FYI from MCI - Maintenance Matters

When caring for your MCI coach, wash the coach exterior regularly. Do not use alkaline cleaners on aluminum, iron or steel. Do not use abrasive cleaners, polish or steel wool; they remove the protective coatings and can scratch and discolor the finish. Do not wax.

A new finish cures for 30 to 60 days, depending on temperature. Hand wash only.

CAUTION: Do not use high pressure washers during the curing period. Damage to the paint surface can result.

During the curing period, wash by hand only. Clean frequently using clean water rinses. If the coach exterior is extremely dirty, use a mild, neutral PH, non–abrasive detergent and clean water.
DO NOT use high–pressure washers until the paint has cured and hardened.

Wash and rinse water must be free of solids. Recirculating systems must function satisfactorily with Lucite windows.

Use a solvent-based dissolving detergent with the prewash spray and a highly lubricating detergent with the brushes. Follow the detergent manufacturer's recommendations. The water and detergent mixture should be 90° –110° F.If the detergent does not contain sequestering agents, soften water to four grains hardness or less. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations.Use a high-pressure water spray prewash to remove grit before brushing. Detergent may be used with the prewash.
Install a small extra spray arm to cover the window area only. Put this arm 5 - 7 feet (1.5 - 2.1 m) from the prewash spray so that its effect is not diluted.

Tampico-fibered brushes are recommended. Do not use brush filaments that have a high wax content. Polypropylene is satisfactory and may be flagged for optimum performance. MCI recommends a round filament. Filament suppliers sell round filament on request.

Brush pressure and the amount of filament that contacts the coach are the two factors most damaging to Lucite SAR windows and painted surfaces. The pressure should be as low as possible, and no more than six inches of filament may overlap the coach side as the brush turns.

The coach should travel through the prewash, wash and rinse at 1 - 2 mph (1.6 - 3.2 kph). Never stop the coach while it is contact with the brushes.

The final rinse should be a high pressure, high volume rinse with a minimum delivery of 125 gpm (473 L/minute).

After graphics have been applied, wait one week before washing. This ensures that the adhesives bond. After the first week, wash, ensuring the following:

Use only mild cleaning solutions. Do not use solvents or abrasive cleaners.If using high-pressure equipment, do not exceed 1200 psi.Do not exceed 120° F (50° C) water temperature.Maintain a minimum distance of 12" (30 cm) from the nozzle to the decal surface.Keep nozzle perpendicular to the decal surface.Do not scrub.Test cleaning agents and methods prior to use to determine their suitability.Use neither highly acidic (less than pH 3), nor highly alkaline (greater than pH 11) cleaning solutions.
Cleaning solutions must be free of strong aromatic solvents, chlorinated solvents, and ketone.

Use conventional techniques to clean Lucite SAR. However, take care to use a clean, soft (unsized) cloth. Wet the window surface with the cleaning solution before wiping. When oily surface contamination is present, the cleaning solution may not wet the surface thoroughly until it is rubbed with the cloth.

NOTE: Minimize filament contact with Lucite SAR during brush wash to guard against scratches. Provide a soft roller or wheel guide on the brush arm to prevent brush over-pressure.

Household cleaners that have been tested and found effective in cleaning Lucite SAR include Easy-Off, Windex^®, Glass Plus^®, Top Job, Mr. Clean^® and Fantastik^®. Industrial cleaners effective on acrylic windows are Neleco Subway Soil Solvent (Neleco Products, Inc.) and C-1102 Alkaline Cleaner (DuBois Chemicals).

Two commercially-available anti-static cleaners that effectively clean Lucite SAR windows and reduce static build-up are Like-Matic type N1-5 and Trend Antistat Cleaner. Follow the manufacturers' instruction when using antistatic cleaners.

To remove paint, ink marks and graffiti that are resistant to household cleaners, use a soft cloth saturated with isopropanol or an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent. Do not use abrasive cleaners. Do not use razor blades or other sharp instruments that might gouge the surface.

Windex, Fantastik, Glass Plus and Mr. Clean are registered trademarks of their respective companies