Do's and Don'ts for Cleaning Your RV Interior
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to cleaning the inside of your “home away from home”. The good news is that RVs are compact - usually no more than a few hundred square feet.
The bad news is that our RVs are exposed to elements unlike your stick and mortar home. They are exposed in the pine-sappy woods, on the sandy seashore or in the dusty desert. And the fact of the matter is, your RV is made of lightweight, chemical sensitive materials and requires non-toxic, gentle cleaning agents and techniques.
Let’s examine the areas of your camper or RV...
Floors
The bottoms of our shoes tend to bring the outside in. Consider instituting a house rule – no shoes inside the rig. Provide a rug at the entrance for wiping and a nice spot alongside it to “deposit” shoes. Vacuum carpeting, wood and linoleum often - perhaps even daily but definitely after every outing. Wipe the wood or linoleum down frequently with a damp cloth to remove dirt and food spills. Clean your wood or linoleum with a very weak mixture of Mop’n Glo or the cleaner recommended by your manufacturer. And. . .don't forget the corners! It's easy to overlook dirt and dust that builds up in corners because you don't see it there very well, unless you're on your hands and knees looking for something!
Sinks/Showers-Tubs/Toilet
Never use an abrasive cleaner such as Soft Scrub in your RV’s sinks, showers-tubs or toilet. The chemical can damage your tanks and scratch the finish. Instead use a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar. You’ll get a surprising swell of bubbles and a clean, fresh fixture every time.
Consider using a disinfecting wet wipe to clean the toilet seat, lid and sides. You can also use this on the floor around the toilet.
Accordion shower enclosures will also clean up well with the baking soda/vinegar mixture. If you have an actual curtain, consider taking it down and laundering according to directions.
DO NOT use bleach. It can degrade the seals around your tanks – causing a very unpleasant and messy problem.
Stovetop
Clean your stove top after each use to remove spills and other food messes. Remove the stove top plate from the appliance at least twice a year and wipe out any crumbs, spills, etc. with a damp, lightly soaped cloth. Rinse well.
Polish the enamel coated metal with regular white toothpaste to shine and remove stains and marks every so often as well. Apply with a soft, damp cloth in a circular motion and wipe residue with a clean damp cloth.
Clean your aluminum mesh filter element above your stove top (in the range hood) frequently to remove grease buildup. Do it by soaking in warm soapy water, swishing back and forth to dissolve the grease. Don’t scrub the filter as this may damage the screen. Rinse thoroughly under clean water and dry completely before replacing.
Refrigerator
The first thing that you need to do is keep the weekly and the daily cleaning of the refrigerator up to date.
- Clean up any spills as soon as they happen. That means that you need to remove the drawers and clean under them. This is the location with the most potential for trouble as the stains are likely to stay.
- Always store food in covered containers. Open things can easily spill or be pushed to the back and forgotten about until they spill.
- Keep an eye on the leftovers. Throw out food when it expires or goes bad. Food that is stored too long will develop mold which could contaminate other foods.
- Monitor the temperature. You need to keep the gauge set accurately so that food does not spoil and bacteria does not grow.
- To stop odors, store an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator.
- Use a sanitized towel to wipe down the shelves, handles and door each day or week as needed.
Keep it smelling fresh by placing a box of baking soda in it.
Woodwork/Cabinets
Many campers have solid wood cabinet doors and veneer cabinets. A few times a year it’s a good idea to oil your solid wood doors with lemon or orange oil. Not only does it restore the luster it smells delightful, too!
Wiping veneer down with a damp cloth will keep them dust and fingerprint-free. DO NOT use oil on the veneer – it may cause it to deteriorate and fade (and it doesn’t do anything for it anyway).
Window Sills/Frames
Chances are you’ll have your camper’s windows open a lot. Remove dust and dirt by vacuuming the frames and sills often. Use a disinfectant wet wipe to clean away any stubborn dirt or budding mold (from condensation).
Blinds
Clean metal mini-blinds by removing, spraying with a cleaner such as Simple Green, scrubbing gently, rinsing and using a chamois to remove water spots. Cloth blinds should be vacuumed frequently to combat dust.
A/C Filter
Keep your A/C chilling by frequently removing, washing and drying the foam filter. Not only will it tax the unit less,but your air quality will be better as well.
Furnace Vent
Vacuum the louvers on the furnaces return air vent often. Remove the vent cover and vacuum the furnace area to remove dust and dirt. This will make operating your furnace safer and more efficient.
Just like your house, give your rig a thorough "spring cleaning" every so often. Keeping your interior in good condition will also add to the value if you consider selling the unit.