Guide to Deep Cleaning your RV
TL;DR: Maintain a clean RV with a structured cleaning schedule: daily sweeps and kitchen cleans, bi-weekly mopping and laundry, weekly deep cleans of windows and furniture, monthly cabinet and curtain cleans, and seasonal exterior washes. Perfect for full-timers with pets.
RV owners know how difficult it can be to keep up with the deep cleaning that is needed to maintain a pristine and safe environment, especially for those of us who live in our RVs full time. While cleaning a smaller space is certainly less time-consuming than cleaning a much larger house, there are still many nooks and crannies in RVs that can be forgotten about. In addition, dirt and dust tends to pile up much quicker because there aren’t as many places for it to go. Because of these factors, there is a lot that goes into the upkeep of an RV. This can be overwhelming for some people, and they might not know how to get started.
There are many different things you need to do on a regular basis to maintain your RV’s cleanliness, but one of the most important things is to keep a regular cleaning schedule. The below outlined tasks are my personal cleaning schedule, as an RVer who lives full-time in my class A motorhome with a German shepherd and two cats. I recognize that everyone's cleaning schedule will look different, and some may need to clean more or less often, depending on their household size, daily activities, frequency of use of their RV, and more. However, the below cleaning schedule should help you to establish your own baseline schedule, which can then be tweaked as needed until your RV reaches your ideal desired cleanliness.
Let’s dive in! Get a list of things you need to clean:
- Daily
- Twice Per Week
- Weekly
- Bi-Weekly
- Monthly
- Seasonally
Daily
As mentioned above, coming and going frequently from my RV means that it can quickly become dusty and dirty, especially with pets. To combat this, I sweep my floors daily (sometimes twice!), being sure to move any floor items and carpets to sweep under and/or around them. After sweeping, I vacuum my area rugs to collect any dirt or debris that has accumulated since the previous day.
I cook at least twice a day, which means that I have to clean my kitchen often. To keep up with this task, I wipe down my kitchen counters and table daily, and I also wipe down my bathroom counters and nightstands either everyday or every other day. Finally, I wash any dishes that have accumulated each day and put them away once they have dried.