zipper

Selley's easyglide is a good lubricant that a lot of the upholsterers recommend

Don't own anyhting like that but sunlight is the big killer for plastic and fabric zippers, if you could figure out a way to put sunscreen on em I reckon that would be a big step.

Regular applications of Lanolin spray ..... only way to keep the supple and reduce corrosion.

nick b,

I regularly camp in my poptop with annexe near the beach. The zippers get stuck with salt accumulations from time to time (when I forget to clean them!).

I paint them with hot water to free them up and then coat the zipper toggle and the separate jaws with a smear of petroleum jelly. Work the zipper a few times to distribute the lubrication and its OK.

I find that I do not have to clean the zippers very often; in fact they do not get stuck and I just re-apply the pet jelly once a year.

The dust doesn't seem to be a problem - the poptop seals pretty good and the annexe walls are locked away.

cheers

bill

Have often wondered how everyone keeps their awning zips working.... And how long until I have dramas with mine!!

Nick, Silicon is good but I have found this Dry PTFE even better.
I use it on my rear spare-mounted rubbish bag zips -- nothing gets more dust than there -- and also the roof-top bag. The slider zips along even better than when the zips were brand new.
Available at auto accessory shops, Super Cheap etc.

we use silicon spray for zips in the upholstery trade - same on curtain tracks

Zips jamming with dust was always a problems to us with the canvas camper on the trayback. I used candle wax.

Motherhen

Rub zips with Sunlight soap