Tips for Washing a Motorhome

Motorhomes get dirty no matter what! Taking these vehicles camping exposes the exterior to tree sap, dust, mud, and all sorts of other debris, which is simply part of the camping lifestyle. But if you want to avoid leaks, mold, corrosion, and wood rot, you’ll need to wash yours on a regular basis with a careful cleaning strategy.

It’s nice to have a shiny motorhome every time you go camping, so this guide from Victory Custom Trailers will walk you through some of the basic techniques for washing your roof, walls, and even the little details. You can always come into our dealership if you have additional questions, or if you’re still looking for a new camper, we’ve got a great inventory of motorhomes for sale.

Scrubbing the Roof

The roof is probably the most important part of your motorhome when it comes to washing obligations. This is where leaks are most likely to develop, so make sure you’re cleaning your roof on a regular basis. You can set up a ladder and reach with a brush on a telescoping handle to wash roofs on smaller motorhomes. You should use a light detergent for this to avoid damaging the roof. However, make sure the ladder is completely stable before climbing up, and don’t stretch too far outside the support of the ladder.

If you have a bigger motorhome, it’s easier to climb up on the roof and wash it from up there. Wear non-slip shoes or boots when doing this, and be very careful not to lose your footing while up there. You can use the same telescoping handle for this job, and we recommend breaking up the task into small sections at a time. Once you scrub one area, rinse it off before the soap has a chance to dry, then run a squeegee over it to push off excess water.

How to Use a Pressure Washer

For cleaning the sides of your motorhome, you can use a pressure washer, but you need to be careful not to damage the paint or graphics. With a pressure washer, you should hold the nozzle about 12 to 18 inches away from the surface, and keep it moving in a sweeping motion. If you hold it for too long in one place, you’ll risk peeling off the paint, so make sure you’re constantly moving it around. If you find something that won’t come off, like tree sap, don’t try to remove it by spraying longer with the pressure washer. Instead, use a brush to manually get these sticky substances off your walls.

Cleaning the Exterior Walls

If you don’t have a pressure washer, washing the walls with a telescoping brush and light detergent is pretty easy. You can employ the same technique you used when washing the roof: break it up into small sections, scrub, and then rinse before the soap dries. It’s best to start at the top and work down. Then, shift over and wash the next column, repeating this process until you’re finished with the entire side.

Detailing

After cleaning the walls and roof, your last task is to clean all those windows and smaller surfaces. You can polish the rims, but make sure you get the right polishing product depending on what type of metal your rims are made from. It’s not a bad idea to apply sealant conditioner to all the window and roof seals so that you can prevent leaks. Finally, clean windows really enhance the look of a shiny motorhome, so get some automotive window cleaner to make each panel spotless.

Washing a camper might seem like a lot of work, but any time you give your motorhome the care it deserves, it will pay off in the long run. Nobody can argue with the benefits of a nicer-looking vehicle and better resistance to damage, so make sure you wash your rig regularly. And if you’re still in the market, come check out our selection of motorhomes at Victory Custom Trailers in Metamora, MI. We proudly serve all those in Detroit and Flint.