Cleaning outside of coach while on the road??

[Igeaux]

Hammond, Odessa and Barstow.

All did a good job and none hurt the paint.

The Blue Beacon in Odessa washed the Toad at no extra charge. Both the the RV & Toad were covered with that West Texas red dust.

[dizcom]

When we're out it's Wash Wax All and Blue Beacon if it's needed. Otherwise, we hit Blue Beacon on the way back to the barn and use the Wash Wax All in the driveway. Once or twice a year I go over the whole thing with a foam cannon and whatever the latest fad in waxes is. If we were full timing, I would do the same and either find a way to do it myself or just pay a contractor once a year to give it a good going over. About what we do for the bricks and sticks.

[Triangle Drifter]

It has been a mixed bag for washing. Some flat out NO. Some no, but since you are here for awhile go ahead. Some OK, but do it between the time that the leavers are gone & the days arrivals start to come in. Being friendly with the staff goes a long way.

Ask nicely. Ya gotta ask nicely.

[pete5016]

Originally Posted by BillJinOR

I use Wash wax all from Aero Cosmetics a quality waterless wash and wax combined.
I bought the full kit including the extension pole with changeable special microfiber heads. Uses no water from a hose which is what campgrounds with no wash rules don’t want you doing. Nobody said you can’t clean, they just don’t want you running water all over the place!
5 years in nice rv resorts and plain campgrounds I’ve never had an issue or anyone stop me. In fact I get questions on “where I can get it” and when can you do mine?

+1 - We also use Wash & Wax All for Aero Cosmetics. We buy it in a gallon jug from Amazon and it works great.

[DanaDurango]

There were two methods we used to clean the coach when we were not flush with cash, of course if we wanted to splurge we just hired whichever detailer the campground folks liked!
The first method was my favorite...wait until it rains! When we were in the Panhandle once, I would grab a long pole as it rained...and a scrub brush and just get outside in the rain (no, not in January!). I still remember when the owner of the campground in the panhandle drove by in the golf cart, and said "I can't say anything bad" (the cg had rules prohibiting rig washing).

Our second method was when we still liked Disney, and couldn't wait to get to Fort Wilderness. Driving from Colorado, we had quite the dirty rig...and out of respect (at the time) who would want to travel "to the Mouse" with a garbage looking RV? So, since we always used biodegradable soaps in the rig, we would stop off at one of the plentiful Rest Areas north of Disney World, and open up the gray tank into a bucket. Using the long handle and brush, we would wash off the grime, and then attach the hose and nozzle that we always carried to the outside hose bib in the plumbing bay to rinse her off with fresh tank water. A Florida State Trooper came by once and said almost the same thing we had heard in the Panhandle..."I can't say a thing bad about what you are doing...have a great day!".
Thanks for the question, it elicited a trip down memory lane!

[Firewrench]

Wife and I washed the rig the other day at a small truck stop using our own water. Empty parking stalls on either side. Yeah the pressure wasn’t great, but it worked in a pinch. I like Wash Wax All too, but there was just too much desert dust, needed water to flood it off.
Recently bought a portable water softener, so I filled the tank with water through the softener. For it being Arizona water, the water spots were not that bad.
We used a little over a half tank of water(70gal tank) and about 6 yellow microfiber towels wiping down. I got the ladder out since we had time to kill.
We are in the Parker/Quartzsite/Havasu area, I have not found a spray-it-yourself car wash with either a tall bay or an outside bay.
Anybody?

[09 harley]

I’ll check with my dear wife. She usually takes care of this when I go to the pool hall. Waxing is done while I’m at the library. I think she is a Meguiars girl. We have that in common. I’ve never understood the several wine glasses on the table when I get back. The little woman is sure tired after all that effort. She’s always asking how my score was at the pool hall and recommending I get more practice.
Anybody have any ideas on how I lucked out to have such a great wife ?

[JimDross]

I look like the village Idiot , when on the road in a No Wash RV Resort, during a rain event I put on my rain gear and wash my Bus (Prevost) and let Mother Nature rinse it. This method has worked for me for years. Since I ceramic coated it I also on Heavy Dew mornings just rinse it off then use a spray on detailer with Micro Fiber towels to spiff it up. When I get home it gets a real bath and wheel polish.

[Dutch Star Don]

I use a variety of methods. If a park allows, I will wash it myself with a small electric pressure washer. If washing isn't allowed, they really can't fault you for washing your windshield, which is a safety issue. I always make the windshield wash extend around to the edge of both of my front slides.

I also use Wash, Wax All to clean when the park prohibits washing. I have a cheap Harbor Freight mechanics rolling stool that a use to roll down the side of the coach and wash with the WWA to the body line above the bay doors, typically the area that gets the dirtiest.

On occasion, I will hire a local detailer if they're reasonable.

Lastly, there have been a few occasions when it's raining, that I will go out and soap down the coach during the rain.

Once everything is clean, the toad gets a wash at a local car wash.

[D1maines]

I plumbed a tap into my water system and use a hose to wash at parking or rest areas

[jeddpearl]

We have also used BB although not often. We have never had an issue when we used them and they did a fairly good job.

When parked at a particular campground in Dade City, FL., they do allow mobile service detailers to come in and I usually get a good hand wash and wax for around $400. I can't remember the name of the detailer but I want to say Detail Express. They operate all around FL.

[NeilV]

Sponge mop and a bucket when its bad and a swifter on a pole when its just a touch-up. I use a modest amount of no-rinse cleaner with the mop.

Doesn't use a lot of water, make noise or leave any puddles of mud or soapy water behind. A 2 or 3 gallon bucket of water is usually all it takes when using the mop. If its really dirty I will use two buckets, one with cleaner in it and the other just plain water for rinsing plus I wring the mop in the bucket and don't flood the area I'm washing so it drains off the coach onto the ground. I empty the buckets down the sanitary sewer drain and not out on the ground, roadway or in a storm drain.


If my coach had an expensive paint job then it would be one of the new fancy waterless cleaners.

[Comanche59]

I have encountered a few RV parks across the country that actually have an RV wash station on premises. The equipment will usually allow you to wash the top without climbing. These facilities are usually available by contacting the office and pre-paying. The mobile, self contained wash services over charge and do not do a good job in most cases.

[amosnandy]

I drive to Mexico, where for $1,000 pesos they will wash and wax, including the roof and windows, for another $250 pesos Mom comes along and cleans the inside. She about went crazy the first time I showed her how to run the central vacuum cleaner. I get a big hug since she doesn't have to drag her big heavy unit with all the attachments out of her car.

But I have used truck washes without a problem, except for the occasional water in the Refrigerator compartment that trips the high temp safety. I got the one in Wilcox AZ trained not to spray water in there now.