your fingerprints and you can't pick things up), don't breath it, use it in a well ventilated area. That said, it did remove the stickiness from the elastomers leaching out of the vinyl. Some folks have used CLR with success and others TSP. I think part of the cleaning problem has to do with what it was exposed to. Cooking, smoking, environmental things, etc.

Old tooth brushes are your friends. They will get down into the crevices where larger scrub brushes will miss. If you have a foam tape like substance that covers the joints, go ahead and pull that mess off. You can caulk the seams with better results than what you can get trying to replace that stuff. If your setup uses the T-moulding like some brands, that can be purchased.

Think small in the cleanup. Trying to get your head around the whole thing at once can be overwhelming. Clean up one square foot at a time, and pretty soon, you will be ready to prime and paint.

[rbryan]

Try something like Simple Green. I've used it on surfaces I wasn't sure would hold up to a stronger solvent or detergent, and it works quite well.

[Buggeee]

Thank you for these ideas. I want to save the surface rather than paint it. I love that purple degreaser for old motors but it dulls paint so I think it's more aggressive than what I'm looking for here. Lysol won't have enough melting power for this though.

Simple green might do the trick. I have that. I also have a bottle of this yellow stuff called "Awesome" that seems to cut grease too.

I have never seen this material before so I'm a bit nervous. It's surface is like plastic but it has a little give like it's thin foam underneath or something. It has this weird faint marbled coloring with that obnoxious 1970s yellow in it so I'm going to dig having it if I can get it clean.

[likeair2me]

I am guessing you don't have the "Elephant Skin" Ensolite, that I have in mine. The Ensolite does look like wrinkly textured skin, hence the name. So throw away anything I told you. It may well be too aggressive.

Some have a product that looks like those popcorn ceilings and the surface is much thinner and easier to tear than original Ensolite. It is a thin vinyl over a foam that is less dense than regular Ensolite. You might even call it fluffier. If what you have looks like that, be gentle when cleaning. I don't think you can get anything to replace it.

[Buggeee]

Fascinating. The stuff in mine is smooth. I'll take a picture in the morning and post that to see if it helps. Thank you for the information.

[likeair2me]

See if member Meghan might have some insight to the material on the walls. You can search the registry to send her a note. She has a '73 Play Pac.

[Buggeee]

Originally Posted by likeair2me

See if member Meghan might have some insight to the material on the walls. You can search the registry to send her a note. She has a '73 Play Pac.

Yes those are same walls on her trailer. Here's a link to an image in her gallery

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/i...27831/3518.jpg

Thank you

[Borrego Dave]

Buggeee, try whatever you have on a spot that's hidden to see what it does to the covering. Doesn't have to have the stickiness on it, just see if it discolors the vinyl.

[bill&sandra]

When we got our new-to-us 1985 Scamp standard home --an eBay purchase from photos, --it was very stinky from cig smoke. I cleaned the elephant hide vinyl with vinegar water--1vinegar, 2water. Took 4 washes and rinses, drying with clean towels. Was perfect after that. BUT... I washed out the whole thing--inside the cubbies, inside the bed and sofa storage, every surface. Cleaned the cushions carefully since they were cute vintage plaid Herculon! Never smelled smoky ever again.

[Buggeee]

Originally Posted by bill&sandra

When we got our new-to-us 1985 Scamp standard home --an eBay purchase from photos, --it was very stinky from cig smoke. I cleaned the elephant hide vinyl with vinegar water--1vinegar, 2water. Took 4 washes and rinses, drying with clean towels. Was perfect after that. BUT... I washed out the whole thing--inside the cubbies, inside the bed and sofa storage, every surface. Cleaned the cushions carefully since they were cute vintage plaid Herculon! Never smelled smoky ever again.

An excellent idea Billl and Sandra.

I am going to wash it all, nook and cranny, with disinfectant, but not for nicotine, -for mustiness. I'm tearing out anything that had damage but even what is good has that musty smell to it. Still, I'd rather deal with that than with cigarette smoke! That stuff is stubborn!

Well after a weekend of working on it in the good sunlight, likeair2me was spot on... I do have elephant skin (all together now - ”Duh Buggeee"). And I'm going to have to paint it. There are areas where glue residue that must have been clear at one time is now hard and deep dirty yellow. Also a couple of corners where paneling had been used as a little filler underneath the skin at a seam and it has delaminated so I'll have to address that. Any way, it's just not going to be cheery now matter how hard I scub so a fresh finish is in order.

I'll go start a paint thread in mods, alts and updates so maybe I'll see you around.

Thank you all for a great start in getting to know my egg!

[judie]

someone on this site suggested painting the walls.. we did and it came out perfectly.. looks like new.