How to Keep Your RV Clean – Cleaning Hacks for RV Owners
Congratulations! You now own your own RV! Now how do you keep your RV clean? We have asked many RV owners and have compiled some of the best cleaning hacks for you to keep your RV clean.
Keeping the interior of your RV clean doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming, or involve harsh chemicals. With a few simple products, you can clean floors, surfaces, and even those dirty areas like the kitchen and bathroom and with a minimal amount of effort. The key things are simple and common sense. Make sure you have a good broom and a floor mat at the door to avoid tracking in all kinds of dirt from the outside. And once you have that mastered (frequent sweeping is part of RV living) then you can follow some of these other hacks.
1. The number one rule in RV cleaning is to keep it simple.
One of the challenges when it comes to cleaning the interior of your RV is that space is at a premium. Most RV storage areas barely have enough room to hide the necessary items like toilet paper, much less an entire supply of cleaners and accessories. So, most RV owners find products that can serve more than one purpose and look for some that come in a compact bottle. Natural cleaning solutions without chemicals can often be used on a variety of surfaces, and you won’t have to worry about causing damage to your RV or the environment.
2. Find a compact vacuum cleaner.
No matter what type of floor surface your RV has, a good quality, compact vacuum cleaner is a must. Even if your RV comes with one of those fancy central vac systems, a small, portable or battery run, rechargeable vacuum is a great addition for those times when you don’t want to pull out the long hose, or you are dry camping or boondocking and don’t have enough power to run the central vac.
3. Get a good wet/dry mop.
For quick cleaning of tile, wood, or laminate floors, a wet/dry mop is an indispensable cleaning tool. Invest in a wet/dry mop for your RV, and use it several times a week in those messy areas like the kitchen and entryway. A good wet/dry mop will come with both a microfiber wet pad and a microfiber dry pad. The dry pad is great for wiping up small amounts of dirt or dust under furniture. The wet pad can either be dampened with plain water or sprayed with a multi-purpose cleaner. Both pads can be rinsed out and hung to dry, or tossed in the washing machine. A less costly alternative is a “Swiffer” or similar product that allows you to put a dry cloth or wet pad on it. It is very lightweight and easy to store.
4. A good door mat (or two) is a must!
As mentioned above, a good door mat will help trap dirt before it spreads to the rest of the RV floor. You can even have two, one at the bottom of the stairs and one on the inside at the top of the stairs. Ask guests or family members to always wipe their feet and when inside, preferably, remove their shoes and use inside slippers or socks to avoid spreading outside dirt around the floor of your RV. An indoor/outdoor door mat that traps both dirt and moisture, is a great choice.
5. For RV Kitchen and Bathroom Cleaning:
With space at a premium, a good multi-purpose cleaner is probably the most essential RV cleaning product. You can use it for everything from wiping counters and cupboard doors, to cleaning spots off the bathroom mirror and dust from the windowsills.
There comes a time when the multi-purpose spray just won’t cut it. That’s when I turn to disinfecting wipes. Because sometimes you need to kill germs, whether you need to wipe down the toilet seat or those surfaces where germ-filled hands touch every day.
6. Disinfecting Wipes:
There comes a time when the multi-purpose spray just won’t cut it. That’s when you can turn to disinfecting wipes. Because sometimes you need to kill germs, whether you need to wipe down the toilet seat or those surfaces where germ-filled hands touch every day. Try to get something that is gentle on the surfaces as well as on your hands. Bleach and other harsh chemicals are not good for you or your RV.
7. Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Be Gentle:
Did you know that you can damage your RV toilet by cleaning it with harsh chemicals? An RV toilet contains rubber seals and plastic gaskets that keep the toilet in proper working order. If you use products with a high concentration of bleach or abrasives you can ruin these critical parts.
You could even have a dried-out seal around the toilet ball. In doing research online about how to replace the seal, I came across a bit of information on traditional toilet cleaners drying out the seal and causing it to no longer hold water in the bowl. Oops. You don’t want to have to replace this part (unless you or your spouse is a plumber). So now we have a new RV ball seal, and I switched to a gentle natural toilet cleaner specially formulated for RV toilets.
It’s called Unique Natural Products RV Toilet Bowl Cleaner. You can find it in most big stores like Walmart, True Value, Ace Hardware, and Natural Grocers.
8. Microfiber cloths
When it comes to cleaning, these small unassuming cloths are pretty amazing. They are soft, non-abrasive, super absorbent, and clean a wide variety of surfaces without leaving behind streaks or lint. And, easy cleaning is a must in an RV, so these can be washed out in a sink or with the hose and hung up to dry, or you can throw them in the washer and dryer too. You can use microfiber cloths for wiping down ceiling fans, the front of the fridge, light fixtures, cupboard doors, and so much more.
For more great RV cleaning tips, check with your El Monte RV Sales dealer, who can help you with any questions you may have. And, don’t forget, when you are considering getting an RV, check out our gently used, refurbished models at El Monte RV Sales.