What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Keeping hanger dust and dirt off

schaplerrh

Well Known Member
Sponsor
Will using cotton bed sheets to cover to tops of my RV7's wings, tail and fuselage damage the aluminum surfaces? I live in VA where summer humidity is often high and winter days cold and damp.
 
Last edited:
Will using cotton bed sheets to keep the hanger dust and dirt off my polished but unpainted RV7 damage aluminum surfaces? I live in VA where summer humidity is often high and the air can be damp during the winter.

Yes it will work. It will NOT damage the surfaces. We have several people around here that do that very thing.
 
Last edited:
keeping hanger dirt off

Mel,

Is there something you recommend using that to protect from dust and dirt that won't hard the aluminum?

Robert
 
Mel,
Is there something you recommend using that to protect from dust and dirt that won't hard the aluminum?
Robert

Not sure I understand the question. Do you mean "instead" of sheets, or to protect from the sheets scratching the aluminum?
I don't recommend using the sheets on an already dusty airplane. The airplane should be clean before covering. Dragging sheets across a dusty airplane should not hurt anything, but it's better not to do it.
 
Hanger jammies

I have a polished RV and a fairly dusty environment. I went to Costco and bought several fluffy blankets. Not actually microfiber, but sort of that consistency. I then used my wife's sewing machine and cut and pasted covers for the wings, horizontal stabilizer, cowling and propeller blades. I use a regular canopy cover over the canopy. Works great. In two years, I have only had to wash the airplane once after putting it on display at the local airshow. Wipe it down after flights and it stays pretty clean.
 
keeping the dust and dirt off

Michael: "Hanger Jammies," I love it!

Mel: I understood your post to caution against using cotton sheets so I was asking if you recommend something other than cotton. What do you think about Michael's "jammies" idea? I realize the surfaces need to be clear before I drag anything across them.

Thank you both for your ideas and guidance.

Robert
 
Michael: "Hanger Jammies," I love it!
Mel: I understood your post to caution against using cotton sheets so I was asking if you recommend something other than cotton. What do you think about Michael's "jammies" idea? I realize the surfaces need to be clear before I drag anything across them.
Thank you both for your ideas and guidance.
Robert

Sorry. I went back and reread the original question. I misread it the first time. NO, cotton sheets should NOT damage the airplane.
 
Last edited:
No coverings needed!!! Just fly everyday to blow the dust off. fly through a nice rain shower every once in a while to give it a bath . Easy Peesy
 
Keep my 4 covered in the hanger and wipe the bugs off between flights. One wash a yr only takes a couple of hrs using Meguiars Quick Detailer. Highly recommended and wouldn't do it any other way.

Tim
 
I have finished my wings long ago and stored them in my hangar, with cotton sheets covering them. To my great sadness, when I recently had to do some more work on them - I found they were corroding! Seems is if the sheets kinda trapped blowing dust (the worst was between the two wings) and then the dust absorbed moisture, which then started corrosion. Probably there was some salt in the moisture, we are not too far from the ocean.
What I think I should have done is occasionally pulled them out and hose them off with water, after the fact i have coated them with the Boeing spray protection. It is a good thing I was not planning on a polished plane!
 
I use a flannelette cloth cut to fit and have used like this on all of my aircraft and show cars for over 35 yrs and never a problem. If you have dust on the plane, high humidity etc and wind blowing the cover around then obviously you will wreck your finish.

I have always been in a relatively dry area with low humidity but with that comes a lot of dust.
Tim
 
Where I live there is generally low humidity and lots of dust and grit blowing around, so I keep my whole plane covered with sheets any time that it will not be flown for a while. I never let it sit with the canopy uncovered. She stays looking clean.
If you live in an area with generally high relative humidity I would be wary of keeping it covered because of corrosion possibilities.
 
Polyester banquet tablecloths are surprisingly cheap online and work great. Like $10 for a 12 foot x 5 foot. You can do the whole plane for about $50.
 
A noncloth alternative

I buy 0.7 mil painters drop cloth (actually plastic). 1.0 mil is ok also. Used it for 20 years on my Skybolt and RV. Cheap and much easier to handle than a cloth cover. I do put towels over the canopy and windscreen. When it starts looking bad I toss it and get new.
 
I buy 0.7 mil painters drop cloth (actually plastic). 1.0 mil is ok also. Used it for 20 years on my Skybolt and RV. Cheap and much easier to handle than a cloth cover. I do put towels over the canopy and windscreen. When it starts looking bad I toss it and get new.

Be careful using any kind of plastic. Without proper ventilation, plastic will trap moisture. A dust cover should be able to "breathe".
 
Back
Top