“Cleanliness is one way to achieve inner peace”, don’t you think? Well, I certainly do and to ensure that I have experimented and read a lot about the best cleaning practices for my RV. With time I have become an expert in this crucial activity and now I would like to share my expertise with you.
The most important thing about cleaning your motorhome is consistency. Even though the interiors of the motorhome are protected by the exterior body, windows, doors, and seals. Dirt, dust, water, and whatnot will always find its way to penetrate inside the RV.
And if your camper trailer is dirty then you are inviting a lot of new diseases and health condition into your home. More than that, a clean and tidy RV has a longer life than the one which is dirty.
In the beginning, it may seem that cleaning the RV is a lot of work. But, with the time you will know that it is not as difficult as it looks. Plus, if you like to clean and tidy place to breathe and enjoy your travel then following these tips and implement them with full vigor.
Ways to Clean RV:
Interiors:
1.Buy a good Vacuum:
The very first thing that I found out what not every vacuum cleaner is the same (like that was some revelation that enlightened my whole life, pun intended). All the vacuum cleaners may look the same but when it comes to consistency in performance, only a few selected ones will be good enough. Instead of a big vacuum cleaner, make sure to buy a small handheld one and use it effectively. Go online, check for reviews, make sure to find a good small vacuum cleaner and clean with it. The reason to be choosy in this matter is that a good vacuum will make your job easier and post-cleaning you won’t have to face any issues in tidying up the cleaner itself.
2.Air conditioner:
Cleaning the air conditioner is not an easy task. So, it is best that you hire a professional to do so. The most dreaded thing that can wreak havoc inside the RV is mold and mildew and a continuous working air conditioner plays a big role in the incidence of this factor. On your part, you need to make sure that the vents are clean and the do not have dirt or smudge sticking to the vents. A running air conditioner is will product some moisture and if it sustains for a long time then there is the risk of damage to the RV perpetrated by mold.
When you are on an RV trip, make sure to open up the windows every now and then. Also, you can buy some moisture-absorbing packets and put them with the clothes and inside drawers to avoid any accumulation of moisture
3.Refrigerator:
I cannot describe the foul smell of the leftover food which I forgot to clean out before parking the RV for the season. The stink is so strong that anyone will feel like vomiting, let alone the kids.
But now I have kept a whole checklist for cleaning my RV, park it with TOW MAX RV jack . Along with this, I have set reminders to clean the refrigerator especially. Not only the smell will tend to kill you but this is also a big reason to invite several health issues.
Leftover food if it is exposed to moisture can invite germs and bugs. So, it is really important that you never forget cleaning out the refrigerator of your RV
4.Storage spaces:
There are a lot of small to big storage spaces in an RV, but you already know that. What you may not know is that no matter the size, every kind of storage space has hundreds of reasons to invite dirt.
The main storage area that is at the back of the vehicle is sometimes filled with dirt and smudge carried inside by all the stuff that you carry along. Plus, the bathroom storage spaces are sometimes moist. Moisture and wood do not bode well with each other. Hence, ensure that you wipe off all the moisture and water content from the RV before parking. It is not as essential to clean them every day because when you are traveling the moisture evaporates due to heat and air.
5.Kitchen sinks:
An RV kitchen is relatively less used than you home kitchen, but still it is messier. The reason being that you are working in a lesser area and this leaves more room for vulnerability. Not to mention the bumps and dwindling caused due to the road. Hence, it is necessary to keep a check on the sanctity of your RV kitchen when you are on the trip. Before parking the camper trailer for the season, your kitchen has to be clean and tidy. Clear the area of any kind of leftover food, ingredients, detergents, dish soap, clean the utensils and arrange them in the storage spaces with moisture absorbent placed in these spaces. The Kitchen sink is where you need to pay more attention. Clean the pipes, check for leakages, never leave any garbage below the sinks.
6.Use Soft Scrubs and friendly detergents and Sanitize Post Wash:
Reative to other sorts of large vehicles, the exterior areas of the RVs are made with a different material. Like we had earlier talked about the metal roofs which are strengthened and the membrane roof is more sensitive. That is why it is essential to use soft scrubs and paint-friendly detergent soaps. Never use harsh scrubs as it may leave permanent scratches on the RV.
Plus, whenever you clean the kitchen, floors, bathrooms, and the sinks do not forget to sanitize them. Sanitization removes every single bacterium from your RV and ensures a healthy trip.
7.Toilets:
The RV bathroom needs regular cleaning and disinfection treatments. Again I cannot stress more on the requirement to clean the toilets after you have come back from the trip. It is also essential to use the appropriate cleaning solutions and have a nice and clean toilet.
Along with this, it is also important to clean the other areas in and around the bathrooms. RV bathrooms are sensitive, they are more prone to damage and to reduce the overall weight of the RV, the materials used in making them is less effective and long-lasting than what they use in making your house bathroom.
On a trip, clean the bathroom regularly and since the area is less it will be easier to clean all the corner on a daily basis.
8.RV Floor:
Inside the RV you need to wipe the floor clean almost every single day on the trip. This is because the footprint inside the RV comes from outside. And this brings a lot of dirt smudge along. Hence, mopping the floor daily will help you keep it super clean and ensure a healthy inside environment of the RV.
If not the dirt that comes inside with the shoes will spread throughout the vehicle and some of it may into the tight corners and this degrades the interiors of the RV.
Instead of using market-bought detergents, you can use a mix of water and vinegar to clean laminate floors. For ceramic-based floors, ammonia water has to be your best choice. I know this because I have traveled in both these types of RV floors and cleaning them becomes easier if you have these materials in hand.
Exteriors:
9.Take care of the windows:
Some say that the windows are gateways to heaven. But what if your window has a lot of dirt, scratches, smudges and there are spider webs crawling on to them? Then it becomes a reason for you to be irritated, isn’t it?
So, the key is to take a soft cloth, use a good cleaning solution and then clean the windows with it. Also, do not forget to clean it from inside out.
Window cleaning is indeed easier with a small RV, but with a big fifth-wheel trailer, you can use a squeegee that also extends to reach the upper sides of the window from the outside.
10.Door and window seals:
Not only the windows you also need to take care of the window seals. These are the areas which hold the windows in place. And take special care to throw out the spider webs from these spaces. The dark corners host various small bugs and insects, make sure to clean them out too.
Similar is the case for the door seals. You can get various detergents and even the dishwasher detergent to clean these tight corners.
But after cleaning them, you must not forget to dehumidify the corners. This is because the rubber seals may invite mold and mildew if they are wet and moist.
11.Waste tanks:
The waste tanks are hidden beneath the RV, but this does not mean that you don’t have to clean them. Not dumping the waste and continuing the journey with all the waste still lurking inside the tanks is a big factor that invites illness, diseases, not to mention the smell.
For a good and enjoyable ride, make it a habit to dump the tanks regularly when you are on a trip. And if the RV is parked, make sure that you empty the tanks before parking it for the season. Because you do want to come to the deadly smell of the tanks looming inside the RV for months together.
12.Fuel or propane tank:
Underneath your RV there are the gas tanks. These tanks are made out of metal and metal attracts rust. That is why make it a practice to get anti-corrosion treatment for your RV. With time, these tanks will make you RV look bad too and no matter how clean it is from the other side, one old rusty tank will make it look like old wine in a new bottle.
13.Roof cleaning:
There are two types of RV roofs. One is a metal roof and the other is the membrane roof. I will not discuss which is better, but yes, you need to know that cleaning of both types of roofs is essential.
The important point is that membrane roofs are sensitive to detergents and cleaning solutions. That is why you will find special cleaning solutions for this type of roof. Other than this, you also need to check for any signs of damage, cracks, bents on the metal roof. Cleaning it is indeed easier, but more than this you need to ensure that it has a good shape and is smooth.
14.Below the RV:
Who knows what’s going on underneath your RV when you are treading it on the road? Well, you need to know that. The reason is that a lot of dirty factors are present under the carriage of the RV. This includes smudge, dirt, grease, oils, and whatnot. And the accumulation of these things leads can cause damage to the RV. You must have observed grease and mud coming up to the corners of the vehicle, there is the presence of grease and other such contaminants on the lower side of the vehicle. Although these things are pretty visible, we tend to ignore them. Avoid this and clean them with water or get professional help. But it is essential to clean all the smudge off with cleaning detergents.
15.Tires:
A big aspect of making sure that your tires have a long life is cleaning them. When you clean the tires with detergent solutions it does two things. One is that smoothly wards off the small pebbles and stones form the rubber creases. The other is that the tire shines brighter, there is no presence of grease and oils on the rims.
This dual benefit of cleaning the tires just when you wash it whole from the outside will help in ensuring that they have a long life. Use TOW MAX RV tire, with long lifespan.
16.Pressure Washing:
Pressure washers are a unique set of equipment that allows for an amazing washing ability and provides a perfect cleaning job. There are a lot of pressure washers out there. Choose the one that has the ability to work seamlessly for a longer time and uses less volume of water on the whole.
The reason I stress on researching before you buy a pressure washer is that some washers may damage the roof or the paint of the RV. A good source is to check the RV manual, it will have listed the type of paint used, the stuff of the roof among other such crucial information.
17.Exterior Area:
Rain and snow can bring down all the sludge and water on the sides of the RV. Due to this, some dirty water may stick to the exterior of the RV. With larger RVs, this problem is more persistent. The dirt water drips down to the sides of the RV. Similar is the case with the rear and front end of the RV. The front and rear bumpers are also vulnerable to such problems. Hence, it is necessary to clean them up holistically. Don’t rush with it. Use a soft mop to first clean the whole area with detergent soap and then wash it off with a pressure washer.
