Getting campers ready for spring – Part 2

Even if you have not actively used your camper during the winter months, it is important to think about spring preparation in good time. Many people often concentrate on the exterior care of their motorhome, but neglect the interior cleaning. However, cleaning the interior is a crucial step to ensure that your camper is fit and ready for the spring adventures ahead. We will explain to you exactly why cleaning the inside of your camper is so important and what steps you can take to get your vehicle in top shape. Get ready for a clean and pleasant ride into the warm season

• Getting campers ready for spring – Part 1
• Tips & tricks for camping with your dog
• First-aid kit the checklist for camping

The first steps

1. Thorough ventilation offers several advantages: Thoroughly ventilating your camper is very important to prevent moisture, mold growth and unpleasant odors. Regular ventilation keeps the indoor air fresh and minimizes the risk of damage. Make sure you ventilate your vehicle regularly, especially after long periods of inactivity.
2. Clear out and tidy up: When you clean your motorhome, it is a good idea to go through the storage space thoroughly. The various storage spaces such as boxes, floor hatches, cupboards and drawers accumulate a lot over time. When sorting out, you not only create new space, but can also check whether everything is in the right place at the same time. This way, you will not only find what you are looking for more efficiently on your next vacation, but also more quickly, for example when you are looking for your mosquito net. A tidy storage space makes travel preparations and the overall stay in the motorhome more pleasant and stress-free.
3. Cleaning agent for the interior: If you want to clean foiled surfaces or real wood in the motorhome, we recommend that you do this with a little lukewarm water. Use a sponge that is not too wet to prevent wood and substructures from swelling. Although foam cleaners are popular, they often contain surfactants or solvents that could damage materials such as wallpaper or décor. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid such cleaning agents in order to preserve the longevity and condition of your motorhome surfaces. With the gentle water and sponge method, you use a safe and effective cleaning technique that keeps your motorhome surfaces clean and intact.

Cleaning the interior of your motorhome

Cleaning your motorhome often requires more attention to small details that can easily be overlooked. However, these seemingly insignificant aspects can have a major impact on the overall condition and service life of your vehicle.

Cleaning the refrigerator in the motorhome

Cleaning the refrigerator in the motorhome is important for various reasons:

1. Hygiene: A clean refrigerator helps to maintain food hygiene. Over time, food residues, liquids and germs can accumulate, which not only cause unpleasant odors but can also compromise the safety of your food.
2. Avoidance of odors: If the refrigerator is not cleaned regularly, unpleasant odors can develop. This can cause your food to take on the smell and taste of other food in the refrigerator.
3. Efficiency and energy savings: A clean refrigerator works more efficiently. If the cooling coils and fans are dusty or dirty, the refrigerator will have to work harder to maintain the desired temperature. This leads to higher energy consumption and possibly to premature wear of the refrigerator.
4. Extending the service life: You can extend the service life of your motorhome refrigerator with regular cleaning and care. Deposits and contamination can cause long-term damage that could require expensive repairs.
5. Health and safety: Cleaning the fridge helps to keep bacteria and germs at bay that could cause food poisoning. It is important to ensure that food is stored in the refrigerator at safe temperatures to minimize health risks.

Cleaning upholstery and cushions

You will find precise care instructions for the upholstery and cushions in your motorhome in your owner’s manual. These can vary depending on the material and manufacturer. Nevertheless, we would like to give you some basic tips to help you with care:

1. Vacuum the upholstery, cushions and covers about once a month with a vacuum cleaner and a suitable upholstery attachment, similar to the way you clean your upholstered furniture at home.
2. If in special cases it is necessary to carry out a more thorough cleaning, for example with a special steam cleaner, you should remove the upholstery from the vehicle if possible. This prevents an excessive increase in humidity in the interior. Take care not to set the temperature of the appliance too high and then leave the upholstery to dry completely outdoors. However, avoid direct sunlight.
3. If your motorhome is equipped with full leather upholstery, we recommend using a special upholstery leather cleaner to intensively care for the leather.
4. If your upholstery covers are made of polyester and can be opened and removed using a zipper, you can wash them at a maximum of 30°C on a gentle cycle without spinning using mild liquid detergent. After washing, you should not tumble dry the covers, but hang them up wet to maintain their shape and quality.

By following these care tips, you can extend the life of your upholstery and cushions in your motorhome and keep them in good condition. However, always follow the manufacturer’s specific recommendations in your operating instructions for the best care of your furniture.

Cleaning the glove compartment

When cleaning the glove compartment in your motorhome, there are a few important things you should bear in mind to keep it tidy and store important documents safely:

1. Empty and wipe out: Start by emptying the glove compartment completely. Remove all objects, papers and personal belongings inside.
2. Check and sort: Carefully check all papers and documents that you keep in the glove compartment. These can be insurance policies, vehicle documents, operating instructions or emergency information. Sort these documents into categories to make them easier to find.
3. Sort out: Remove expired documents or those that you no longer need. Make sure that you only keep current and relevant documents in the glove compartment.
4. Safety: Remember that the glove compartment is often the first place to find important documents in an emergency. Make sure that the insurance policies and vehicle documents are always up to date and easily accessible.
5. Keep things tidy: Use folders or sleeves to organize your documents. Label them to make them even easier to identify. This keeps the glove compartment neat and tidy.
6. Cleaning: Once you have emptied and sorted the glove compartment, you can clean it thoroughly. Use a gentle interior cleaner and a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt. Take care not to use any aggressive chemicals that could damage the surfaces.
7. Putting away again: Place the sorted documents and objects neatly back in the glove compartment. Make sure that nothing is lying around or can fall out when you are out and about.
8. Regular checks: Make a point of checking and updating the glove compartment at regular intervals. This ensures that your important documents are always up to date.

Cleaning and organizing the glove compartment in your motorhome may be a small task, but it can make a big difference in an emergency and add safety and convenience to your travels.

Conclusion

All in all, it is clear that preparing your campervan for spring not only involves cleaning the exterior, but also thorough care of the interior. These seemingly small details are often overlooked, but they are crucial for the service life and condition of your motorhome. From interior cleaning and proper ventilation to upholstery, cushion and refrigerator care – all these aspects help to ensure that your vehicle is fit and ready for the spring adventures ahead.

Last but not least, organizing and cleaning the glove compartment plays an important role in keeping important documents safe and being able to access them quickly if necessary.

If you have any questions, our NEUSS – Camping team will be happy to help you make your trip with your camper a memorable experience.