How to Wash Your Travel Trailer
Dirt on your RV is usually a good indicator that the RV is actually getting used. But if you want to keep your RV in the best condition for the longest time, you'll need to keep it clean. Dirt hangs onto moisture, and together they can create the perfect conditions for mold and mildew to take over. Leaves and debris stuck to your roof can harbor insects and pests, and in some cases it can damage your RV's finishes. Luckily, a little bit of soap, water, and elbow grease will get your RV in great shape in no time. Read on to learn how. And if you find things you need to fix in your RV, don't hesitate to give us a call at The Outpost RV in Middlebury, Indiana.
Washing Fiberglass, Metal, and Enamel
The nice thing about RVs is that they are generally constructed from easy-to-clean materials. For this reason, good old soap and water is perfectly well-suited for cleaning most RVs. All you need to get started is a bucket that mixes mild detergent like dish soap with water. Use a brush with a telescoping handle to apply the mixture to one section at a time. Work in narrow vertical sections starting at the top and working down. Once you get a side halfway completed, rinse it off with the hose and start the next section. Spend a little extra time on the wheels and lower areas that will get covered in dirt easier. When you finish washing everything, use a squeegee to wipe off the water and use a towel to dry any areas where a squeegee won't help.
Pressure Washing
The soap and water method is a great way to wash most surfaces, but if you'd rather not send soap into your nearest watershed, a pressure washer works great without the environmental consequences. Simply direct the nozzle at the area you want to clean, starting at the top and keeping the nozzle about 18 inches away from the surface, and sweep back and forth until you work your way to the bottom. Sections should only be a few feet wide so that you can work within a manageable area. Keep in mind the pressure washer uses so much pressure that it could actually strip graphics or loose paint from your RV, so it might not be the best choice for some older models.
Roof Care
The roof is usually a good place to start when washing your RV. Since water flows down, starting on your roof allows you to wash the whole RV without rewashing any given area. Make sure you wear a pair of high-traction rubber soled shoes such as boat or deck shoes so that you won't slip while you're top. Roofs on contemporary RVs are generally constructed of either fiberglass, rubber, or in the case of some specialty RVs, metal. Make sure to focus on any area with extra dirt or debris. When you're about halfway done, make sure to rinse all the soap and dirt off with your hose so that the soap and dirt doesn't dry on it while you try to wash the rest of the roof. Repeat this process until you have the whole roof clean.
Detailing Your RV
Once you get all the dirt, sap, and grime cleaned off your RV, you'll want to do some detailing to make all the features pop. A little bit of liquid wax is easy to apply and makes the paint shine. First, take a large, damp sponge and pour on a little bit of liquid wax. Apply the wax in large circles, not applying too much in any given spot. If you do it correctly, you should be left with a dull film on your RV. Once you've reached this finish, take a dry rag and start buffing off the wax. This might take a little bit of effort, but it shouldn't be quite as physical of a task as buffing paste wax.
After waxing, turn to the wheels and windows. If you have chrome wheels, use a chrome-specific polish. If you have enamel-coated or painted wheels, no specific polish is necessary. While you're working on wheels, a little bit of tire shine can make your wheels look great. Windows can be polished using window cleaner. Newsprint makes for a great, lint-free cleaning material for windows, but if you have a squeegee, that will work even better.
Washing your RV may take a moment of your time, but it's well worth it in the end. Plus, you'll get to enjoy an RV that looks like new! If you need any extra parts or services for your RV, don't hesitate to stop by The Outpost RV in Middlebury, Indiana. We proudly serve the areas of Goshen, Elkhart, South Bend, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.