How Often Do You Wash Your Rv?

I feel guilty because mine doesn't get washed often, mainly because I can't decide whether to wash it before we go on a trip or after we get back. Our neighbor across the street washes his travel trailer about once a month it seems but I haven't detected a pattern of before/after.

We have a Roadtrek van and it is used as a 2nd car so it doesn't sit under covers ever, it's on the road frequently. And we live in Florida (no road salt or slush), it's mostly white and doesn't show much dirt (maybe I say that to justify not washing).

It's also a big chore, involving a ladder, to wash the top and upper sides (another excuse )

So how 'bout it. How often is just right?

 

I think a lot depends on what you can stand to look at. If you don't care if it has a little dirt, then so be it.

As for us, we always clean off the road dirt and wax it after every trip (2-5 times a year). If it is still clean when we are ready to go again, then we don't give it a big wash, but we might hose off the dust. If we are on the road, we try to get the bugs off the front as soon as possible (in some areas that is after every day's drive), and if the RV park allows it, we may squirt off the sides to get the road dirt off. We have never done a full wash while on a trip.

 

Seems there was MUCH more rig washing when ours was new. :lol:

Recommend a good suds-down & elbow grease to wash down the bugs and road grime, after a road trip of any significance. When we are preping to hit the road again: will then only focus on the windshield and mirrors. Thats it.

Don't do the suds wash again until the next time we come to a rest, after a cross country trip.
That equates to 2 to 4 times a year.

Now if we are parked in a sandy, or dusty environment, I'll do a quick, chamois wipe-down of the sides & rims after a good hard rain. (Example: Summer at windy Pismo Beach area.)

Our roof is that TPO (artificial rubber), so requires a tad more pampering with different cleaning products. That gets done right roughly once a year.

Does your Roadtrek have a rubber roof?

 

We have a 35' motorhome and live and travel in it 6-7 months per year with a couple of one week trips in between. I typcally wash the front after each travel period to get the bugs and stuff off. We get the unit washed and waxed in the spring before we leave for our summer trip and in the fall when we arrive at our winter home. Mid summer we pay our 16 year old grandson to wash it.

 

I wash our fiberglass roof and all sides on each trip we return from. This may be a week long trip or three to four months on the road. I wash the front end each day in most cases due to bugs in south. Polish the MH and wheels each year if I have the time. Our MH stays in inside a 40x60 steel building so no weather or sun damage. We also clean inside of MH and wash out the water tanks on each trip out and back as well.

 

We do a good outside and inside at the end of every trip. During long hauls it gets washed when needed like it if we have driven through rain or if the bugs get too bad. It bothers me that most parks do not allow you to wash your rig but will allow a detailing company to come in a do it for you. They probably make more of a mess than I would. When needed, I usually try to find a car wash that will fit oversized before I stop for the day. The best I have ever been to was in Barstow, California. They did a great hand wash and wipe dry for a dollar a foot. I can't remember the name of the service but they also did Oil Changes. So to answer your question, a thorough wash about 10 to 12 times a year and probably the same amount of quick hose down and wipes. Wax twice a year.

 

With our 2004 21' Travel Trailer I usually get around to washing it once a year, in the spring. I would like to wash it more, but never seem to have the time. In the fall I am inevitably rushed in winterizing it and don't have time before things freeze up. During the summer we always just seem to busy every weekend.

 

After every trip most of the time.As it sits in our yard we work on it when not doing anything else.The inside gets a good going over as soon as we get back or the next day as washing the sheets and other stuff that stay in the trailer.Most of the time we are camping every two to four weeks so when the next trip comes up it is hook up and go.We keep even what we wear camping for the most part in it all the time.The out side we wash as needed. :blink:

 

Oh, the inside of our TT gets thoroughly cleaned after every trip. We actually cleanup alot when packing up at the campground before leaving for home. When we get home no one does anything else until the TT gets unloaded, then we clean the inside.

 

Does your Roadtrek have a rubber roof?

Metal roof with some rubber and silicone sealing around A/C, fan and satellite.
Washing and waxing up there is definitely the hardest part, requiring ladder and reaching waaay out.

Hiring someone to do the full outside job including waxing sounds appealing. Plus I'd be giving someone some business

Maybe I need to start a poll: How much do you pay for wash/wax job? (Should the poll be based on per foot charge?)

 

During the season, I wash my 30ft MH before every trip. I can't stand driving dirty vehicles, either the RV or car. I also hand was with NuFinish once and sometimes twice a year. In between, I will use a spray on wax for touch ups or the front to ease in bug splatter removal. Inside, as I do all of the outside chores to break camp, my DW cleans the inside including vac'ing and washing the floors. That way its clean and ready for the next trip, which works out to about every 2 weeks. Also check tire pressure before each and every trip.

 

Every time it rains. Actually, I wash it before a trip. I have started using my pressure washer with the soap (fiberglass) attachment. I hold the wand far enough away to not harm the decals. After washing, I then spray on a liquid wax that makes it shinny. I wipe it off the glass. When new, I washed by hand on a regular basis. I also use rubbing compound with an electric buffer once and a while.

 

When we first bought our motorhome I would wash it about once a month or occasionally every other. After the first year we sold the house and went full-time and I found that once a quarter was enough to keep it looking pretty good.

As the years have gone past the frequency of washing also dropped to more like twice each year, by the time we had been full-time for five years. Now after 11 years we have once more purchased a home-base, and our now 14 model year old motorhome gets a bath about one or two times a year and seems to thrive on that. I usually wax it as well and then just hose it off in between wash/wax operations.

 

Like Kirk, we full-time. I get our 2005 32 ft. MH washed and hand waxed twice a year. Once, every two years, I get it washed with deoxidation, which nicely bonds subsequent waxings. Da' bugs always clean up great.
Because we winter in Yuma, it only costs $99 to have the RV washed and hand waxed at my site, and they throw in the tow vehicle for no extra charge. In Vegas, mobile washers wanted $250 for the same job!
Also, last Spring, I started using Rain-X automotive glass cleaner on the coach windows and will never use anything else. Prior, was using Armor All glass cleaner cause it was cheaper. Rain-X cuts through bugs and road grime significantly better along with resulting in the water to bead up and fall off the windows great when it rains.

 

You're supposed to wash your rig? :unsure:

Corinne

 

Have a 22' Rialta... Kind of like an oversized van. Generally after a trip and before a trip... Waxed twice a year.

 

We wash our motor home once every two weeks, as we use our Rv about every weekend, or sooner if dirty......weather dictates the need.

 

Depends on when we pull in after a trip. If it's a weekend trip close to home, I'll wash the bugs off the front, but not a full wash. I try to wax twice a year. I'll throw in a third wax if we spend a week at the beach.

 

I wash ours about once a month. We usually go camping every other weekend, so every couple of trips. Unless we hit a ton of bugs on a trip, then I wash it when we get back.