Up until now we have had a straightforward cleaning process on the outside of our caravan. Using techniques borrowed from the automotive industry and products designed specifically for the leisure industry we developed a regime that worked well.
We started with a snow foam, then a rinse, then a wash, then a rinse and then wipe down before some wax was applied and a final buff.
It always made the caravan, bright and shiny, and for our Lunar that was a few years old, it always restored a youthful look to its exterior. It did however take some time to achieve a good result and was no small task. It was a day dedicated to cleaning the caravan.
Catch one of our very first videos on our caravan cleaning process
All that changed when we collected our Brand-new Bailey caravan last October. We had a paint protection product called Diamondbrite applied to the exterior of the caravan and a fabric protection added to the interior furniture too.
Diamondbrite is formulated from refined rock oils and upon hearing this I was 100% sceptical. A 2-part coating is applied to the caravan surface and will prevent black streaks, aide in the removal of bird lime and create a deep shine on the exterior. This all sounded like the perfect “utter rubbish” sales pitch to me. Nonetheless, we had it applied to the caravan. Here is the video of our caravan having the treatment added to the outside and inside surfaces.
That video was filmed back in October 2018 and now in May 2019, we have cleaned the caravan, used the “take home pack” fully and I’m now able to give my honest and frank thoughts on this system after 7 months of having it applied to the caravan.
Right off the bat, it does not stop black streaks and it does not keep your caravan clean. But, it makes the removal of those streaks and stains extremely easy. When wiped down, the caravan does shine, it does sparkle and the effort to achieve a great result is minimal. To be completely honest, I’m amazed and taken back by how good this product line up is.
I mentioned above a take home pack that we received when we collected the caravan. The pack contains several products, all of which we have used and here are my thoughts on each item:
Waterless wash & wax
No doubt, we will run out of this way before any other product. In fact, I’ve just bought some more. We use this mostly for the front of the caravan when using our towing cover. Removing dust, any moss build up and bird muck after sitting in storage reduces the risk of scratches. We also use this on the exterior of our windows, if they are a little dirty to remove dust or water drops. We find it brilliant for keeping the exterior fresh when a full clean just isn’t required.
Window Cleaner
It’s safe to use on Acrylic, glass and mirrors, it cleans away any smears perfectly. We use this on our windows after a spray of waterless wash and wax. They always come up super clean with no haze or streaks. We also use this product on the cooker glass lid and the mirrors inside the caravan.
Upholstery cleaner
It was our 2nd trip in the caravan and someone who will remain nameless crushed some mud or clay into the carpet. Angela hadn’t noticed it on her shoe, but set to work using the Upholstery cleaner after the mud had dried in a little. A spray of the foam and left to do its thing for 15 minutes, it required some scrubbing and a vacuum after which the results were good. I can’t say it’s any better or worse than other foam upholstery cleaners but, it does smell nice and it did the job.
Shampoo
We have used the shampoo a couple of times now. Both times with a small amount of conserver added in. We noticed that it doesn’t foam as much as other shampoos but it does clean off diesel spots, bird muck and road dirt quite effectively. We used this with cold water and a couple of cleaning mitts (not in the kit), I’ll go through our new process later.
What is great about this shampoo is the results when washed off. You see straight away some water beading. Unlike a car that has some complex curves, the caravan side is straight and water simply shoots off. Making the final wipe down a breeze.
Conserver
As I mentioned we used this in the shampoo when cleaning. I have also used this neat on a couple of areas that I felt needed extra protection. These being the lower section of the front panel and just behind the wheels where mud is often flicked up.
Wheel cleaner
I’ll be honest, it really isn’t aimed at caravans, more motorhomes or cars. I’ve used this on my car and It is good at loosening brake dust and road dirt from the alloys. It is however, good for cleaning the motor mover on the caravan. Keeping the rollers clean of dirt, it is very easy to use, but perhaps not essential use for the caravan.
Insect Remover
Above our front windows are 2 sections of white bodywork. These are not covered by the towing cover, are higher than the car and attract the attention of death hungry bugs and insects. They love to die and smear themselves up there after a few miles of towing. The bug and insect remover sprays on, is left to work for a few minutes then is easily wiped clean. It is also fantastic at removing erroneous black marks on the caravan sides. We had a stubborn mark on one side of the caravan. Again, a spritz, pause and wipe off, cleaned away any evidence of the smear.
Other items
The kit also contains a sponge, which I haven’t used, it’s a low-cost item that you could collect from any DIY store, but the micro fibre cloth which is included is worth mentioning. It’s huge. Much bigger than anything else I have in my cleaning kit at home. It makes wiping down so much easier.
A footnote to add on the pack is the quality of the bottles, or lack of. Every single bottle I have that has a pump spray attachment – leaks. It pours the solution over my hands when using the trigger. I end up removing the spray attachment and just dabbing small amounts on a cloth. For a premium product, they need to look again at the bottles. They are rubbish and really let down the great product that Diamondbrite is.
I also notice that a black streak remover is available as a part of the product line up, I would have liked to have seen this in the take home kit, in place of the wheel cleaner.
Our new clean regime.
I mentioned at the beginning what our cleaning process was. But what about now?
Cleaning the roof remains the same. Lower the caravan nose to encourage water run off, wet down as much as possible, remove any large debris and use a long-handled brush with shampoo diluted in a bucket. Brush the entire roof, going careful around vents, solar panels and skylights. Then rinse and use a squeegee to remove most of the water.
Cleaning the caravan sides is now where the time is saved. Rinse to remove large deposits, then wipe off any black streaks by hand using a microfibre cloth. Heavy marks and bugs are removed with the insect remover.
Using the shampoo and conserver in a bucket, the sides are wiped down using a bubble mitt. Once complete, the caravan is rinsed off to remove the loose dirt and reveal the clean panels. Then it’s a simple wipe down and that’s it.
Over the last weekend it took us 3 hours to clean the roof, all the panels, clean the windows inside and out, hoover, clean the kitchen and polish the sides. We did not rush, but that is how quick the cleaning process is now on the outside of the caravan.
To have Diamondbrite applied to your caravan or motorhome, you will need to speak to an approved agent, however the aftercare pack and separate products are available to buy from Diamondbrite directly. It has made the cleaning process so much easier and the results speak for themselves. I just wish they would sort the bottles out.
Good detailed review Dan
As an alternative to diamond brite there are some longer lasting ceramic coat products but u need a specialist to apply indoors in the dry
Washing after the snow foam I use two grit buckets one with shampoo one with clean water to rinse the lambs wool mitt after every application of shampoo to a small area this way the washing shampoo mitt is cleansed of any fine grit before dipping in shampoo bucket to wash next bit
Once washed and so on I also apply a hydroponic spray to the roof and no. Window surfaces which helps shed the rain water
When cleaning the roof I tent to raise the nose so the dirt shoots off the back rather than the front where there are more fiddly window bits to clean
Thanks for taking the time to jot all this down Dan, I have always been a bit sceptical too, but had the process applied to our new Volvo and have been impressed! Definitely something to consider when we upgrade our ‘van next year sometime.
Angela hadn’t noticed it on her shoe – lolz
Rog… 🙂
Thanks for the update just had new van in Feb so not used it yet would be nice if diamond bright included a how to so we know how to keep the warrenty
Thanks for the update just had new van in Feb so not used it yet