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Scott
Trip Date 03/18/2018 Posted On 09/19/2018 17:36:02 |
Camping | RV | Setup | National Parks | Traveling in an RV | Living in an RV | Tips for Keeping Dirt Outside your RV | Keeping Water Outside your RV
If you really want to enjoy your RV camping experience, you will want to keep the inside of your RV clean and dry. That sounds easy, but when you're traveling to different parks to explore the country, you will find that the country is sometimes dusty, dirty, wet or windy. The scenic views are wonderful, but having a Niagara Falls like event inside your RV is bad news!
There are several key steps you can take to keep your RV clean and dry on the inside so that you can enjoy your experience. As you go in and out of your RV you will be tracking dirt and dust along with you. What can you do about it? The best solution is to have multi-layer security - just like at the airport. You'll need several layers to help keep the dirt outside ... or at least not past the door.
I hope this posting gives you some ideas of how to improve your experience. Your grandmother will be proud!
The Floor Mat
I've researched what kind of floor mat works best for RVing and found that a rubber welcome mat that you can hose off easily is a great choice. Welcome mats with rubber studs, an important feature, allow you to easily brush the little sand and gravel stones out of your shoes. When you break camp, you can shake it (maybe rinse it), and place it in the storage cabin so that it is ready for your next stop.
The Patio Carpet
A patio carpet might be another good addition. We don't have one, but I see many people in the campgrounds with them. They are placed outside the RV door and cover a larger area where the occupants usually also setup a friendly rest area under their awnings with a table, chairs and maybe even a fan. The great advantage of this is that it keeps the dust down and away from the doorway.
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Step Covers
You will likely be going in and out of your RV a lot. Many times you may not be totally setup, so it is great to have step covers on your RV steps. Not only do they add extra traction so that you don't slip on a rainy day, but they provide more opportunities for you to knock the dirt off of your shoes. One of the best features of step covers is that you only have to install them once. They stay mounted providing long term protection.
Entry Area Carpet
The entry area carpet is placed where you first step foot in your RV. If your step covers happen to be wet, this is your one and only opportunity to avoid tracking water throughout your RV. You may want to take off your shoes here, however if you are busy loading or unloading, you may not have time for shoe removal. The entry area carpet is a great place to catch even more stuff from the outside, so you don't track it into the main area of your RV.
Whisk Broom By the Door
We keep a small whisk broom by the door that we have attached to the wall with Command Strips (like velcro). Our broom is easily reached from the doorway (and even from outside of the RV) allowing us to quickly clean off the steps and entry area.
Full-size Broom
Sometimes a full-size broom is needed. You know the drill!
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Vacuum
While the broom is great, I love our AC (Alternating Current) vacuum. It is small, like a handi-vac, but it has more power. The power cord is long enough to reach the entire RV if I plug it in a central location.
Avoiding and Finding Leaks
Aside from keeping your RV clean of dirt, sometimes the bigger issue is keeping it dry. Your RV is your refuge from the elements - you don't want them inside. Leaks will lead to musty smells and mold because the RV isn't air conditioned all of the time. It often gets warm and humid in an RV.
Inspecting your windows to make sure they are closed correctly and not leaking is an important routine. Check the gaskets around your windows. Some windows may have a little water after a heavy rain, but there are weep holes to let the water drain and evaporate. Also, inspecting other openings in the roof such as the vents, skylights and air conditioner openings will help you realize (sooner rather than later) when you might have a problem developing.
Other insidious places where leaks occur are under the sinks and inside the cabinet where the water pump is located. Many times the water pump is inside a cabinet with no doors. (This seems like a bad design to me.) Shortly after purchasing our RV, we noticed water leaking on the floor near our kitchen sink. We finally discovered that the water was coming from hoses connected (but not properly tightened) to the water pump. Since our water pump is behind a panel that is screwed shut, it took some investigation and a little bit of labor to diagnose the problem. Unfortunately there are many places in your RV that are difficult to reach, so you have to watch closely to know if something bad is happening.
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Avoiding Mold
If you notice any moisture in your RV, in addition to drying it and trying to fix the source, spraying some Lysol in the area is a good idea. Not just up in the air for smells, but on the surfaces where some mold might be growing. If there is any sign of mold, you'll want to kill it fast.
Periodically ventilating your RV is a good idea to get old stale air out and fresh dry air in. Ceiling fans are helpful for this, particularly if you have upgraded your fans to good ventilation fans, like the Fan-Tastic Fan.
Inspecting Your Roof
At least seasonally, but anytime you suspect a potential issue, you should inspect the roof of your RV for scratches from limbs. This is not always easy, but if your RV has a roof ladder it is definitely more convenient. Many RV roofs are domed, which is great for headroom inside among other things, but can make walking on the roof a bit tricky. It seems so obvious, but a little moisture such as morning dew, can make the RV roof very slippery. I usually carry a couple of bath size towels with me so that I can first dry the roof. A little extra laundry is definitely worth it for a safe roof walk!
Take a good look to see if there are any scratches. Also inspect the sealant around the perimeter of the various openings in your roof such as the vents, AC units and skylights. The sealant may need to be replaced or sealed again with Eternabond tape. This Eternabond tape is great for sealing areas with scratches, holes, cracks or other issues.
What's that Smell?
From time to time, you might have a funky smell in the bathroom. Why? You won't always know! But seriously, we use a can of Wizard air freshner frequently to quickly squelch any funky smells.
Take a few minutes now and get any items that you need for your next RV trip that you will probably forget when shopping at your local store.
Finding The Products
Reminder: This Wordy Explorers post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for reading!You can easily find these items on Amazon and even get home delivery:
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