How to wash and wax a 10 foot High Roof Van?

[breeze]

Doah! Now I think about it, but it needs a washing and i'd like to put some 'sheeting' wax on it too. Then I can just spray it down for a few months (4 maybe) to clean it afterwards. Mine has no windows behind the first row, by chance; but there are a few advantages of a sealed cargo van.

I really did not want a ladder on the back of the van due to drag coefficient for gas mileage (the back end deviations seems to drag it down greatly). As well, I did not want anyone to gain access to my 150 lb. capacity roof (minus rack, vent, and solar panels.) Solar panels will cover up to a vent in the rear of the roof eventually, but I need to wash and wax it now.

The telescopic brushes look like paint scratchers to me, but I really don't have any other idea except those with a wash rag over the end and a step ladder at this point. What is the preferred method of washing and waxing a 10 foot high roof van? My dealer just smiled and laughed at me  :huh:

Thanks!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

If you're on the road full time you could find a business with a loading dock and go after hours to apply the wax.  Something like in this picture where you can back the van along the wall and stand on the wall to reach the taller parts.  

Or you could rent a step ladder from a tool rental place for the day and then do it at camp.

Or lastly, invest in a folding or telescoping type ladder that you can store inside the van, along these lines.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JY9QAP...t=&hvlocphy=9002021&hvtargid=pla-312808058315

 

[rvwandering]

We go to coin-operated car washes. It's a little hard to find ones with a high enough bay so it's often a case of seizing the opportunity when we spot one. Give the brush a thorough wash out before using it to get rid of any grit and grease.

At least once a year we give our RV a good waxing. We finally bought a ladder a few years ago but we have a small class C and it's stored in the cabover. Before we had the ladder we'd head to a public campground, usually one with a good number of snowbirds, and find another camper with a ladder and ask if we could borrow the ladder. No one ever turned us down.

 

[highdesertranger]

coin operated truck wash places for semi's have the ladders and platforms along each side of he bay. highdesertranger

 

[breeze]

We go to coin-operated car washes. It's a little hard to find ones with a high enough bay so it's often a case of seizing the opportunity when we spot one. Give the brush a thorough wash out before using it to get rid of any grit and grease.

At least once a year we give our RV a good waxing. We finally bought a ladder a few years ago but we have a small class C and it's stored in the cabover. Before we had the ladder we'd head to a public campground, usually one with a good number of snowbirds, and find another camper with a ladder and ask if we could borrow the ladder. No one ever turned us down.

How tall of a ladder did you settle for? I am about 6' tall and 6" too short to reach my roof edge with an extended stretch reach. I got an extender fiber brush and lots of good cleaning supplies. I found a wash-wax with the 'sheeting' wax built in too for $5/gal at Napa where I usually get all of my auto supplies. All cleaning supplies fit in a 5 gal Napa bucket, lol.

I'm thinking a 3' step ladder would be just shy of being effective, and a 6' ladder would be plenty (for a 10' tall van). Highdesertstranger has the ultimate solution but I thought all those were private trucking company owned. I just need to open my eyes more and see what's around me. It sounds like a once a year thing to do, or every 6 months when possible.

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP GUYS AND GALS! It would take me years to figure everything out on my own.

 

[Vesper]

How about a park with a sturdy wood picnic table. You could pull up alongside the bench early in the morning, wax on, and break out the bacon and eggs before anyone was the wiser.
Shwiffer mops are lightweight, and if you pinned a couple of microfiber towels in them, make for easy car washing with the swivel head.
Cheerios!
Ct

 

[ColdBrook]

If you're on the road full time you could find a business with a loading dock and go after hours to apply the wax.  Something like in this picture where 

That telescoping ladder is exactly like the one I bought.  I bought a pool noodle from the $ store, cut it in half, split it lengthwise and put it on parts of the ladder that touches my van.  Now I can reach the roof to wash and wax my van.  I have looked around me for truck washing places but so far haven't found anything tall enough for my van.
Love your tip about loading dock, now if only I can find one to use........

 

[grandpa pete]

I see RV's in the truck stop truck washing places all the time .They have a crew that will clean anything . They do a good job so you will come back again . We used to run the big rig through once a month but I was doing 650+ miles a day 6 days a week . if you get your RV washed their just ask if you can use there rolling ladder to wax the top . I used their ladders once to put touch up paint on a truck I "rubbed " against a low tree

 

[rvwandering]

How tall of a ladder did you settle for? I am about 6' tall and 6" too short to reach my roof edge with an extended stretch reach....
I'm thinking a 3' step ladder would be just shy of being effective, and a 6' ladder would be plenty (for a 10' tall van).

   We bought a six foot ladder but you might be able to use a shorter one.

 

[breeze]

   We bought a six foot ladder but you might be able to use a shorter one.

That's what I was thinking. A little too tall sounds perfect!  

 

[gargoyle]

The truck wash guys did my van for $10.00. I would have spent that much at the coin wash.
They had an assortment of ladders and such.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Little Sisters does an excellent job. http://www.littlesisterstruckwash.com/locations.html