A trailer used to sleep in that is more comfortable and secure than a tent is known by several names: a caravan, travel trailer, camper, tourer, or camper trailer (although there are fold-down trailer tents). It enables people to remain in locations with no hotels or motels, allowing them to get their own house while traveling or on vacation. However, in certain nations, camping is limited to specific locations where there are taxes.
For many owners, a traveling caravan represents one of their most significant investments; thus, maintaining and safeguarding it is essential. Your caravan’s appearance and value can significantly affect algae, moss, wear and tear, scratches, and dents.
Your caravan roof gets so filthy partly because it is a big, flat, and generally level surface. As a result, the moss and algae that fall from trees onto the RV roof remain there. Rain will not eliminate the algae and moss (unless it is heavy rain). Therefore, the rain and sun provide food for it to continue growing.
Cleaning a caravan’s roof may appear complicated and is frequently overlooked. Intense downpours do not wash the top, especially if you’re camped near a body of water or under a canopy of trees. The longer you leave moss on something, the more difficult it is to clean because it frequently leaves dark stains after removing it.
How to Clean Caravan Roof Vents?
Here are a few of our advice to Clean Caravan Roof Vents and maintaining the excellent state of your caravan.
- Raising or Lowering the Jockey Wheel
- Make sure you have a suitable ladder
- Apply your cleaning solution
- Clean the dirt off with a brush
- Check you’ve not missed anywhere
- Give your roof a bit of wax to finish
- Cleaning a Caravan Roof Without hose pipe
Raising or Lowering the Jockey Wheel
When washing the caravan roof, using the jockey wheel will make the process much simpler. It is up to you whether you want to raise or lower the jockey wheel to tilt the caravan roof forward or backward. Slope the caravan roof forward by reducing the jockey wheel if the back of the top has a large sill that could prevent dirty water from draining out.
You might want to slant the caravan roof backward by lifting the jockey wheel if the back of the vehicle lacks a significant sill.
Make sure you have a suitable ladder
You must choose the type of stepladder you will use before attempting to clean the roof of your caravan. You need a ladder that will provide you with enough access to the middle of the top and keep you safe.
Your best option is a telescoping ladder. Telescoping ladders can be adjusted to your caravan’s height, so:
- If you utilized a set height ladder, you would have less access to the center of the caravan roof.
- You won’t need to risk harming yourself by stooping or bending over to clean the roof.
Additionally, they are portable and lightweight, making them simple to put up and carry.
We received the following advice from Derek Millington, owner of Smart Valeting UK: “Whenever examining and cleaning a caravan owner’s roof, we always recommend using an adjustable telescoping ladder. As a general guideline, you should confirm that your ladder has an EN131 certification. This accreditation guarantees the stability, durability, and safety of your ladder.
Always keep two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, on your ladder at any given time for your safety.
Therefore, you would want to shift your weight as much as possible if you intended to climb onto the top of your Bailey caravan to clean it. Last, you must be extremely cautious not to scrape the surface. Therefore, I would not suggest cleaning your fleet by getting up on the roof.
Apply your cleaning solution
Once you are up the ladder and have examined the roof area, the following step is to apply a cleaning solution. Said, there is no one-size-fits-all cleaning solution for caravan roofs. Several considerations, like how filthy the top is and your preferences, will influence your use.
Smart Valeting UK advises using a diluted all-purpose cleaner if your roof is in a “poor state.” This practical option is excellent for eliminating dirt and debris.
According to Derek Millington, the condition of your roof will dictate how much you should dilute your cleaning solution.
We advise using a pH-balanced shampoo diluted with water if the roof appears to be in a reasonably clean condition. Use the pre-made all-purpose cleanser in a trigger spray bottle next. We advise using an APC 5-liter solution if it’s highly unclear.
We would encourage camper owners to spray the satellite antennas and skylights. This will leave the entire roof with a lovely, even coating. Another element that may affect the kind of product you use to clean your caravan roof is the time of year. Due to the wet weather during the winter, moss and algae can grow on your trailer. As a result, you might want to spend money on a wintertime protector.
Clean the dirt off with a brush
After spraying your caravan’s roof, you must use a brush to remove the dirt. You should divide the top of your fleet into several sections and clean each area separately (as Derek Millington mentions below).
It would help if you had a pail of wash available at ground level to dip the brush into. It would help if you had someone nearby who could offer the meeting or take it away from you.
The sort of brush that you use will also differ from traveler to traveler. However, you want one that enables you to access the stains in your caravan’s difficult-to-reach locations, which may be up to two meters from you.
“We advise using a telescopic wash brush and dipping it in a pail as you clean your caravan roof,” says Derek Millington. We would then return it to roughly one-fourth of the roof. To stir up the dirt, use the brush and soapy water. A quarter of your roof should ideally be cleaned at a time. The satellite aerial and skylights are two of the most delicate portions of the caravan that we would generally clean using a wash mitt and a 2-inch paintbrush. Our best advice is to wrap the electrical insulating tape around the paintbrush’s metal components. By doing this, you can avoid scratching your caravan while cleaning it.
Check you’ve not missed anywhere
When cleaning the roof of your caravan, even with the required equipment, you could initially miss a few spots. Additionally, the weather may have an effect. The cleaning solution may dry rapidly if you clean the roof in direct sunshine. To determine whether you need to reapply your cleaning solution, it is worthwhile to check the top a second time.
“Use a hosepipe and telescopic brush to repeat the agitation of dirt in any areas that have been missed,” advises Derek Millington if you have brushed your roof and discover any extra dirt when you take a second look at it. We recommend utilizing a watering can instead of a hosepipe if you don’t have one.
We know how annoying it can be to carry a lot of cleaning supplies while maintaining your caravan. We advise using a brush to move your equipment from one side of your fleet to the other. Thanks to this, you will not have to carry it about on your own.
Give your roof a bit of wax to finish
Apply some wax to your caravan roof once satisfied that it is clean. There are two advantages to this:
- Wax is a barrier against dirt and gives additional layer protection to the paintwork.
- Your caravan will look sleek and shining after applying wax. What is a greater reward after spending hours scrubbing away on a ladder?
When you are satisfied with how clean your caravan’s roof is, apply blue banana rinse wax and rinse it one more, advised Derek Millington. This will help the water evaporate for quick drying and also guard against future dirt accumulation on your caravan.
Cleaning a Caravan Roof Without hose pipe
I have previously mentioned that using a pressure washer to clean a caravan roof is not recommended due to the potential damage it could cause. However, a hosepipe is appropriate if you are cautious around vents and other openings. However, what if your caravan is kept somewhere else, like a storage facility? A hosepipe most likely will not be available to you.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the information above have given you enough knowledge to move forward and clean the roof of your caravan. It must be done even if maintaining a train is not the most straightforward task.
Not just if you have a solar panel, but also because once it is clean, you will have the best chance to check the caravan’s roof seals. When the trailer roof is clean, it is the ideal time to have any sealant failing repaired. You do not want to overlook it and then wonder if the leak source was on the roof. You could have taken action when you check your damp meter the next time.
