Dryer Sheets

Post your general and technical information, questions or responses in this forum. Viewing messages is open to all with no registration or log-in required. Prior to posting a new message or a response to an existing message, registration or login is required. Please do not post FOR SALE or WANTED ads in this section!

Moderator: bfadmin

Post Reply
CHARLOTTE

Dryer Sheets

Post by CHARLOTTE »

I'm sure many have heard about using the dryer sheets that you use in your dryer (to make your clothes smell fresh) as a bug cleaner for your coach. Just wanted to say that when I returned home from Iowa Rally I cleaned the inside of my coach, etc. then was going to do the outside...but our weather here in Calif. turned into a heat wave that we haven't seen before. In my yard it hovered between 104- 114 F, so I was not able to get to cleaning the outside of the coach as I had planned (I don't do all that well in the heat). Our heat wave lasted 8-9 days without cooling off much even at night. So today which saw our temps about 90 or so and because I'm leaving again tomorrow on a camping trip, I thought I'd try to at least get some of the bugs that I collected from all the states I drove through. For whatever reason, I remembered what I read somewhere on the web about those dryer sheets & figured couldn't hurt to try them...as I was sure those bugs were 'cooked' right into my paint by now....To my amazement not only do they work...but there's no effort to getting them to work....Those bugs are GONE and in no time at all....even off the backs of the side mirrors...Wouldn't believe it if I hadn't used them myself. Coach looks new...not a bug to be seen anywhere and I didn't have to really do much more than swipe at them with normal pressure about 3-4 times. Thought I'd just remind those of you that haven't tried this method. It really works. You'll be amazed..... 8)
robert newby

Post by robert newby »

thanks for the tip -- I'm going to do some de-bugging today and i'll try your dryer sheets --- BobN
User avatar
karls
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:55 pm

Dryer Sheets

Post by karls »

It sounded too good to be true and was with Bounce brand sheets. Dozens of swipes did nothing.

What product did you use?

Maybe the bugs I picked up between Banff and PA are of a hardier variety?

Karl Striedieck
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Anyone with practical experience?

Bill
Last edited by bcope01 on Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
Barbara & Ken
Posts: 143
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:36 pm

Re: Dryer Sheets

Post by Barbara & Ken »

karls wrote:It sounded too good to be true and was with Bounce brand sheets. Dozens of swipes did nothing. What product did you use?
Karl Striedieck
Karl,

Did you wet the dryer sheets before trying to wipe off the bugs? Any brand of dryer sheets will do, including the "dollar store" brands. If you don't have dryer sheets, you can pour liquid fabric softener into a bucket of water and use the solution to wash off the bugs with a sponge or soft RV brush. I always rinse the softener residue from the coach surface after cleaning off the bugs.

Charlotte is correct that this method even cleans off "baked on" bugs. We drove the Born Free 500 miles to its new owners in Colorado this weekend, and the entire front (cab, cabover, mirrors, front on the coach sides, awning arms, etc.) were covered with bugs that were "baked on" by 105 degree temps. We didn't want to leave a bug covered Born Free with the new owners, so I showed them how the magic of dryer sheets (fabric softener) can make even baked on bugs disappear. I'm having severe problems with my right shoulder these days (torn muscle), so I surely didn't do any scrubbing. All I had to do was wipe with the wet dryer sheets and then rinse the bugs away.
Barbara & Ken
User avatar
karls
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:55 pm

Post by karls »

I tried them dry, thus the poor result. When used with water they work pretty well, and the fabric stands up to punishment. I'll try some other products and report back if anything interesting is learned.

Another bug related hassle is how to clean the areas above the windshield and on the front of the overhanging coach. They are hard to reach, even from a ladder. I've stood on the Kubota loader before but maybe some sort of mop with the right goop on it would work.

Stand by.

Karl Striedieck
Jon Pollei

Post by Jon Pollei »

Karl,
I use a window washing handle with a sheep skin round brush. It fits inside the opening above the windshield and cleans while you stand on the ground. I purchased my extension handle and brush at Lowell's in the window department. I think it was around $12.
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

SCAFFOLD TO CLEAN/WASH/WAX YOUR BORN FREE

Post by whemme »

Go the this website of mine for a solution to reaching the hard to reach spots on your Born Free motorcoach.

http://home.earthlink.net/~whemme/climb ... rscaffold/

You can also click on this website address for a prior related discussion on this existing club forum: http://www.bornfreervclub.org/bulletin_ ... =1515#1515
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
User avatar
karls
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:55 pm

Post by karls »

I applied some Turtle Wax tar and bug remover as directed but it didn't work as well (fast) as the dryer sheets.

Thanks for the scaffold and brush suggestions.

Karl Striedieck
Brent
Posts: 314
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 4:53 pm

Post by Brent »

In September I'll give them the absolute ultimate test - Florida Lovebugs!
Bornfree (1999 Rear Kitchen)
Traveling with Chester (The Boxer) - at least in spirit
User avatar
Mike Jean Bandfield
Posts: 513
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:43 pm

Post by Mike Jean Bandfield »

I have had good results using Calgon powdered water softener in a bucket of warm water. I keep the bugs wet with the stuff for about 10 minutes before washing with a water pressure powered rotary brush I've used for years. The bugs come off easily with normal washing after soaking in the Calgon but I haven't tried dryer sheets yet so I can't compare.

Mike
Mike & Jean
2005 26' RSS Diesel
Barbara & Ken
Posts: 143
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:36 pm

Post by Barbara & Ken »

Brent wrote:In September I'll give them the absolute ultimate test - Florida Lovebugs!

September?? Try May and June!! That's the real test. I'm from Florida, but was shocked by the number of love bugs when we visited the central state area in late May one year. We weren't RVers then and were travelling in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Because of the thousands of love bugs committing suicide on the front of the Jeep, we had to take it to the car wash three times during a one week stay. Unfortunately, we didn't know about dryer sheets on that trip, but I don't know if there are enough dryer sheets manufactured to clean off all the spring love bugs.
Barbara & Ken
Brent
Posts: 314
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 4:53 pm

Post by Brent »

<<<September?? Try May and June!! That's the real test.>>>


You're right, those are the worst months. People who have never had to deal with the lovebugs wouldn't believe it. The bad thing is - left on for a few days the body acid will remove paint.

I work at getting them off at the end of each day and if they are out, I pull over and put a mesh bra on the vehicle to deflect some of them.
Bornfree (1999 Rear Kitchen)
Traveling with Chester (The Boxer) - at least in spirit
buchanan

Post by buchanan »

Buy a long handle string mop. I use a aerosol spray that you use to clean windows, spray the window cleaner on and use the rag mop to clean the area. I carry the mop in the side compartment. It's easy.

Russ Buchanan
Judy Madnick

Re: Dryer Sheets

Post by Judy Madnick »

CHARLOTTE wrote:I'm sure many have heard about using the dryer sheets that you use in your dryer (to make your clothes smell fresh) as a bug cleaner for your coach.
We used dryer sheets to repel mice when storing our motorhome, which seemed to work well. We'll have to try them for bug removal on our car 'til we have another motorhome!
Post Reply

Return to “General and Technical Information, Questions, and Responses”