Washing your RV is one of those tasks you probably wish you got around to more frequently. There is a certain pride that comes with driving down the road in a freshly-washed RV, and you’ll also be helping to maintain the condition of your rig for the long run when you keep it clean. To help make it more likely that you’ll keep up with this chore, and to help you get great results, this article is going to provide advice on making your own RV wash cleaner.
Beyond regular washing, another good way to protect your rig’s condition is by parking it under a cover. An RV carport from American Carports, Inc. makes for a great home for your recreational vehicle, and these structures are surprisingly affordable. See what’s possible today by using our free Build & Price tool or by reaching out to us for more information. We are here to serve you!
Different Cleaners for Different Jobs
To get started on this process, it’s important to note that you’ll probably want to make a few different types of cleaners to bring back the shine to your RV. This is necessary for one specific reason – the exterior of your RV features a variety of different materials. It’s hard to get ideal results if you try to use just a single cleaner for the whole RV since you’ll be going over so many different surfaces along the way.
If you decide to mix up some different cleaning solutions, then organization is going to be critical. You won’t want to get these things confused, so it’s important to mark your bottles or containers so you can always reach for the right one for the right job. Even if you are using all of the cleaning solutions on the same day, it’s still worth marking a container for each. Then, you won’t run the risk of getting mixed up, and you can use those same containers over and over for future projects.
General Cleaner
For most of the outside of your RV, and even some of the inside, you can use a general cleaner that will help to remove dirt and debris with ease. While you can experiment with the proportions to get something that works well for you, start by trying a mix of 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. This is a good basic mixture, and you can then add a bit of baking soda for added cleaning power and something to bring a nice scent to the party.
For example, you might decide to start with six cups of water and two cups of white vinegar, which would perfectly match our ratio. Then, you could three or four tablespoons of baking soda, and maybe a little bit of citrus or essential oil that has an appealing smell. The inclusion of vinegar in this formula is the key, as it will work effectively to knock out mildew and even mold if it has begun to grow in certain areas. Just wet the RV, wipe it down with this solution, and spray it off again with fresh water.
Specialty Cleaning Solutions
Once you have mixed up your general cleaner, you might also want to get out a couple of other jars to make some solutions that will address other areas of the rig. Here are two ideas that will come in handy for most RV owners –
- Cleaner for a rubber roof. If your RV has a rubber roof, getting that surface clean is important and will require a good plan. For this cleaning solution, you can keep things simple and mix water and dish soap in a bucket. If you have it available, add a tablespoon or two of mineral spirits to improve your results. Of course, you should always be careful when washing the roof of your RV, so don’t hurry through the process and get help if you feel uncomfortable with any part of the job.
- Glass cleaner. Not only will getting the glass on your RV clean help it look great out on the road, but it will also improve your experience when looking out from the inside. Again here, we are going to turn to vinegar for its cleaning power, mixing it with warm water, rubbing alcohol, and a bit of cornstarch. For proportions, try 8 parts water to 1 part vinegar and 1 part rubbing alcohol, with just a small scoop of cornstarch added to bring everything together.
Keep Your RV Looking Its Best
Sure, making your own homemade RV wash cleaner won’t do the work of washing the RV for you, but it will help you get excellent results whenever the chance arrives to complete this task. And, by keeping your RV under a carport, you will be able to maintain the results of your wash for longer than if you left it parked out in the elements.
Get started on a carport project today by exploring our free Build & Price tool!
