Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by Jessica Lauren Vine
So, you own an RV.
It’s taken you on some amazing trips to different locations acting as your home on the road, so you feel comfortable wherever you go.
Or maybe you live in your rig full-time and it’s your residence year-round. Whichever category you fall under, it’s important to note that with great adventures comes great responsibility and at some point, you’ll need to give the outside of your RV a decent scrub after it’s collected all different types of dirt and sometimes even mold on the outside of it while traveling.
Depending on the size of your RV, it could take you anywhere from an hour to three hours to wash your RV. If you plan on waxing your RV (if yours needs it), that is where it really takes the time.
When picking out a type of method you want to use to go about washing your RV, you should know there are many different options on the market from chemicals at the store made specifically for cleaning these rigs, and then there are more natural options like a vinegar and baking soap mix.
You can even use dish soap!
Some folks take their rig to a large car wash to scrub it down and that’s a good option too if you’re on the road and in a pinch.
The first items on the list are a bucket of sorts and a sponge, I believe a washing sponge on some sort of extender could work best in this situation, so you won’t have to climb up on your RV via Ladder for every single inch needing to be scrubbed.
If you want to clean your RV instead of using a service, this is a good kit to have.
- 2 in 1 design
- Easy to use kit
- Durable mit
- Plastic isn't very sturdy
You can find all these items in any store or online. Dawn dish soap appears to be the best bet for all your cleaning needs. It’s environmentally friendly as well, meaning, it’s safe once it’s rinsed off and onto the ground.
- Refreshing Rain Scent
- 54.9 fl oz
- Pack of 2
You’ll need to mix 2 cups of the soap with hot water in a large bucket. If you have hard mold on the RV, you should have a more tough scrub brush to remove that. Once you’ve got your items needed – including the extendable sponge brush, a bucket, dawn dish soap, water, a broom, and possibly a squeegee, you can get started!
When you’re washing your rig, you should always start from the roof and work your way down.
You’ll need to remove any debris that’s left behind in the slides from trees.
Once you’ve cleaned all of that out, usually with a broom and leaf blower (although the leaf blower isn’t necessary, it’ll just make things quicker) you can start to scrub the roof.
Make sure to be gentle around your AC units and fans.
If you have solar panels mounted to the roof don’t wash them with this water/soap solution as it could leave residue depleting how many watts you’ll pull into your system.
Use vinegar instead of dish soap for those!
Windex can also be used on your solar panels. Washing your windows is just as simple as the rest of the outside other than using a squeegee to remove the water, so there aren’t any water streaks left behind.
Washing your RV doesn’t have to be as stressful of a task as some make it seem, and there’s limited information about how to do it and what to use. If you break it down, it’s just like washing your car or even your house. It’s simple and easy in general. It’ll take some extra time and effort, but it’s well worth it to have a nice and clean RV that feels brand new!
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