How do I get the yellow stains out from around the RV’s floor vents?

Dear Dave, 
How do I get the yellow stains out that have come through the floor around the heat vents? I was told it was probably from excessive glue used by the manufacturer. Thank you. —Chiara, 2020 Forest River Wildwood 40FDEN

Dear Chiara,
Looking at several walkarounds online, it seems your FR Wildwood has in-floor vents rather than the corrugated tubing that snakes underneath cabinets and the sofa.

It also looks like your rig has a very low profile “loop” carpet rather than the thicker shag type. Most manufacturers do not glue the carpet down, rather they staple around the edges and then put in the furniture. However, if you have stains around the vents, it is most likely caused by warm, moist air coming from the furnace through the ducting and out the vent. It is then reacting with some type of material in the carpet or pad.

Types of carpet

There are six basic materials or types of carpet: olefin, nylon, acrylic, wool, polyester, and Triexta. When I was at Winnebago we used an Olefin carpet that was made of a polypropylene that could actually be cleaned with bleach. We would demonstrate by opening a packet of mustard on the carpet and clean it with a 10% bleach/water solution. I would test an area under a cabinet before I tried this. Do not use bleach on wool or nylon! Since it is a small area, you can spot clean it rather than go commercial or rent a machine.

There are several methods of cleaning carpets. It may take a couple of tries to get the right product, depending on what the yellow stuff actually is and the type of carpet you have. There are several over-the-counter products recommended by carpet manufacturers, with many featuring “oxy”-type ingredients.

Homemade cleaners

For years I have been making my own cleaner with a tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup of water and a dash of dish soap mixed up. Spray it on the stain and let it sit for a minute and then blot several times. Do not rub, as this will make the stain penetrate more. Some people add a tablespoon of baking soda either in the solution or sprinkled on the stain after the vinegar solution. Let it sit with a wet cloth covering it, then blot.

I would also recommend pulling the vent and looking inside the ductwork to see what might be causing the stain. Oftentimes the duct has shavings from routed out floor vents, insulation, and other building materials that should be vacuumed out.

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My trailer has a soft floor. How much will it cost to fix?

Dear Dave, 
The floor in front of the RV’s bedroom is soft. Also, on the opposite side of the RV, the floor is soft in front of the bathroom door. We haven’t pulled up the floor yet to see the extent of the damage, but let’s say it’s medium damage. What would it cost to fix this? —Barry, 2016 Rockwood ?

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Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”

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