Washing your RV at home can save you a lot of money and is easier to do than you think!

An RV wash and wax could cost you a hundred dollars or more.   And while I'm willing to pay for some maintenance, there are just some things that we can and will do at home.  Right now, there is no better time to do things yourself.  I mean, where else do you have to go?  So, take your time and do the job right while you can and save some money too!  Today I'm sharing three easy things you can do now that will pay off big time over the life of your RV.

RV Maintenance - Wash and Wax at Home plus more tips!

Who does your RV maintenance?  There are quite a few things that you can do with a minimal skill set.  I think that these are the simple tasks that just train you to be a better and more responsible RV owner overall.  We have stepped up to the plate during the current COVID-19 pandemic.  And these tasks can be done by you whether you are sheltering in place or not.  So roll up your sleeves and settle in for an afternoon of RV maintenance DIY style.

A long-handled brush makes this job much easier!

Wash and Wax Your RV

It is a good idea to give your RV a scrub at least annually.  But, I would recommend doing this at least twice a year.  By now, you probably already know that RV specific products are really important to us.  We started out using Camco Wash and Wax with our pop up camper.  We are still using this product with our travel trailer. 

We have been using this Camco RV Wash and Wax since we owned our pop up camper.  

With the pop-up, we could easily hand wash with little effort.  I had a soft-bristle drill attachment brush that I used to get a good scrub.  But, if you own a larger travel trailer, you are going to need a long-handled brush.  I found this brush from Camco that attaches to the hose.  You can turn off the water flow with the touch of a button to scrub.  Turn on the water flow to rinse.  It really makes this job go quickly! 

Thetford Rubber Roof Cleaner and Conditioner works well to treat and clean your RV roof!

But, before you start washing the sides, you need to wash and treat your roof.  Thetford makes a Roof Cleaner and Conditioner.  My husband sprayed in sections and scrubbed with the long-handled brush and rinsed it all clean.  

All of this effort is worth it and will protect your RV exterior.  We were able to do the roof and sides in about an hour and a half.  I thought that this was well worth the time, and it was not a terrible job.  Since we both pitched in, this went quick.  

Rubber Seals and Slides

Don't neglect the rubber seals and slides on the exterior of your RV.  Once everything is clean and dry, spray lubricant onto the slides.  This is a quick task, and we keep a can in our RV pass-through storage.

Don't neglect your rubber seals and RV slide.  These products from Thetford keep everything in tip-top shape!

While you are at it spray the rubber seals around the exterior of your RV with rubber seal conditioner.  This is a task that will keep your seals from drying out and cracking over time due to sun exposure and damage.  Complete this task a couple of times a year to keep everything fresh.

Plumbing Lubricant

This may be one of the most overlooked RV maintenance tasks.  But, you can treat both the toilet seals and the drains with specific lubricants to ensure that everything is sealing and flowing properly.  Toilet seal lubricant is added to the toilet and allowed to sit overnight.  Once you flush, you are done.  This process helps to ensure that your toilet is sealing off properly between flushes.  It keeps odors and waste where they belong - down below!

Toilet seal lubricant can be used to keep your seal from remaining tight over time!

Drain lubricant should be added right after you dump your tanks.  You will add 1/5 of a bottle to each tank.  This includes your black tank.  Completing this process will ensure that everything flows as it should through your tanks when dumping.  It's a preventative treatment.

Keep your drains working as they should and from getting stuck with drain valve lubricant.

You can purchase everything you need to complete these tasks for around $75 yourself.  This is less than the cost of a professional wash and wax at a shop.  And you will be able to complete these tasks more than once with these supplies.  Pick a sunny afternoon and get started.  Over time these tasks will become second nature and just part of the process.

If you complete some of your annual RV maintenance, I'd love to hear from you.  We have learned to do many things ourselves.  It has saved us money and helped us to be independent RV owners.  I do still think there are tasks that should be left to a certified RV technician.  We use a healthy balance of both.

Until next time...

Happy Camping, Grace

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