Washing & Maintaining Your Pop-Up Camper
Your pop-up camper is a compact and convenient way to travel in comfort and style, keeping you off the dirt and sheltering you from bad weather. However, a pop-up camper will only perform well if you keep it maintained and clean it regularly. Pop-up campers can get dirty like any vehicle, but their soft side walls mean that mold and mildew can create a huge problem if left unaddressed. The good news is that there are plenty of tasks you can do to maintain the overall state of your camper.
The Outpost RV in Middlebury is your northern Indiana pop-up camper dealer. As such, we’ve provided you with some tips on washing and maintaining your pop-up camper below to help you get the most out of your towable accommodations!
1. Washing The Exterior
The soft canvas exterior of your pop-up camper needs some attention. You’ll want to treat the canvas with an upholstery protector that is waterproof and stain-repellent. Use a protective spray on the vinyl to keep it clean. You can use a soft-bristle brush to scrub at any tough stains or dirt patches on your canvas exterior and rinse it with water. Make sure the pop-up camper is completely dry before you fold it up and store it!
2. Cleaning Inside
Next, you’ll want to tidy up the interior of your camper. Grease, dirt and debris can all pile up and any moisture will let mildew flourish. Use mild detergents like Woolite to clean the inside of your canvas after every camping season and let the interior dry thoroughly before storing your camper. You’ll also want to wipe down surfaces and remove spills and stains, sweep the floor and remove trash and food waste to prevent pest infestation or odors.
3. Inspect Seams & Seals
Every six months, you’ll want to check the seals and seams on your pop-up camper. A good silicone sealant is easy to apply and will dry better if applied during dry weather. Use sealant on all seams to ensure that they remain watertight and secure.
4. Check Tire Pressure & Condition
The tires of your pop-up camper deserve attention just like the tires on any vehicle. Use a tire-pressure gauge to check each one and air them up with an air compressor to the manufacturer’s recommended psi levels, which will be printed on the sidewall of your tire or in your owner’s manual.
While you’re airing up your tires, inspect them for signs of uneven tread wear, bald patches, cracks in the sidewall or embedded objects in the treads. You’ll want to make sure that you repair or replace any bad tires before your next trip, since riding on bad tires can lead to a disaster.
5. Treat Water Systems
If your pop-up camper has some form of water system, then you’ll want to make sure you take good care of it. Some pop-up campers just have a freshwater line to hook up to a source at a campsite rather than a holding tank, and you can use a sanitizer and a detergent treatment to clean the hose and lines.
To clean: elevate one end of your hose, add 1.5 teaspoons of detergent to the hose along with enough water to fill it. Let the hose sit for an hour before you flush it with clean water. Use the same steps with a sanitizing treatment. If you have a tank, you can use the same products with different amounts of cleaner according to the packaging. Never use bleach!
We hope this guide helps you to keep your pop-up camper maintained. In search of a new camper? Visit our website to see the vast array of new and used pop-up campers and other RVs for sale at our dealership in Middlebury, IN. The Outpost RV also proudly serves our northern neighbors in Kalamazoo, MI.