Owning a caravan makes your camping adventure more fun and exciting. Caravan feels more like a home with all the facilities like kitchen, washroom, refrigerator and all the other facilities. Some roads could be rough, not every time you will get properly metalled roads and unfortunately, with each trip, your caravan starts losing its shine and sparkle. The dust deposited on your caravan leaves it looking dull and unattractive. Therefore, cleaning your caravan after every trip is necessary to keep its new look alive.
People find cleaning a tedious job. But deep cleaning helps your caravan to look and smell as good as new. Moreover, regular cleaning of the caravan’s interior also helps maintain its resale value. Above all, knowing the right way to clean your caravan is important. Otherwise, you may invite more problems for you. Therefore, we have gathered some tips for you to clean and wash your caravan carefully.
Prepare the caravan for cleaning
There is not much to do before cleaning or washing your caravan, but make sure that all the windows, doors, and roof hatches are firmly closed to prevent the water from going inside the caravan damaging the interior.
Also, don’t forget to arrange the right gear for caravan cleaning. For example, rather than using the regular sponges and old clothes, get all the essential tools to clean the caravan like soft and extendable brushes, safety ladder, buckets, microfibre cloth, etc. Moreover, don’t forget the cleaning shampoo and polish to give it a high-end finishing and avoid the cleaning products with harsh chemicals.
Follow top to down approach
Start washing the caravan from the top; otherwise, the dirty water will run down on the parts you have already cleaned. When cleaning the upper parts of the caravan, prefer to use a ladder so that you can easily reach the caravan roof. Also, be careful while using the ladder as you may slip from the wet surface.
Another tool you can use is an extendable brusher for the hard-to-reach areas. You can connect the handle of the extendable brush with the hose pipe for constant water flow for efficient cleaning. After washing the roof and walls, clean the alloy wheels underneath the caravan. Then, after covering the caravan, use soft towels to dry it or leave it in the sun for some time.
Avoid using a high-pressure hosepipe
Using a high-pressure hose can damage the caravan seals resulting in water leaks. These water leaks can damage the interior. Moreover, if your caravan is a few years old, the high-pressure water can also wash off the paint, making it look duller and older. Therefore, using a heavy hose pipe means making way for the troubles.
On the other hand, A standard hose with decent water pressure can easily wash all the dirt and grime off the caravan. To ensure extra safety, you can consider using a water diffuser and try to keep the nozzle at a certain distance from the caravan. Besides, avoid spraying water directly on the seals and locks of windows and vents. Failing at the above options, you can use the high-pressure hose when set on the lowest pressure.
Remember to clean the interior
After the exterior cleaning, it is time to clean the inside space. Just like your home, pay full attention to every detail of the inside cleaning. Again, the way you arrange your house items, arrange everything in its right place to avoid the mess so that you can easily find the items you need.
- Clean the kitchen – You may have an oven, microwave, stove, fridge, etc., in the kitchen. First, clean all these equipment thoroughly. For example, take out the plate from the microwave, clean it with a soft cloth. To clean the greasy surface and stove plates, use soapy water. Also, place the dishes in the cabinets freeing up the benches and tables. Finally, defrost the freezer, wipe the fridge shelves with a wet cloth, remove the spills, and prefer a cleaning spray.
- Clean the bathroom – Use a bathroom cleaner to clean the floor, wipe the mirror and clean around the toilet area. You can use a brush to scrub the shower and taps. Also, you can use detergent powder to clean the caravan sink and clear the caravan toilet cassette.
- Cleaning the bedroom area – Remove the bedsheets and hang the quilt, blanket, and pillow covers in the sun and air and flip the mattress. Look underneath the kids’ beds to remove the clutter, if any. Wipe the walls with a damp cloth, especially in the corners, and vacuum the floor. Wash the covers of the cushions. Also, use a duster to clean the caravan fan. A damp newspaper is the best way to clean the windows.
- Clean the drain pipes – The drain pipes can get clogged after a time and get smelly. Therefore, check properly if the pipes need any maintenance or removal.
- Clean the toilet – If your van has a built in caravan toilet, be sure to give it a good clean and ensure it is empty.
Polish the caravan
After a few years of purchase, the paint starts oxidizing in the UV rays, which fade the colour of the paint or deposits an unwanted white layer on the paint. Therefore, polishing is mandatory to correct this dullness of the paint. You can use an applicator to apply the thin layer of the polish on the paint, leave it for 15 -20 minutes, then clear up the polish residues with a microfibre cloth. Polishing the caravan once a year is a perfect way to keep its new look as it has just come out of the showroom.
Don’t forget waxing
After all the cleaning and washing, the final step is waxing to give your caravan a perfect finish. Applying suitable wax on the paint is not for any cleaning purpose but does not allow the dirt to settle on the outer surface. A properly waxed caravan stays shining for a long period. So, to take care of your investment, don’t forget to wax your caravan.
Final words and recommendations
Deep cleaning of the caravan can be a dreaded task, but a clean caravan helps to make you feel better during your trip. You should try to make it a habit to deep clean your caravan after every trip, and it helps to increase the lifespan of the caravan and offers you a healthy and hygienic environment. It’s advisable to invest in a good caravan cover to both protect your caravan from the elements and keep creepy crawlies from getting in.
