The glory of the RV lifestyle comes from time on the road. Making new friends, seeing unexplored sights, escaping the winter, reconnecting with nature, anything and everything that called you to pack it up and head out. And in that bliss of freedom and fun, the little things start to slip and fall by the wayside. The biggest issue? Regular RV maintenance. We're not even talking about the engine, the interior, your tanks or other onboard systems, that'll come in future installments. What we want to review is your luxury motorcoach exterior. You know the one, eye-catching design, glossy plexiglass, covered in dust and bugs? To make sure your motorhome stands the test of time, we can't let these little things escape our notice. The Motorcoach Store wants you to enjoy your time on the road, and a big part of that is keeping everything in peak performance shape. Visit us in ### and let our staff show you the ins and outs of maintaining your exterior.
The longer you wait to clean off dirt residue, dead bugs, road debris, the more potential damage can be caused to your exterior. RV service is understandably not everyone's first thought after or even before hitting the road. But it should be. To prevent delamination and corrosion of materials over time we suggest washing and waxing the exterior of your RV fairly regularly. Forget the buildup from the road, tree sap, bird droppings, UV exposure, all of it adds up to fairly significant wear on your luxury motorcoach. Washing will take care of the buildup, waxing will prevent the buildup from getting out of control. A good general recommendation is to wash the exterior of your RV about every three to six months, wax at least twice a year, with one-off cleanings after heavy rainfall or dust storms. And cleaning involves quite a bit of moving around, sometimes ladders, working on the roof, if you're not feeling up to the challenge, get in touch with our RV service department and we'll get you squared away. Don't ever attempt to do something that's outside your ability or experience.
The first question you'll run up against, power wash or hand wash? There are some who swear by one or the other, but if maintenance and longevity are your primary concerns, hand washing is the way to go. Some power washers are too strong and can even strip away the laminate, so if that's your choice please be careful. Make sure your cleaning supplies and wax are specifically rated for RVs. Some automotive products may be too harsh for your luxury motorhome. Hitting the sides and back are fairly straightforward, but make sure you don't neglect some common areas that are easy to overlook. Windows, appliance outlets, seams, the grill, any exterior seals, and we definitely recommend using a softer, automotive brush for all of the above. You can even find ones with extendable handles to get those hard to reach locations. Remember, you're working to make your RV exterior shiny and new, not scrape the sides off completely. Don't go too heavy or hard. Regular waxing will definitely make future cleaning that much easier.
One thing to always remember when performing your own RV service, and yes cleaning counts as service, different sections are made from different materials. The cleaning agents you use on the sides, back, and front of your luxury motorcoach will be different than what you use on the roof. Since you're already getting specialized RV cleaners, pick up an RV roof cleaner or even RV rubber clean. You can use your soft bristled brush from before and give the roof a solid scrubbing from front to back. Don't be surprised if it takes two or even three passes to clean everything off the top. And just like above, make sure you don't neglect the easy to miss areas, the gutters, the seals around any roof vents, or roof seams. Be especially careful around the seams and inspect them for wear or cracks every time you clean the roof. It's best to catch any corrosion as soon as possible to prevent costly repairs further down the road.
Seriously. If you can, don't store your luxury motorhome in direct sunlight, and remember when we mentioned tree sap and animal leavings early? Avoid trees and keep your RV covered. Especially if you wax your RV regularly. If you wax in direct sunlight it'll dry out too quickly and won't properly protect your exterior from buildup and debris. And please read up on the wax you buy, some contain highly abrasive materials that can be just as damaging to your exterior as neglect. If you don't have an indoor storage option, carefully select a tarp or RV cover. Again, the RV service department at The Motorcoach Store is ready and willing with recommendations, so don't forget to give us a call. And don't just drape the tarp over your roof, construct an A-frame structure over your luxury motorcoach and cover that with the tarp. This will be good enough to keep direct sunlight, rain, snow, sap, and other droppings off of your exterior and allows for better ventilation, to prevent mildew or dry rot.
After a solid, but gentle, scrubbing your luxury motor coach will be gleaming like new and ready for the next round of road trips and vacations! RV service and repair is important, not just to keep your engine and interior working well, but to keep you protected while you're on the move. It's easy to overlook but costly to neglect, we suggest creating a regular maintenance and cleaning schedule. Even put together a spreadsheet if you think it'll help, but don't go too long between cleaning or waxing your exterior. And remember, the more dirt you have to clean the more fun you're likely having. For more information or recommendations, contact the service department at The Motorcoach Store and we'll take care of you and your RV.
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