Although it may seem hard to believe, spring will arrive in Canada before you know it. With spring comes many more opportunities to travel in your RV, something you have probably been looking forward to since winter started. As excited as you might be about hitting the open road and exploring other provinces, it’s essential to dedicate some time to RV spring cleaning before you leave your neighbourhood.
The First Rule of RV Spring Cleaning Tips: Gather Your Supplies
You need the right tools for RV spring cleaning if you’re going to do an excellent job at it. Once you have started cleaning your RV, nothing is more aggravating than having to stop to find certain cleaning supplies. While you may not need everything from the list below, having too many cleaning tools is better than not having enough. Here’s what we recommend:
- Bucket for warm water
- Clorox wipes
- Exterior and interior cleaning solutions
- Garden hose
- Microfibre cloths
- Paper towels
- Power washing tools if you plan to do deep cleaning
- Q-tips
- Steamer or mop
- A vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment or a handheld vacuum cleaner
Now that you have all the necessary cleaning supplies, you can start cleaning your RV.
Sanitize Your RV Water System and Fresh Water Tanks
This should be one of the first RV spring cleaning tips you follow since you don’t want to be stuck somewhere in the great outdoors without fresh water and clean tanks. The water should be clean enough to use when cooking and showering. You also want your water to be drinkable if you don’t bring bottled water from home. If you have never cleaned and sanitized your RV’s tanks and water system, follow the tips here.
RV Spring Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen
Start cleaning your RV’s kitchen by wiping the inside and outside of all cabinets and countertops. Before you start, ensure everything is out of the cabinets and off the countertops. You can put items back in their place once you’re sure that the cabinets and countertops have dried completely. To help declutter your living space in the RV, bring anything back to the house you haven’t used on the last three camping trips.
The next task for your RV kitchen is wiping and sanitizing the refrigerator. The best way to avoid having your RV refrigerator take on a musty odour is to take everything out of it at least a few times a year and discard expired items that no one ever uses. Use Clorox wipes to ensure that your refrigerator’s entire inside and outside are germ-free.
You Can’t Avoid Cleaning the Bathroom
While it may not be the most pleasant RV spring cleaning task, don’t overlook scrubbing the toilet bowl and wiping down the outside of it with Clorox wipes. The sink and countertops should be next on your list for a good wipe-down and cleaning. Lastly, give the shower walls and floor a good scrubbing. Your shower curtain may have developed mould, mildew, rips, or tears over the winter, so check its condition.
Use Microfibre Cloths to Clean the Interior of Your RV
The areas where people sleep and congregate should not need as thorough of a cleaning job as the bathroom and kitchen. You can start the process by spraying furniture polish on dusty areas and wiping it off with a microfibre cloth. Microfibre cloths are ideal for this type of cleaning because they don’t leave scratches behind as other types of cleaning cloths can.
Be sure to dust every surface, sweep the floor, and vacuum it if your RV has carpet. If you have a tile floor, mop it after sweeping. Don’t forget to clean the windows and remove any cobwebs that showed up over the long winter months. Light fixtures also need attention, so grab your microfibre cloth and cleaning solution and wipe it over every institution.
Vents and Ceiling Fans
These RV necessities often become dust-covered because people must remember to clean them. Wiping the ceiling fan with a soft cloth is usually sufficient. For vents, you may need to use a handheld vacuum or a vacuum attachment to remove dust from their covers.
These six RV spring cleaning tips, should give you a good start. If you need extra motivation to tackle the job, picture yourself driving or riding in a clean, fresh-looking, and smelling RV. Just don’t forget to clean the exterior too.
Before leaving for your next adventure, ensure you have the right coverage. Our Wayfarer Insurance brokers can help you review your RV insurance policy or provide a free quote.