I've cleaned lots of Pop-Tops with BonAmi, Dutch Cleanser and Wesley
Whitewall Cleaner.
The Whitewall cleaner works best but fades paint, strips wax but is a good
prep before you paint.
The Wesleys does a great job of removing that loose black debris that hangs
on old rubber seals. Just use a good stiff brush and follow up with silicone
to restore some sealing qualities to the surface.

Stan Wilder
Engine Ceramics
214-352-4931
www.engineceramics.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald Baxter" <onanov@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: worst thing ever done to my Vanagon

Hey, I frequently wash my Van with Bon Ami.  But it's long, long, past
the "careful with the paint" stage.  Someday, I'll paint.

db

On 8/16/05, Maggie Dew <maggie@westfam.net> wrote:
> I wasn't going to admit this, but seeing as how others have fessed up, I
> will too.
>
> A few weeks ago, I was having a devil of a time cleaning the fried bugs on
> the front of the van around the grill.  They didn't respond to the usual
> sponge-washing, so I went in the house and got a scrubber sponge and
> started scrubbing them off.  While the area was still wet it looked fine,
> but as it started to dry, it became obvious that my new metallic champagne
> gold paint job had been ground down by the scrubber and was now flat and
> scratched-looking.  Yikes - fortunately only on the very front.
>
> I got some rubbing compound and worked on it, improving it somewhat.
> Still doesn't shine like the rest of the van.  Also, the bugs that have
> accumulated since then are even harder to get off - even with bug remover
> from the FLAPS.  Should I use the rubbing compound again and then
> immediately wax?
>
> Maggie (still learning the hard way after all these years)
> '85 Subaru Westy "Anne Bonney"
>

--
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Donald Baxter
316 Ridgeview Avenue
University Heights, Iowa 52246
www.onanov.com