There’s nothing quite like spring cleaning. The very term conjures up the excitement and enthusiasm of a new season and all the adventures that lie in the offing.
When it’s a question of giving your motorhome a spring clean, of course, you’ll be looking forward to those upcoming days and nights of touring the country – and abroad – from the comfort of your second home on wheels. You’ll want to make sure that it is up to the task, looking, smelling and feeling renewed and refreshed both inside and out.
The exterior
While it has been laid up over winter, the bodywork of your motorhome will have attracted its share of dust, dirt and grime – including grit and birdlime.
Liberally hose down the exterior of your motorhome using plenty of fresh water – this washes off the looser dirt and softens more persistent patches for removal later. When adding cleaning products to the next wash, choose those that are specially formulated for motorhomes, so that you avoid any which are too harsh.
An article in Out and About Live on the 9th of March 2020, suggests that you avoid washing down the outside of your motorhome on a windy or hot day since the water will dry too quickly before you’ve had the chance to rinse it down, and so leave unsightly streaks.
Pay particular attention to any acrylic windows, which may be sensitive to some chemicals and will scratch easily from abrasives. Use plenty of warm water to wash them, therefore, and make sure to remove the residue from any cleaning products.
Tackling the inside
If you took some care to clean your motorhome before its winter layover, tackling the interior is likely to be a simple question of airing it thoroughly and removing the dust and debris that might have built up.
Open all the windows and doors and get your duster out to tackle every surface and the inside of cupboards and storage units. When that’s been done, take a vacuum cleaner to the floor – or a mop if it’s a laminate covering – and keep the doors and windows open so that the interior remains well ventilated for at least the next few hours or so.
Upholstery and soft furnishings can be cleaned with shampoo or specialist cleaning products but remember to keep the interior well ventilated until everything has dried out thoroughly – wet cushions are only going to encourage damp and mould.
Functionality
Spring cleaning also gives you the chance to check that everything is working as it should. There is nothing worse than discovering a malfunction when you have already set off from home.
Sit behind the wheel and operate each of the switches at your fingertips. Check that the headlights come on and that no bulbs need replacing. Do the same for the brake lights and indicators. Ensure that the handbrake works smoothly and effectively.
Check the controls for the air conditioning, together with other gadgets and devices such as the radio, TV, CD player, sat-nav and any onboard WiFi system. Test any fire alarms and smoke detectors, ensuring that each one has enough battery life.
Once you’ve given your motorhome a clean, you can start planning your next journey!
