Zep wax leaves yellow stain after applying Zep stripper

[Scott Hans]

Hi all,

Need advice. I used Zep wet look floor wax on my white Casita several years ago. After applying the Zep stripper and then wiping off the stripper I'm left with a yellow strain. I have repeated the process six times in a test area and the yellowing lightens a bit but still noticeably yellow. I've tried reapply stripper and keeping area wetvwith stripper hoping this might help, but it didn't.

Any suggestions on getting the Zep wax off without leaving a yellow stain would be greatly appreciated.

Scott

[CharlesinGA]

What are you planning on doing once you remove the Zep? It may be necessary to go ahead and strip it, and then take a buffer and proper polishing compounds to the gel coat which removes a bit of the gel coat and hopefully the yellow stain, but leaves the gel coat very slick and polished.

In the summer I buffed my roof and when done I applied RejeX to it and am impressed with the "slickness" of it. I just washed my truck and applied a coat of RejeX to it, again, darn slick. Shiny as a new nickel.

Charles

[Scott Hans]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

What are you planning on doing once you remove the Zep? It may be necessary to go ahead and strip it, and then take a buffer and proper polishing compounds to the gel coat which removes a bit of the gel coat and hopefully the yellow stain, but leaves the gel coat very slick and polished.

In the summer I buffed my roof and when done I applied RejeX to it and am impressed with the "slickness" of it. I just washed my truck and applied a coat of RejeX to it, again, darn slick. Shiny as a new nickel.

Charles

Thank you for your response. I'll check into thr RejeX.
At this point I'm just hoping I can find a way to strip the Zep wax off in way so that I don't have the yellow stain. I'm concerned that there will still be a yellow residue even after buffing snd polishing, so hoping there might be another solvent available that will remove the wax without damaging the gel coat.

[Terry in Fowler]

I worked in public housing for 34 years. We used zep was and zep wax stripper for the better part of those years. The wax yellows when being stripped, but when completely stripped leaves no residue or color. Strip small areas only and never let it dry until thoroughly rinsed and start again if there is still residue(color). As a floor wax zep is excellent, but it will yellow and need to be stripped. I would use a good boat wax.

[Scott Hans]

Originally Posted by Terry in Fowler

I worked in public housing for 34 years. We used zep was and zep wax stripper for the better part of those years. The wax yellows when being stripped, but when completely stripped leaves no residue or color. Strip small areas only and never let it dry until thoroughly rinsed and start again if there is still residue(color). As a floor wax zep is excellent, but it will yellow and need to be stripped. I would use a good boat wax.

I have done this. I have actually reapplied the stripper seven times in one area, rinsed and wiped but the yellow tint remains. I know this is unusual. All the sites on this topic indicate that what you've written results in the complete removal of the wax, but for some reason repeated applications of these steps does not eliminate the yellow residue from my Casita and i'm left with a yellow tint. Hoping someone may have experienced this and found a solution or perhaps has an idea of why this has happened

[beardrum]

I have exactly the same problem with my 16' 2014 Scamp. I can't get the yellowed Zep off. I'll never use Zep again.

That said, I have had some success (in small spots) with a razor blade paint scraper. Obviously, I hesitate to go after it in a big way.

I've also tried acetone, zylene, laquer thinner, and alcohol with poor results, as well as automobile polish. The Zep stripper might be the best bet, with a green scratchy pad but that removes a lot of material, which I obviously don't like to do. The stripper also dissolves the caulk it comes in contact with.

Maybe somebody can chime in with a solution. I'd definitely just use a good car wax when I get the Zep off.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by beardrum

I have exactly the same problem with my 16' 2014 Scamp. I can't get the yellowed Zep off. I'll never use Zep again.

That said, I have had some success (in small spots) with a razor blade paint scraper. Obviously, I hesitate to go after it in a big way.

I've also tried acetone, zylene, laquer thinner, and alcohol with poor results, as well as automobile polish. The Zep stripper might be the best bet, with a green scratchy pad but that removes a lot of material, which I obviously don't like to do. The stripper also dissolves the caulk it comes in contact with.

Maybe somebody can chime in with a solution. I'd definitely just use a good car wax when I get the Zep off.

How big a patch do you strip at a time? How long is it on before completely flooding the stripper off?

You cannot let the stripper even come close to drying. Small patches and lots of rinse water is needed to prevent drying that can cause your issue. Plus, I only strip an area in the shade, allowing more time to rinse off the stripper. DO NOT STRIP IN THE SUN OR HOT WEATHER!

Food for thought,

Perry

[Sammy Joe]

Ok what I would do is try a spot on the rear and wet sand an area with 600 grit wet sandpaper. Add a few drops Dawn in a container with water large enough to rinse the paper often. Use circular motions and I use a soft sanding block. Once you get it all sanded use an orbital sander ( harbor freight one works fine) and compound the unit.
Then I use Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba Plus Premium Liquid Wax - Long-lasting Protection, Deep Shine, . Then I use . And now I do a coat of ceramic wax 2X year and the boat is always shining. Mothers 01024 CMX Ceramic Spray Coating, 24 fl. oz.

Hope this helps

[beardrum]

Good suggestion, but what do you mean by "compound the unit."??

Thanks

Chuck

[Sammy Joe]

Compound is a pre wax to clean up any oxidation left after wet sanding. You could do it by hand in small areas but your arms would fall off. Harbor freight has an orbital polisher under a $100. and it holds up well for the DIY detailing.
Once you put on the compound you switch pads ( buy on amazon. Buy an inexpensive set) then you apply the wax with buffer and switch pads and buff it off. The ceramic spray-On wipe-off to give it a protection from the sun.
Watch some U-Tube videos on how to buff n wax .
It will give you a workout but the instant gratification
you get will make it worth it.

[Scott Hans]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

How big a patch do you strip at a time? How long is it on before completely flooding the stripper off?

You cannot let the stripper even come close to drying. Small patches and lots of rinse water is needed to prevent drying that can cause your issue. Plus, I only strip an area in the shade, allowing more time to rinse off the stripper. DO NOT STRIP IN THE SUN OR HOT WEATHER!

Food for thought,

Perry

I have worked in small patches and do not the let the area dry and then rinse and repeat, Yellow stain lightens with repeats, but after 4 or 5 cycles yellow stain is still present.and repeated cycles do not show further improvement.

I have discovered that when I apply a solution of TSP and lightly rub with green scotchbrite within less than a minute of applying the stripper and then wipe wax residue off with a cloth and then repeat several times before final rinse I'm able to remove most of the wax without leaving a yellow stain..
I have to repeat this process 3 to 4 times in a 1x1 foot area.

Extremely time consuming so still searching for a better "solution".

[beardrum]

So the most effective process for getting the stain off seems to be a combination of stripper, polishing compounds, and light abrasion (scotch pads or 600 grit sandpaper), all repeatedly applied with tons of elbow grease and/or electric tools.

I, too, hope for a better solution.

Chuck

[CharlesinGA]

I compounded the roof on my Bigfoot while the A/C was removed, and used a Harbor Freight buffer and medium and fine foam pads with it. I used the Maguire's Marine and RV compound to begin with and then did a fine polish with Maguire's 210 compound (all from HF). After having hand wiped off the final compound I took a wool like buffing pad and the buffer and went over the whole roof. Then coated it with RejeX, a polymer finish, and after hand wiping it off (just like waxing a car) I again buffed it with a wool like pad. It was so slick I had to be careful getting up on the roof to install the new Houghton 9500 A/C unit.

Charles

[Scott Hans]

I've completed stripping about half of my 17 ft Casita. This is the procedure that I've found to be the most effective so far.

1. Spray 2'x2' section with Zep stripper

2. Squeegy off residue after about 30 sec to a minute.
(This is far shorter than recommended, but it reduces cycles needed to removed yellow stain]
3. Spray area again with stripper, rub with green scotchbrite
4. Squeegy off
5. Spray with TSP solution, scotch brite after 30 sec - minute and squeegy off
( This step lightens the yellow stain)
6.. Rinse with water
Repeat step 5 until yellow stain doesn't lighten 1 to 3 cycles)
7. Squeegy off
8. Rub with green scotchbrite and Bar Keepers Friend
9 Squeege off
10. Rinse with water (This step significant reduces yellow stain)
Repeat 8,9,10, until yellow stain (wax residue) has been removed to your satisfaction. Usually only takes 2 to 3 cycles.

This is a very time consuming process and I'd definitely be open to any suggestions.

Suggestions that havent worked
1. Dawn dish soap
2. Rubbing alcohol
3. Paint thinner
4. Using TSP first and then stripper
5. Combining TSP and Zep stripper in single solution
6. Hot water
7. Repeated treatment of ZEP. After 3 cycles the yellow stain does not lighten any further

Suggestions that were somewhat useful

1. "Trewax" stripper. Yellow stain was less, but required more repititions to disolve wax prior to TSP treatment. I've tried using it as an intermediate step between the Zep and TSP and didn't think it made a significant difference.

2. "LA Awesome". house cleaner. Sold in Dollar stores and some Super market hardware stores. It seemed to be as effective at removing wax as Zep Stripper, but left the same yellow stain.(wax residue) Significantly less expensive than Zep stripper. I decided to continue to use ZEP as it is the "tried and true" approach.

Guesses for why I'm having this rare? Problem.

1. Should have stripped wax when it first showed signs of deterioration. I put it off for about 2 years.

2. Gel coat damaged? Company who will be restoring the shine once Ive gotten the wax off did'nt think the Gel coat was in bad shape, however the trailer is a 2003

3. The trailer had 5 coats of Zep wax