Ready, Set, Camp! Getting Your Trailer Summer Ready!
It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! Summer is finally here and it’s time to get the RV out of storage and hit the road to your favorite camping spots – yes, yes, yes!
Camping is a fantastic way to get outside and soak up the warm weather. But remember! A trailer is a travel size version of your home and it requires a little TLC to keep it from collecting all the dust, pollen, and dirt that mother nature has to offer – especially if it’s been sitting over the winter!
Here are 5 tips to get you on the right track when it comes to getting your camper travel ready:
1. Hose It All Down
Often the best place to start is with what’s immediately in front of your eyes.
Needless to say, the exterior of your camper is pretty hard to miss! Before you get to the nitty-gritty of the interior, start by spraying down the outside walls with a hose or pressure washer. This will help remove and/or loosen up any grime that has accumulated over the winter.
The exterior also includes the awning so don’t forget to give that a good rinse too!
Pro tip: you make the task easier on yourself if you forgo using the awning legs. This way, the awning will simply fall flat against the side of your trailer and that gives you a sturdy backdrop that you can scrub/spray against. As the saying goes, “work smarter, not harder”!
2. Move From Top To Bottom
We often forget that gravity can work against us when we’re cleaning and we unwittingly create more of a workload for ourselves. Who wants that, right? No one, that’s who!
Think of it this way: if you start by scrubbing your floor but then move to dusting the shelving, all the grime is going to fall back onto the ground that you just cleaned. You’ve accidently just added ‘floors’ to your to-do list again – oops!
Whether you’re cleaning the interior or exterior of your camper, always work from top to bottom. Save yourself the hassle, time, and resources of needing to repeat tasks.
3. Break Up Big Projects Into Smaller Ones
Cleaning up the trailer after its seasonal hibernation is a big task – one that can be quite daunting if you don’t know where or how to start.
To prevent the heart palpitations that can come from this, break cleaning into smaller manageable tasks. Instead of tidying the entire kitchen, start with cleaning out your fridge. Then move to the stove. Then the cabinets, etc, etc.
We’re also a fan of the ‘quartering’ method where you visually cut the interior of your trailer into four equal sections. Pick a ‘quarter’ to start in and then work on it until it’s cleaned to your standard. From there, you move clockwise until all the quarters are done.
Whatever your preference, moving task by task or area by area splits the job up into more manageable pieces and ensures that the interior is getting the TLC it deserves.
4. Keep Suitable Cleaning Solutions On Hand
Many household cleaners can also be used in your camper which makes stocking up on them easy and relatively affordable depending on your personal preferences.
If you like going the more homeopathic route with your cleaning solutions, there are several cheap natural products that can be used to spruce up your trailer. Lemon juice and baking soda, for example, can be used to lift water stains on bathroom or kitchen hardware. For an affordable counter top cleaner, mix 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water in a spray bottle.
However, tread lightly when it comes to the bathroom plumbing in your camper! Only use toilet cleaners and toilet paper that are specifically made for RVs or you can end up harming the pipes. And nothing puts a damper on outdoor adventures like costly repairs.
5. Be Smart With Supplies and Space
One of the most challenging parts of setting up a trailer is making good use of the limited interior space. To ensure you’re getting the most out of your trailer, you need to make sure that the supplies you choose to bring along are not only necessary but appropriately sized as well.
For example, use a compact vacuum cleaner instead of a standard sized one and use collapsible mops that can fold easily into smaller storage spaces. Instead of storing full-sized bottles of cleaning products, transfer them into travel-sized bottles appropriate for the duration of your trip.
Real estate in your camper is precious so try to find ways to maximize space without sacrificing what you need to keep things clean and comfortable.
Need A Hand? We Can Help!
Nothing feels better then coming back to a clean home at the end of a well-deserved summer vacation or a weekend getaway. Whether you’d like to schedule a clean while you’re away, or would like to add something special to your regular rotation, we’re here to lend a helping hand!
Remember: we love cleaning so you don’t have too!
~ Your friend, Anna