Washing & maintaining high roofs

[Kevinch]

The largest vehicles I`ve ever owned were a 1967 Chrysler New Yorker & a 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis; both of which I could maintain with my feet pretty much on the ground, or at most a step stool. We have our first SUV now.



How do you folks clean the high roofs & big hoods on large vehicles? I`ve seen the Flow-Through Boar`s Hair Brush & Handle from Griot`s; the MF mops, etc. Just wondering what might work for the members here before I get my wallet out.



Any suggestions? Thanks.....

[Nth Degree]

I`m usually able to reach everything from a tall folding stool. I also have an aluminum platform from Lowe`s that makes it easier to cover larger area. I feel it is important to be able to see what you are cleaning and actually feel it. Granted most people don`t see the top of the vehicle, but that`s why they are often neglected and the first place the paint fails. The ridges and valleys used for rigidity tend to hold a lot of water and dirt.

[DaGonz]

Even the standard sedan requires a stepstool in order to reach the middle of the roof. I have a stepstool, a small stepladder and a standard sized stepladder that I use to reach the roof areas of my truck and wifey`s Edge. The Mustang is no problem...

[TLMitchell]

For washing the roofs on my trucks and high sedans or SUVs I open the doors and stand on the doorsill, wash with the mitt with one hand and hang on to something inside with the other. Gives an opportunity to wash the jambs while the doors are open after I step down. For polishing I use the aforementioned Werner Work Platform from Lowe`s.



Shop Werner Aluminum Portable Work Platform at Lowes.com (http://www.lowes.com/pd_146404-287-AP-20-MP6_4294858696_4294933768_?productId=1017889&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qt y_sales_dollar%7C1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_4000%2B5000_4294858696_4294933768 _%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_prod uct_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=)



Handy and stable. DO stick the soft loop side of some velcro on the edges facing whatever you`re working on.



TL

[Kevinch]

I hadn`t considered a portable platform - thanks for the tip. Looks like I missed a good sale at Lowe`s recently - $19 for the Werners!

[Accumulator]

Kevinch- I have five (yeah, five) of these: Amazon.com: Bauer 20900 Fold-N-Carry Work Platform: Home Improvement (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/hi/B00006RK57/qid=1110756187/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-3680402-3941749)



BTW, I too had an old "C"-body MOPAR back in the day :D And until I got our minivan back in `01 I never had any tall vehicles either. I got my first work platform then, and added additional ones to make the whole thing go easier..ended up with five of `em when I had the Yukon XLD.



I really don`t see how people do the work without such stuff :confused: When inspecting a panel, I want to use all sorts of different viewing angles, and even with the platforms roofs can be challenging. And when it comes to washing, I want to take the same care to avoid marring as I do on the hood; just no way I could do that without the platforms. I need both hands free, and my body well-stabilized, to do my foamgun-centric wash techniques.

[Accumulator]

I`ve seen the Flow-Through Boar`s Hair Brush & Handle from Griot`s; the MF mops, etc. Just wondering what might work for the members here before I get my wallet out......



I`ve had a couple of the flow-through BHBs from Griot`s (a couple because I sent the first one back over a leaking swivel-joint).



It`s the right idea, but....



-Like most (any?) good BHB, when used properly it`s too gentle to get all the dirt off, so you still need to go back over things with a different wash medium (used like in the catalog pix it`d be a scratch-machine)

-If you could flow shampoo mix through it that`d be swell, plain water, eh...not so great

-It`s a lot more awkward to use than I thought it would be, especially for doing high roofs/etc. where you`re holding it way up in the air (and I`m in good shape so it`s not some wimpy-kid issue)

-The current model (round) looks even smaller than the ones I`ve used (rectangular)

-The brush heads are made by, uhm....[thinking thinking]...maybe it`s Braun. So you can get `em a lot cheaper from other sources (not that I mind supporting Richard). As with all BHBs, gotta inspect *each and every one* for QC issues



Problems with the MF mops:



-Well, nothing that isn`t also wrong with how most people wash cars anyhow I suppose (that means "that isn`t how I`d want to wash anything!" but that`s just me)

-Difficulty in rinsing, it can become a scratch-machine when soiled



I approach it this way- if I treat the roof of my SUV/etc. the same as I`d treat the hood of a showroom-new black Bentley, then it`ll probably turn out OK. If I don`t take that kind of precaution, then it`ll end up all [messed] up and the only person who matters will see it every time I wash the thing.



If somebody doesn`t care about the roof getting marred up, well...OK. In that case maybe the MF mop, *with multiple MFs to use on it* would be an OK approach. Hmmm...maybe with ONR, if one is a fan of that stuff.

[Kevinch]

Thanks Accumulatator, it seems that I can buy a couple of platforms for the price of a good brush & wand so that is probably what I`ll try.



Bringing home a new vehicle in the middle of winter can be tough; although in this area (near the OH turnpike between Cleveland & Akron) we`ve had it relatively easy so far the weather is beginning to turn now. I`m limited on space - I keep telling my wife I have too much house & too little garage but I don`t think she`ll agree - so I will be trying ONR on this vehicle after removing major grime with fairly powerful touch-less near where I work. The garage is 2-car & does have a drain, but with all that`s in there maneuvering a hose without damaging what you are working on is about impossible.

[Accumulator]

Kevinch- If you want the Bauer 20900 platforms that I linked to (and I`d sure get those- they`re wide, relatively non-slip, very stable), you might have to look around (Amazon is always out of them). Check for the Bauer distributor in your area, I can`t remember where it was (I think it was Wooster), but they gave me a price break when I bought a few at a time and drove down to get `em.

[TLMitchell]

I hadn`t considered a portable platform - thanks for the tip. Looks like I missed a good sale at Lowe`s recently - $19 for the Werners!



Probably didn`t miss anything. I went to 3 Lowe`s before 6:30am and every one of `em was out. Contractors swooped down early and scarfed `em up.... one guy took the entire pallet of 200 at one store!



TL

[TLMitchell]

Kevinch- I have five (yeah, five) of these: Amazon.com: Bauer 20900 Fold-N-Carry Work Platform: Home Improvement (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/hi/B00006RK57/qid=1110756187/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-3680402-3941749)



You can`t have too many. They make excellent places to sit polishes, pads and buffers, which is why I wanted another one. Every time I need to get up high I have to unload the platform first. :doh:



TL

[TLMitchell]

Bringing home a new vehicle in the middle of winter can be tough; although in this area (near the OH turnpike between Cleveland & Akron) we`ve had it relatively easy so far.....



Around Rt 8? Looked out the window lately? It`s that time again... :sosad



TL

[jtford95]

I use a chenillie wash mop on my mini van. SM Arnold sells them.

[Accumulator]

Do this sort of thing enough and no matter who you are or how carefully you go about it, some day you`re gonna slip.



You folks considering something like the Werner ones at the big-box stores *REALLY* need to buy some friction media for their horizontal surfaces. Fall off one of those even once and your life might never be the same. And (relatively) smooth aluminum surfaces get mighty slippery, especially when there`s something like car shampoo involved.




You can`t have too many...



Ya know, that really is the truth! I too currently have a project sitting on one of mine. While they`re a little low for the job, they make nice movable workbenches.



For doing the roofs, having enough of them means you don`t have to climb up/down as often. And even with their nonslip surface, and good footwear, IMO every time you up/down in wet conditions you`re taking a chance. With five of `em I can just walk around even the largest SUV and I`m not tempted to really stretch or othewise get sloppy with my technique.

[TLMitchell]

Do this sort of thing enough and no matter who you are or how carefully you go about it, some day you`re gonna slip.



You folks considering something like the Werner ones at the big-box stores *REALLY* need to buy some friction media for their horizontal surfaces. Fall off one of those even once and your life might never be the same. And (relatively) smooth aluminum surfaces get mighty slippery, especially when there`s something like car shampoo involved.



Absolutely correct! I have an adhesive backed anti-skid on my Werner. Probably more essential than covering the legs etc to prevent scratches. Having multiple platforms is a good idea too. I found myself working towards the end and reaching more than I should and I thought "if I don`t get my lazy *** down and move this thing I`m going to end up on my head."



What`s the going rate for those Bauers? Every place that I see a listing says Out of Stock with no pricing. Bauer`s site lists `em for $262. They`ve gotta be available cheaper than that!





TL