For those of us that call the northern states home; the weather is warming. Flowers are blooming. The croaks of frogs echo from ponds and bogs. This can only mean one thing. RV spring cleaning time!
Yes, this is when you must wake the RV from its winter hibernation. Get ready for your first spring RV camping trip. Bud don’t load up your home on wheels and make RV travel plans yet. These essential RV spring cleaning tips are a must to enjoy safe and successful outing.
Essential RV Spring Cleaning Tips for Beginners
RV ownership requires a commitment to the annual ritual of RV spring cleaning. Don’t panic. You don’t need to be a mechanic or an RV inspector to get the job done. Even RV beginners can handle these six essential yearly RV maintenance duties for safe RVing.
Inspect Your RV Tires
Check your RV tires. You are looking for cracks in the sidewalls or cracks between the treads. Any suspect areas can be a sign of potential tire failure. If you see tire cracks, take your RV to your local tire store for a professional inspection. If no cracks are found, you’re in luck! All you need to do is check your tire pressure. More than likely it’s deflated by a couple pounds over the winter. If your RV tires are low, inflate them to the recommended RV tire PSI for your wheels.
Clean Your RV Batteries
Time to get under the RV hood. Your batteries should be cleaned, tested and charged at the beginning of each season. Did you remove the battery(s) over winter? If so, make sure the polarity is correct when hooking them back up. In most cases, the start battery on motorhomes has a red lead to indicate “Positive” and a black lead to indicate “Negative.” For the RV house battery, the black lead is positive and the white lead is negative.
Do a Freshwater Tank Check and System Inspection
Test your RV freshwater tank and plumbing system. You’re looking for any problems that may have developed over the winter. For example, cracked plumbing lines are a huge issue. Start the process by filling your freshwater tank.
- If you winterized your unit, make sure the water heater bypass valve is returned to the “normal” position.
- Turn on your water pump and open a hot and a cold water faucet allowing air to escape until the water flow is steady.
- Inspect all faucets and pipes for leaks.
- Inspect the water heater pressure relief valve and drain plug to check for leaks. Look for it on the outside of the RV.
If your RV was winterized using non-toxic antifreeze, run enough water through each faucet to be sure all antifreeze is removed. And if you are concerned about bacteria having formed in your plumbing system over winter, sanitize the RV water tanks.
Test Your RV Appliances
Turn on the propane tank and light a burner on your stove. Allow time for any air in lines to be clear. When you have a steady flame burning on the stove, feel free to fire up the refrigerator, water heater and furnace. This is a good time to have your LP system tested for a dangerous RV propane leak.
Lube the Waste Tank Valves
You dumped and rinsed your holding tanks at the end of last season, right? Of course you did! RV spring cleaning means it’s time to check the valve operation on your holding tanks.
- Carefully work the handle in and out to make sure it is opening and closing properly.
- If either value is sticky, apply some silicone spray to the shaft. Work the valve open and closed a few times. This allows the lubricant to work.
Test the RV Smoke, Propane, and CO Detectors
This is the time to check the batteries in your hazard detectors. Inspect your smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are operating correctly. This is a good time to change the batteries in these devices.
Now that your RV spring cleaning is out of the way, it’s time get out there and enjoy your first spring RV adventure!
