As an RV owner, washing your rig might not be your favorite task, but it certainly is an important one to keep up with during the travel season. If you get into the habit of regularly washing your RV after trips, it will always be clean and ready to go the next time you get to head out. Also, keeping it clean helps you get a longer life out of your investment, and that’s something everyone can appreciate. Washing an RV doesn’t need to be complicated, but there are some keys to keep in mind. Read on for some basic tips to help you get great results while saving time for other chores around the house.

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Set the Stage for Success

A big piece of the puzzle when trying to wash your RV successfully is having everything in place before you get started. If you plan and are organized for this task, you’ll find that it goes much easier from start to finish and you will be left with a better outcome. Some things to consider include the following –

• Get the right gear. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on cleaning supplies for your RV, but you do need to have a few key items ready to go. For starters, you need a clean bucket for water, soap, a few different brushes, and a ladder. Consider creating an RV washing “kit” that you can store in a specific spot in your garage to always have ready.
• Find a good spot. It’s important to pick out a good spot on your property to do the washing. If you have an RV carport, you might want to wash your RV right there under the roof of the carport – you’ll get some shade on hot days and the space should be pretty clean. Wherever you decide to do the washing, make sure it is an area that will drain nicely so you won’t wind up standing in a pool of dirty water as the cleaning process moves along.
• Pick the right day. Pay attention to the weather forecast and look for a day that offers mild temperatures, minimal wind, and no rain. Washing an RV – especially a big one like a motorhome – can take some time, and you don’t want to be battling the conditions along the way.

A Simple Process

If there is one key rule to obey when washing an RV, it is this – start at the top and work your way down. Not only is the top the least-convenient part to wash, so it’s nice to get it out of the way at the start, but the water you use is also going to run down the sides of the rig toward the ground. So, by starting at the top, you’ll be able to work your way down and eliminate any streaks that were created along the way.

In addition to starting at the top, remember that you want to clean a wet RV rather than a dry one. So, before you reach for your soapy brush to start scrubbing, spray down the whole RV to wet the exterior. This helps you get better results from your scrubbing efforts.

Dealing with Specific Elements

For most of the exterior surface of your RV, all you need is a soapy brush and some water to get the job done. However, there are a few different elements that you may encounter along the way, and those need to be dealt with properly to avoid trouble. Three big ones include:

• RV roof. Your approach to washing the roof of your RV depends on its composition. If it’s a relatively new RV, the roof is probably fiberglass, in which case it will be simple to clean with the same general techniques you’ve been using around the rest of the rig. However, if you happen to have a rubber roof, seek out a cleaner that has been specifically formulated for that type of surface.
• Don’t forget about your RV’s awning in the cleaning process. Unroll it to expose the full length of the awning and then spray it down with water. It’s probably not very dirty, so that spray might be all you need. If there are spots that need to be scrubbed, do so gently to avoid stretching out the material.
• Keeping your window and door seals in good condition is essential to keep water out as you travel. When you are done with the RV washing process, consider spraying the seals with a product that has been designed to keep them supple. This is a quick task that can save you some major headaches down the line.

Not only is an RV carport a great place to store your rig while protecting it from the elements, but it also makes for a nice spot to do your washing. With some shade from the sun, you can take your time and make sure the RV is fully cleaned before calling it a day.

If you’re ready to protect one of your greatest investments, reach out to American Steel Carports, Inc. to create an affordable, durable metal home for your RV. We look forward to serving you!