Dear Dave,
We have ordered an Escape trailer; it will arrive in October. What is the proper care and cleaning of the fiberglass exterior? And how often should the exterior be cleaned and “recoated” (polished)? As with many RV opinions and advice, they are many and varied. Thanks! —Michelle, 2025 Escape E23
Dear Michelle,
I was not familiar with the Escape trailer brand as it is not one you see often at shows or other events. So I did some research and their website has a wealth of information about the company and the product.
Escape Trailers actually started in 1993 as Economy Travel Trailer Rentals by Reace and Tammy Harmatuik. They bought used trailers, fixed them up and started renting them. The first Escape trailer was built in 2002 and they tried a dealer network, but that failed in 2006. They shut down for 6 months to regroup and then introduced their first fifth wheel sold factory direct.
2022 was the introduction of the E23 and the one-piece fiberglass mold design. It is actually an upper and lower mold that starts with the gelcoat sprayed onto the mold and fiberglass threads chopped and shot with a durable fiberglass resin. There is a great video on their site here.
Recommended fiberglass RV exterior maintenance
Here is the recommended maintenance according to the owner’s manual:
Exterior Fiberglass/Gel Coat Finish Care of the fiberglass finish is similar to caring for a new car. Any finish will deteriorate over time. Exposure to extreme sunlight, pollutants, and excessive moisture can cause dulling, fading and yellowing. Regular washing and periodic waxing will help maintain the glossy new look.
When washing, use a mild, automotive or RV wash solution, being sure to rinse off any loose debris first. Avoid spraying water directly into the furnace and refrigerator vents.
Waxing the fiberglass areas twice a year is recommended. Wax with an automotive wax or polish developed for boats. Follow all directions by the wax manufacturer carefully and remember to wash and wax out of direct sunlight and when surfaces are cool.
I would recommend using Meguiar’s ceramic wash concentration as it is a great cleaner and will not hurt the gelcoat finish. You can find it on Amazon here.
Then I also recommend the Meguiar’s 50 Boat and RV Wax, which Crane Composites also recommends. They are the manufacturer of the fiberglass panels used on other RVs that also have a gel coat outer finish. You can find it on Amazon here.
You might also enjoy these posts from Dave
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DAVE HAS ANSWERED MORE THAN 1,000 readers’ maintenance and repair questions. Read a directory here. There is so much to learn!
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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Thank you for sharing your research and the suggestions, Dave! One can make washing an RV as complicated as one chooses. We now use a foam cannon to apply the soap and a lambswool pad or lambswool mit to brush the soap around. We then rinse with deionized water. Lastly, we apply a spray-on-wipe-off wax. We do this 4 or 5 times annually. Have a great day and safe travels!
I’ve always taken good care of my fiberglass gel-coat. However, no matter how much wax or automotive oxidation remover I used I could never get rid of the shadows of lettering and decals that had been removed. I just recently used a product called PROTECT ALL…Fiberglass Oxidation Remover and Color Restorer. Amazing product. Not only removed the shadows but restored the color.