Keeping your rig clean while traveling

[Trynforpar]

I am planning to do a cross country trip this summer and was wondering how I can keep my rig clean. I dont believe that RV parks will allow you to wash your rig so how have others done it.

[TonyDi]

Most RV parks won't allow washing. However, some will allow it, they will charge you to do so $5-$10. I was out west last summer for almost 2 months and stayed at 7 CGs. Two of them let me wash my coach. Check the web sites and see if they will permit it.

[CarlAda]

Get a auto dust mop for light work. Does a pretty good job of keeping things clean. Waterless Wash and microfiber towel works well and doesn't require running water. Then, many of the major parks in larger cities have mobile wash vans that will provide a thorough cleaning service from simple wash to full blown hand waxing. Truck washes are also available along your travels. All have their pluses and minuses.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Trynforpar

I am planning to do a cross country trip this summer and was wondering how I can keep my rig clean. I dont believe that RV parks will allow you to wash your rig so how have others done it.

Trynforpar,
Well, this depends on just how industrious you are and, how much effort you're willing to put out, and, just how clean you want it. If you're the kind that does not mind the effort to actually WASH your coach and dry it off, then, you've got a couple of potential remedies.

1. Call ahead to potential camp grounds you might be staying at and, ask if they let you wash your coach.
A. Some will and some won't. Some, have on site detail companies that will do it for you for normally quite a bit less than companies outside the park.
B. If they do, then you've got it made.

2. We carry a small, 1.2 GPM Karcher pressure washer just for this scenario. What we do in many cases is, find a remote location, maybe a desolate rest stop, ultra large parking lot (possibly a Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, K-Mart etc.) and hook up the pressure washer to the coach output on the water pump, fire up the gen, bring out our fold-up ladder and, go to town on it.

All in all, start to finish, and everything is put away and we're ready to roll, about an hour. We now have a clean rig, no one has EVER HASSLED us anywhere in the above list of potential areas and, we never leave a mess. By using that ultra low gpm pressure washer, the water barely gets a couple of feet away from the coach before it dries up. There is no long streams of water running all over the place making a mess.

And there's always some RV commercial drive in places here and there but, we've never used any. Good luck.
Scott

[Oldkarphart]

Try this....works pretty darn good!!

Aircraft RV Cleaner Waterless Wash Wax Detailing Products Supplies

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by CarlAda

Get a auto dust mop for light work. Does a pretty good job of keeping things clean. Waterless Wash and microfiber towel works well and doesn't require running water. Then, many of the major parks in larger cities have mobile wash vans that will provide a thorough cleaning service from simple wash to full blown hand waxing. Truck washes are also available along your travels. All have their pluses and minuses.

I agree, for the most part, I use my California Car Duster regularly for the light dust. Then I use a waterless car wash product to clean light road scum which covers 90% of my requirements.
If it's really bad, I search out a car wash but that is rare.
I have used various waterless products over the last few years but recently ran across this product that mixes 16:1. It is one of the best waterless products I've used and when mixed works out to about $5.50/gal. One gallon will wash your coach at least 6-8 times. A bundle of Micro Fibre cloths from Costco lasts for about a year, and away you go.
Watch the video on the product and try it out, you will become a believer.

Chemical Guys - EcoSmart - Hyper Concentrated Waterless Car Wash & Wax (1 Gal Makes 8 Gal)

[Pigman1]

I put about 2 tablespoons of powdered Spic-N-Span in a bucket of warm water and use a NATURAL chamois. Wring out tightly, and wipe. Turn and rinse the chamois frequently. I've done 3 Class A's this way and their finish was as beautiful when I sold them as when I bought them new. Never ever had an RV park question me, regardless of their NO WASHING rules.

[Mr_D]

I use Dry Wash N Guard unless the rig is REALLY muddy. Right now the rig has been stored beside the house for over 6 months and all it'll take is a quick cleaning with the DWG. Doesn't even need washing.

[t55watson]

Wash the rig in a campground that doesn't like it? Don't ask, don't tell. I have only had one rv park stop me if I wouldn't pay. All the others ignored me. I consider washing the rig as neighborhood beautification.

[Gordon Dewald]

We have local fellows do the washing and waxing. A wash is 35 and a wash and hand wax is 3 per foot. Really convenient.

[MarkofSJC]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Trynforpar,

2. We carry a small, 1.2 GPM Karcher pressure washer just for this scenario. What we do in many cases is, find a remote location, maybe a desolate rest stop, ultra large parking lot (possibly a Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, K-Mart etc.) and hook up the pressure washer to the coach output on the water pump, fire up the gen, bring out our fold-up ladder and, go to town on it.

All in all, start to finish, and everything is put away and we're ready to roll, about an hour. We now have a clean rig, no one has EVER HASSLED us anywhere in the above list of potential areas and, we never leave a mess. By using that ultra low gpm pressure washer, the water barely gets a couple of feet away from the coach before it dries up. There is no long streams of water running all over the place making a mess.

Scott

You can make this even easier/better! At many auto supply stores you can get a screw on "deionizer" to a hose bib and rinse, which totally eliminates the need to dry, while preventing any spotting ~ even in direct sun! It lasts for quite a few washes and worth it's weight in gold! (How do you think they keep all those UPS Brown trucks looking good every day!)

Just a thought.

[kustom]

thanks for the tips

[morris61]

Cheap pressure washer. 99 bucks. Cleans bugs off the front window less than a minute

[distaff]

We do some ugly winter driving, and it gets filthy. I look for a Blue Beacon at a truck stop when it gets filthy. Other than that, my attitude is that its going to get dirty again, so unless it is pretty bad I leave it.