How do you clean your RV? The answer for us, up to now, is we didn’t. But after owning our 2019 Micro Lite for two and a half years, we decided it was time to give it a shine.
First, we used my famous Dollar Tree mop with the microfiber cleaning pads. Did you expect anything else?
I started with the flat microfiber pad, got it wet, and wiped down all the sides of our travel trailer. When the pads got dirty, I rinsed them out in the kitchen sink in our house. This worked just fine.
Once dry, which didn’t take long, we used the thick microfiber pad to apply a wax. Next time, I plan to use the flat microfiber pad to apply the wax. It seemed like a lot of the wax ended up in the thick pad. I didn’t want to waste all that wax, so I just went around and wiped some of the smaller areas by hand. Grandma always said, “Waste not, want not.”
Once the wax had dried, Dan went around with the mop and a clean, dry thick pad to shine the wax. I also used a microfiber cloth (also from Dollar Tree, where else?) to polish. This made fast work of the final step. Not counting the final “admiring step” at the end. That can take a while! Well, at least for us.
The wax we used was 3M Perfect-It Boat Wax. Someone on a Facebook group had recommended it. We used about three-fourths of the bottle. We were a bit conservative with the application as we didn’t want to run out of the wax before we were done with the job. A half done job could cause mass confusion with everyone’s sunglasses! But I do wonder if we should have put it on thicker. Is more better for some reason? Shinier? Longer lasting?
The 3M Perfect-It Boat Wax cost $27.17 at Walmart, but we also paid a $5.99 delivery fee. This was still a bit less than the price on Amazon – even with free delivery. I already had the Dollar Tree mop, microfiber pads, and microfiber cloth. The Dollar Tree microfiber pads can be washed and used again and again. Just depends how much work you want to do.
Since it’s hot and humid right now, we did half the job one evening and finished it up the following morning before breakfast. I didn’t keep track, but I’d guess we spent just under four hours doing this job.
I did take “before” pictures, but the difference comparing with the “after” photos is hard to detect when looking at the pictures on a computer. We can tell very much in person though, and the decals have really brightened up.
Here’s a few more pictures. Warning, you might have to wear sunglasses!
So, I guess the question now is how often we should shine up our baby. I’m thinking twice a year. But is once a year good enough? It seems like it would be a good idea to wax it again before we put the Micro Lite away for the winter.
But, who wants to think about that now? Certainly, not me! Nope. I just want to think about hitting the road and making memories. You know, those special kind of memories which have an everlasting shine in our hearts and in our minds. No wax needed.
Chambers on the Road 
Great post and photos! Nice job on the wash and wax, I especially love the pics of the trees reflecting in the windows. A year ago this past winter, we had our motor home cleaned on site at the RV park in Texas where we stayed. We had it done once when we arrived and once before we left. The company that did it came highly recommended by others in our park and were always busy there. The entire wash and wax took the better part of 6 hours and we were very pleased with the outcome. Another option for us is to go to a truck stop where they wash and wax semis. Because our rig is so tall, we’d rather pay to have it done for us vs the risk off falling off a ladder or suffering a back injury from the job itself. We both have lower back issues so have to be careful.
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Those are good options for you! Our travel trailer is only 23 feet, small compared to many. Using the mop, we can reach all the way up. We don’t do ladders any more either. Even if we had to pay, it’s worth it to take care of it. Plus, it just looks so darn nice when it’s clean and shiny, doesn’t it? Thanks for reading and your comments. Have a good day.
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Thanks for sharing that information. It looks great!!
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Thank you! We bought our travel trailer new in 2018 with the idea to take the best care of it as we could and to keep it for a long time. So, that is what we are trying to do. 🙂 Hope you have a great day!
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It looks super! Cleaning one’s rig is indeed a lot of work but always well worth it. I try to wash ours frequently and wax it at least once a year. Here’s a post you might want to check out https://www.thervgeeks.com/5-best-rv-wash-and-wax/ I follow this blog and have gotten a ton of great information from them. Enjoy your weekend.
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Thanks, Bill! I have subscribed to that blog. It seems we are always learning – which is a good thing! I hope you have a nice weekend, too.
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Man, look at that shine! You and Dan should own stock in Dollar Tree, BTW.
Thanks for showing us the frugal way to do just about everything.
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You are welcome! We like to save money where we can, so we can spend it on things that really matter to us. I will have to look into Dollar Tree stock! Enjoy your day, David!
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Clearly you two make a great team. The vehicle looks very spiffy, and you can definitely see the benefits. Happy trails the rest of the summer!
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Thank you! I do like things clean and organized – like your new kitchen is going to be. 🙂 Enjoy your Saturday!
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You guys did a great job. Jon cleans the exterior of our rig after each outing. Once he spiffed up the truck and trailer before we hit the road. An hour after we left home we went through a rain storm, undoing all his hard work. He hasn’t repeated that mistake since.
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That’s great that Jon cleans the exterior after each outing! We clean the inside either after each trip. Thanks for reading and your comment. Enjoy the day!
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We tackle the interior the same as at home, when needed. I dust, vacuum, and clean the shower. Jon is responsible for the toilets and swiffering the floors.
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You guys make a good team!
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Looks great – like a show-room shine!
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Thank you! Show-room shine at a Dollar Tree price. 🙂 Enjoy your day tomorrow!
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We must have purchased our Micro Lites around the same time. Ours is also a 2019 and we’ve had it for about 2.5 years. Kenn gave ours a bath not long ago and now the decals on the door are peeling off. 😦 We need to follow your recommendation and apply a coat of wax after the next wash but that will have to wait until the weather cools off.
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When we first got our Micro Lite, we talked with someone who had been an RV dealer. He recommended something to put on the decals on a regular basis to keep them looking good. He said nothing makes a TT look older than worn out decals. I will update this comment with the name of the product he recommended. We’ve put it on a few times, but probably not as often as we should.
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The product to protect the decals is called “3-in-One” Rubber Seal Conditioner. It says “RV Care” on the can; we bought it at Walmart. It is a gold can. I couldn’t attach a picture. It says it prevents cracking and fading. Also, UV shield. This is the product the retired dealer recommended to us to use to keep the decals looking good. We have just used this on the decals periodically rather than wax the whole unit.
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