Many of you are getting ready to fling open your static caravan or lodge doors for the new season, so this month we bring you some top tips on spring cleaning your holiday retreat.
It’s always nice to enjoy your holiday time in a beautifully clean holiday caravan. Not only will a good spring clean get rid of any unwelcome bugs and germs that might have taken refuge over the over the winter months, it will also help to keep vermin at bay and prolong the life of your caravan’s soft furnishings, fixtures and fittings.
Here’s our guide to cleaning your caravan or lodge…
You’ll need:
For the inside
– Dusters and cloths
– Polish
– Bathroom and kitchen cleaner
– Anti-bacterial spray
– Window cleaner or white vinegar
– Lemon juice
– A ruler
– A pencil eraser
– Sweeping brush
– Toothbrush
For the outside
– Bucket(s) of water
– Hose pipe
– Multi-functional or V-shaped ladder with platform / scaffold plate
– Extendable or long handled brush / mop
– Sponge or wash mitt
– Caravan shampoo
– Window cleaner or white vinegar
– Chamois leather or microfibre drying cloth
– Plenty of elbow grease!
Internally
- Clean and tidy one room at a time. Seeing one room freshened up will inspire you to complete the rest!
- Clean your blinds using a cloth attached to a ruler. It’ll easily clean those otherwise tricky to reach spots.
- Get rid of limescale in your kettle by squeezing in some lemon juice and adding cold water. Leave for about half an hour and then rinse well.
- Use a weak solution of white vinegar and water to clean your windows, using a micro-fibre cloth.
- Any heel marks on your floor can be removed using a pencil eraser.
- Make a list of any minor repairs that need doing while you’re giving the caravan a good clean. You can go back to them later or tick them off as you go along.
- Carry out a damp test and check for signs of any water ingress and mould spots
- Give the bathroom, kitchen areas and appliances a good clean, paying particular attention to the fridge. Use a toothbrush to get into the small nooks and crannies and anti-bacterial wipes or cleaner.
Externally
- Check your guttering for any debris and give them a good wash out with a hosepipe.
- Thoroughly sweep and wash down any decking areas and check external sheds are all in tact.
- One reader recommended using car tar and bug cleaner for stubborn stains on the decking. Just spray a little on the stain, leave for a minute or two, and then clean off. Use a jet washer across the rest of the decking to lift any debris, dirt and algae, but avoid using one on your caravan and this could cause damage to your seams and seals.
- Thoroughly clean your door and window vents and check these and the skirting areas, removing any debris, leaves, twigs or unwanted animal nests that might have paid a visit during the winter. Remember though, many birds are fully protected and you must allow the young to leave the nest before taking any action to block the entrance holes or remove the nest. You can consult the RSPB for advice, if this is the case.
- Clean and polish the caravan all over – or get some help in from your holiday park or an experienced cleaning company. If you’re going to tackle it yourself then it’s probably best to work from the top down with your ladder at the ready and some one to hold it steady!
- First rinse to loosen any dirt by spraying with a hose pipe or throwing buckets of water over it.
- Take extra care when tackling the roof. Set the ladder’s platform or scaffold plate at the right height so you can get to the roof and use the long handled/extendable brush to thoroughly clean the caravan sides and roof. Once you’ve brushed the shampoo in, rinse.
- Wash the sides with a soft brush or using a sponge or wash mitt, and then rinse.
- Clean and polish windows with a soft cloth. One reader recommended using a car windscreen cleaner for the outside of the caravan’s window. One to clean the glass thoroughly and the other to make the glass water repellent.
- Check all trims for any splits or cracks and again, make a note of any repair work that needs doing.
Remember to make the spring clean a fun job and that it’s getting you prepared for month’s of relaxation in your caravan or lodge. And you can always rope a young relative in to help and reward them with a free stay, or food and drink!
Over to you…
If you’ve got any cleaning tips then please share them in the comments section below.
Any tips for removing decking stain splashes from caravan
The best way to clean caravan decking is first clean all the bad marks with a soft floor brush and any cleaning liquid then clean the hole area with a jet washer you could also clean your complete caravan the same way but I would recommend that you use a soft car brush hope this is of help to you
Thanks for sharing Sydney.
I use a Upvc cream cleaner/restorer, a good one is available from kleeneze, it’s not only good for removing decking stain splashes but also water run marks from below the windows!
Do not understand any circumstances use a power washer on decking. It forces water into the wood. The wood has been pressure treated to remove water. If you force water into the wood you will encourage rot and if there’s any cold spell it will undermine the structural integrity of the strong dry weather proof boards
Hi Steve, I never use a power wash on my decking… a neighbour of mine does, and now the boards have become very spongy to walk on… plus they have started to weaken and rot. I brush and hoover the decking boards to remove all the debris, then use “Wet and Forget” to get rid of the green (no need to rinse off). Afterwards I apply a good non slip decking preservative treatment… looks like new!. All good until next season!
Thanks for sharing your tips Ian.
For outside windows I use liquids designed for the outsides of car windscreens – one to clean the glass thoroughly, and the other to make the glass water-repellent. The windows exposed to the rain very rarely need cleaning but remain sparkling: it is only the windows under a projecting overhang which need it, with just clean water, a sponge and a squeegee. Minimum effort for a good appearance.
Thanks Peter.
Tips for removing decking stain of static caravan (oil based).. Tried t cut didn’t touch it . Please thanks
We found the tar, and bug cleaner used on cars was successful, just spray a little on, and leave for a minute or two, and then clean off
You say use plenty if elbow grease well there is a superb spray cleaner available aptly named “Elbow Grease” which will clean absolutely any service including wheels, cooker, paintwork, washbasins,floors and removes grease. It is available at The Range and possibly elsewhere. It only costs just over a pound and comes highly recommended.
Is there a water hose available that can be connected to a kitchen mixer tap ? I do not have an outside water tap.
You can buy pipe connectors from DIY stores or Amazon. We found this on Amaazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toolzone-Indoor-Kitchen-Mixer-Connector/dp/B002NH9X6A
Thanks Liz I’ve
ordered one today and fingers crossed it will work
Furniture polish to get stubborn stains under windows. No effort at all. Buy the cheapest.
Not sure if anyone is aware but a can of WD40 is absolutely invaluable in cleaning alsorts of surfaces, it will remove bird droppings, stains on bodywork, it polishes and much more, look on their website for full applications you won’t believe how much it can do.
I have noticed one or two ants marching around since I opened up our caravan even tho I have given it a thorough clean inside and out. How shall I treat these little blighters. I have a dog so no poison. Never leave food around etc
You could try citrus essential oils which contain d-limonene. It’s is toxic to ants and also masks their scent trails. Orange, lemon and grapefruit essential oils all contain d-limonene.
Place a few drops on a cotton ball and wipe on skirting boards and other entry points. You can also leave a citrus-infused cotton wool ball in cupboards and other areas as needed. Repeat every few days.
What cleaner do you recommend for the exterior of a static caravan? For a general clean but also for dark stains under the window.
Warm soapy water is probably your safest bet. For the black marks you could try Silky caravan cleaner, which is used by touring caravanners. Check with your manufacturer first, as it depends on the type of cladding on your caravan. Do not use abrasive cleaners on aluminium cladding.
I use those eraser sponges for lots of clean up job in my caravan there really good
Great tip. Thanks for sharing Jill.
Hi wot can I use to clean my decking at caravan it’s looking s bit dull. Thanks in advance
If you look in the comments section, other readers have shared their decking cleaning tips. One readers brushes and hoovers the decking boards to remove all the debris, then uses “Wet and Forget” to get rid of the green, then apply a good non slip decking preservative treatment. There’s also a product called Wet and Forget.
Our static caravan ceiling needs cleaning. What is the best thing to use on it?
Also are there any special tools around to do it?
Mold and mildew remover did everything in my van with this just make sure it’s well ventilated as it’s bleach just spray a bit on a cloth works like magic
RVRoofMagic is ideal for repairing your whole caravan roof or targeting localized damage around windows, seams and vents. Because leaks can appear without warning, I recommend keeping a RVRoofMagic as a repair Kit in your carvan all the times.
Used Aldi black streak cleaner other day on our aspen! Totally rubbish ! Never budged it! Back to silky cleaner. ………. job done no problem !
Thanks for sharing this informative article of yours.
How do I remove mould off of UPVC slats on mobile chalet
Silky cleaner or Black Streak Remover are both good for getting rid dark marks.
Are you allowed to wash down the inner walls to make smell fresh inside?
Speak to your park owner first to check and make sure you don’t use an abrasive cleaner.