How To Keep Your RV’s Exterior In Top Condition

Keeping Your RV’s Exterior In Top Condition

Taking proper care of your recreational vehicle’s (RV) exterior ensures that your motorhome grabs all the attention it should each time you’re out for a drive. Most importantly, this practice of regular RV Maintenance helps you extend the life of this investment. This way, you and your loved ones can enjoy it for as long as possible. But, how do you achieve this? 

Here are five ways to take care of your RV’s exterior:

Clean Your RV After Every Trip

The first step to properly maintaining your RV’s exterior is to clean it after every trip. It’s best to wash it sooner because delaying could cause black streaks to appear. To clean your motorhome’s exterior:

• Start by spraying it with water to get rid of the loose dirt, dust, pollen, road grime, and other unwanted substances.

• Use a sponge and mild soap to clean it from top to bottom.

• Rinse with clean water.

You could also use snow foam to wash your RV. This prewash will help you lift the dust, dirt, and other unwanted materials off the exterior for easy cleaning. Buy from reputable online or brick-and-mortar stores to get high-quality snow foam. 

Consider RV washing services if you have a tight schedule or little time to clean your vehicle after a trip. It may be advisable to avoid businesses that use high water pressure or power washing machines. This could damage your RV’s exterior components, graphics, and surfaces. Those who clean by hand may be more recommendable. 

Check The Sealed Areas Regularly 

You also have to check the sealed areas of your RV regularly. These are the vents, windows, roof, underside edges, endcaps, doors, or moldings. Over time, the sealant might degrade due to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, the elements, or extremely cold temperatures. The damage caused might lead to you finding rodents in the RV or water leakages that can be detrimental to your vehicle. Consider replacing the sealant immediately if you see deterioration signs, voids, cracks, gaps, loosening, or breaks during your inspection.

If you use your RV frequently, it might be good to reseal the mentioned parts several times. If you don’t, twice a year may be recommendable. When carrying out this task, it might be advisable to use the same kind of sealant that’s previously been there. If you’re not sure of the product to use, consult your parts manager, RV dealer, or vehicle manufacturer.

Protect The RV With A Coating

UV rays and the elements could cause your RV’s vinyl to dry out, degrade, or crack, and the vehicle’s painting to fade. Coating your camper with wax or any other protectant will keep your automobile’s exterior in great shape for a long time. 

Before doing so, make sure that your vehicle is clean and dry. Also, ensure that you have the right wax or protectant for your RV’s siding. The best products to use are durable and easy to apply. Also, consider those that can protect your graphics and withstand harsh weather. 

Even with a good coating on your RV’s exterior, it’s best to keep it indoors. If you don’t have a space to store your camper, ensure you keep it covered with breathable, waterproof, and durable anti-UV material. You could also park it under a roof. However, a cover is still necessary to protect your RV from indirect sunlight. 

Always Wash And Dry The Awning Before Storage

Your RV’s awning ensures that you enjoy the most beautiful places at the maximum. When you reach an eye-catching stop, you simply park your motorhome, set your chair and table, and enjoy the view. The awning will keep you cool if temperatures are high, protect you and the RV from harsh sunlight, and shelter you if it rains. 

To continue enjoying the mentioned benefits, it’s essential to properly maintain your awning as a part of your vehicle’s exterior. It’s best to wash it after every trip. Also, before storage, ensure it’s completely dry and keep it in a place that’s not wet. If you live in a location with little or no sunlight, airdrying is necessary. These steps will help prevent mildew and mold from forming on your awning.

If you notice these types of fungus on your awning, soak it with vinegar and then scrub the affected areas with baking soda. If that doesn’t help, consider a commercial antimicrobial or bleach. The sooner you clean mildew and mold, the better. Failure to do so, the fungus will penetrate deeper and could be challenging to get rid of. In this case, you might have to install a new awning.

 Lubricate RV's Necessary Areas

There are parts that experience friction while you’re on the road. These may be the locks, hinges, and any other moving component. After every trip, clean the mentioned parts and lubricate them. This way, you’ll protect them from corrosion and rust. Also, you’ll avoid creaking doors, compartments, and windows. 

It’s also quite essential to lubricate your RV’s slide-out components. These may be the gears, rollers, racks, cables, and any moving part. Before doing so, it’s also best to clean them first. To reach some components or their whole length, you may have to extend or retract the slide-out system.

Ensure you buy a high-quality lubricant for all your RV’s parts. The best types to consider are waterproof, quick to dry, durable, and those that don’t attract dirt or grime. Products that are easy and safe to apply on plastic, rubber, vinyl, or any other surface type are also excellent. When lubricating your RV’s components, use a light coat. Too much of it could become messy, attract dirt, and go to waste.

Conclusion

As you take care of your RV’s interior, it’s also best to do so on the external parts. As you’ve learned from this article, it’s an easy task to carry out independently. 

Some of the things you should do are cleaning your camper after each trip and checking the sealed areas regularly. Also, protect the RV with a coating, wash and dry the awning before storage, and lubricate the necessary areas. These steps will help keep your vehicle as attractive as it should be at all times. Besides that, the above measures could also help ensure that your RV serves you for a long time.