Motorhome and Caravan Cleaning Guide – prepare for the season
Has your motorhome stood untouched in the garage all winter? Our outside in a parking lot? Now that it’s time to get the wheels rolling again, it’s always a good idea to check the equipment, clean the exterior and interior, and check the tyres and other important safety details before you hit the road.
Cleaning the motorhome/caravan exterior
Many motorhome and caravan owners place great importance on a shiny clean exterior. Give your motorhome or caravan the best conditions for a long season by thoroughly cleaning your vehicle before embarking on a long road trip.
Where can I clean my motorhome or caravan?
The most efficient place to wash your motorhome or caravan at a cleaning facility that is specially equipped for motorhomes and caravans. There you will find the right equipment and the right conditions to get your vehicle shiny clean.
How do I clean my motorhome or caravan?
Cleaning your motorhome/caravan exterior and interior can be done before the season. It’s always a good idea to start washing the exterior of the vehicle from top to bottom, for the simple reason that the dirt runs downwards.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning your vehicle. Use a soft jet of water and clean as gently as possible.
-
Start by cleaning the roof
A lot of dirt can accumulate on the roof of your vehicle, and therefore needs to be cleaned at regular intervals. As a rule, you should never climb up on the roof. Instead, you should use a ladder alongside the motorhome/caravan. Use a cleaner that dissolves dirt, then rinse off with a soft jet of water. Use an alkaline degreaser to dissolve organic pollutants such as moss, bird droppings, dust, etc.
-
Clean and polish
Once the roof is cleaned, it’s time to wash the rest of the vehicle. If there’s organic dirt on your vehicle, you should first use an alkaline degreaser, which dissolves organic pollutants. However, if you there are spots from tar/asphalt or oil-based contaminants on your vehicle, you also need to use a cold degreaser to dissolve these. Don’t forget to rinse off thoroughly afterwards.
When you are done with degreasing, it’s time to apply a motorhome/caravan shampoo using a high-pressure washer, soft brush, or sponge. Make sure to rinse everything off thoroughly as the degreasing may affect strips and adhesives.
Once your vehicle is clean, the next step is to get a shiny finish. If the surface of the vehicle has become dull, first use a polish, which will remove any oxide. Follow the product instructions.
After polishing, you should protect the paintwork with a wax, which protects from the harmful rays of the sun and leaves a beautiful shine. Both polish and wax can be applied manually or with polishing machines.
Check out our range of machines for car care
-
Clean the windows
Dirty windows and windscreens are a direct traffic hazard, and it’s therefore important that they are cleaned properly. Allow the cleaning agent to work for a while if any dirt or insects don’t come off the windows immediately. Use window cleaner to also clean the windows and windscreens on the inside.
Did you know that if the plastic windows are very hazy, you can also use polish to remove the oxide layer that causes this?
-
Clean awnings and canopies
Don’t forget to also clean awnings, canopies or other thick fabrics. It is sometimes sufficient to rinse them off with clean water, but for more stubborn dirt it can be helpful to use special cleaning agents. Use a soft brush to remove stubborn dirt. Once you have cleaned the fabrics, it may also be a good idea to treat them in order to strengthen their water repellency. Always allow the fabrics to dry completely before folding or storing them.
Clean the tyres
It’s also important that you check and clean the tyres before the season. Check the air pressure, tread depth, and general condition of the tyres before they start rolling on the roads. Then clean the tyres as well as the rims and mudguards. To clean the tyres, you can use rim cleaner and rim brushes. Wash one tyre at a time so that the cleaning agent does not have time to become dry. Finish by using tyre polish to protect the tyre and to get a nice black tyre.
Clean the interior
It’s not just the outside that can benefit from a proper cleaning before you hit the road. It’s just as important (and pleasant) to give the interior a proper cleaning as well. Start by vacuuming and dusting everywhere, and take the opportunity to air out the vehicle at the same time.
Clean the kitchen
For many, the kitchen is a sacred place, and you want to keep it clean and tidy. Wipe down the stove, drawers, and surfaces with a damp cloth and suitable cleaner. In our range you will find everything from natural cleaning agents such as soft soap to highly effective heavy-duty cleaners for the tougher stains. If you have an oven or grill in your motorhome, it can be beneficial to clean this as well.
Clean the upholstery
Depending on whether you have fabric or leather upholstery in your motorhome or caravan, it needs to be cleaned in different ways. Fabric upholstery can be vacuumed, and you can use fabric cleaner on tougher stains.
For leather upholstery, it’s usually sufficient to wipe it down with a cloth and water. But if there are stubborn stains or you want to give your leather upholstery more care and love, you can treat it with leather soap and leather balm, along with a leather brush.
Always read the care instructions for the upholstery before you start cleaning!