Spring is upon us so that means it's time to roll out your RV and get it ready for camping! Just like your house, over the winter your RV will collect dust and get pretty stuffy so you're going to want to air it out and freshen it up. That's right, we're talking about spring-cleaning of your RV after you de-winterize it. Once you get this done you'll feel much better about your upcoming trip and the environment you and your family will be in.Inside
Once you get inside the RV you'll probably notice it has a bit of a musty or dank smell to it. This can happen from no airflow and sitting all winter. While you clean the inside of the RV, open up all the windows and doors to get some fresh air in and the smells out! Next look around for any pests such as insects or mice and deal with them before you even get started. Now it's time to get down and dirty and get everything sparkling clean! The following list will help keep you on task and make sure you hit all the areas.
General Areas
✔︎ Vacuum/shampoo carpets ✔︎ Mop hard floors ✔︎ Wash windows ✔︎ Vacuum and febreeze furniture ✔︎ Wipe all hard furniture
Bedroom/Bunkhouse
✔︎ Wash Bedding ✔︎ Febreeze Mattresses ✔︎ Wipe down dressers/nightstands
Kitchen
✔︎ Wash dishes ✔︎ Wash towels/dishcloths ✔︎ Wipe cabinets inside & out ✔︎ Clean and sanitize fridge with bleach ✔︎ Clean inside and out of oven
Bathrooms
✔︎ Wash linens & shower curtain ✔︎ Scrub shower/tub ✔︎ Wipe sink ✔︎ Wipe cabinets /drawers inside and out ✔︎ Clean mirrors ✔︎ Clean toilet
Outside
Next you're on to the outside. Make sure you close your windows back up before you get started so you don't end up soaking the inside. When you start cleaning and inspecting the outside keep in mind that there are great tools out there that will make washing your rig tons easier so you may want to pick them up if you don't already have them. Here's an exterior list that will help make sure you hit all the spots you need to in order to make your RV shiny and look new again!
Exterior
✔︎ Clean holding tanks at a sanitation station ✔︎ Clean out the waterlines ✔︎ Test exterior equipment (awning, slide-outs, antenna, generators, etc.) ✔︎ Wash the outside with RV cleaner ✔︎ Remove black streaks ✔︎ Condition slide-out seals ✔︎ Check and replace fuses
Spring cleaning may not be the most fun task but it will make your RV bright and smell great. Put on a great playlist of some upbeat music to get you moving and it will make the task much less daunting. If you have kids get them involved. Make it a game for them and give them points for each task they complete. They will be less likely to fight you on it if it's entertaining to them.
Click here for a downloadable version of the checklist!
