Cleaning your caravan (without your own driveway)

[Christhecaravanner84]

I've been pondering this question over winter, now pondering with greater intensity since my recent trip to Devon. My caravan got filthy on the way down there, I had to rinse the front window so I could see out! I keep my 'van at a storage site. Very "helpfully", the storage have decided to discontinue their wash bay facility and park a double decker bus there instead. I live in a ground floor flat without my own driveway. I have an allocated parking bay but it is well away from my front door, underneath a coach house and barely fits my car, however there is a big layby in front of my flat which I tend to park in. Occasionaly other people park in the layby and sometimes in "my" space. Sometimes you'll get some twit in a van park slap bank across the middle. I'm a bit worried I'm going to turn up with van in tow and have nowhere to put it but I think I'll go and get it really early in the morning and chance it. I do have a hosepipe which run from my front bathroom bath taps for watering my hanging baskets in the summer,

I have considered some options for doing it in situ. I have got a small pressure washer which I could run off a generator but I don't know if it would be able to siphon water from my aqua-roll. Or maybe buy a spare aquaroll cap, fit a hoselock connection to it and sit it up on a workmate and gravity feed the washer. Yes, I'm aware of the hazards of pressure washers damaging seals, I would use it carefully and at a distance. I've seen some of those battery powered washers which claim to be able to able to pull from a tank in either PC or CAMC magazine. They look a potentially good solution due to lower pressure rating.

Another option might be to put on waterproofs and wash it in some torrential rain!

Are any of you in a similar predicament with washing your caravan and what is your solution?

 

[Mr Plodd]

One of the roadside car washes operated by East Europeans? They do a damn good job of cars!!

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

One of the roadside car washes operated by East Europeans? They do a damn good job of cars!!

I've got one of them down the road but I worry about how sympathetic they will be to caravan seals with their jet wash.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

My upstairs neighbour's parking bay is in the open air and just round the corner to my front door. He hasn't been using it recently, instead uses one belonging to a lady in one of the other flats who he's seeing. I've just been out an taken some measurements and the 'van could go there as a plan B, I know he'd let me. I think maybe I'm worrying too much. Still interested to hear how others in a similar situation manage though.

 

[Jcloughie]

When we had the van, the storage did have a wash bay but there was always something parked in it. I was lucky in that I could put the van overnight on the road outside the house. The neighbours were fine, but I would not want to take advantage of them and overstay.

This allowed me to wash it, and prepare it for going away the following day. So if you could use a nearby parking bay, It could work. Can you get a hose pipe to it?

John

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

When we had the van, the storage did have a wash bay but there was always something parked in it. I was lucky in that I could put the van overnight on the road outside the house. The neighbours were fine, but I would not want to take advantage of them and overstay.

This allowed me to wash it, and prepare it for going away the following day. So if you could use a nearby parking bay, It could work. Can you get a hose pipe to it?

John

Yep I can get a hose pipe to both spots.

 

[GaryB]

One of the magazines regularly runs an advert for a cordless pressure washer. Could you use one of those? Take a couple of full aquarolls and wash it in it’s own storage parking bay?

 

[Mr Plodd]

I've got one of them down the road but I worry about how sympathetic they will be to caravan seals with their jet wash.

Ask them not to use a pressure washer, just a hose pipe. What's tje worse that can happen? They say no!

 

[Beachball]

When we had our new detached home there was a layby at the front we ask the neighbours and said we would like to wash our caravan with a hosepipe and a wax before setting off no problem

 

[Mel]

We have access to water at our storage but not a wash bay. We have used two methods.
1. Waterless wash. Did a surprisingly good job but not very cheap.
2. Large pump spray and a bucket and sponge.
Worked very well.

We only have a small van though.
Mel

 

[Mr Grumpy]

We do ours In storage.
I use a long handled soft brush, large bucket of water, and a step ladder to get up and do the roof.

 

[Raywood]

We use the same, a long handled brush and a bucket of water. Be careful with power washers as some can damage the sealant if too powerful.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

I’ve found a couple of car washes with large wash bays which could be an option. Just need to keep the jet at a good distance.

 

[Jcloughie]

I’ve found a couple of car washes with large wash bays which could be an option. Just need to keep the jet at a good distance.

In my opinion, pressure washers are not the problem. Just the possibility that it may be used without a modicum of common sense. As you say, just don’t use it too close.

John

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

In my opinion, pressure washers are not the problem. Just the possibility that it may be used without a modicum of common sense. As you say, just don’t use it too close.

John

I think it's one of those things where good old common sense applies. Obviously mileage varies when it comes to common sense. I'll wait until the weather gets more spring-like, else I'll clean it up and it will be covered in muck again when I return it to the storage.

 

[Hutch]

I think it's one of those things where good old common sense applies. Obviously mileage varies when it comes to common sense. I'll wait until the weather gets more spring-like, else I'll clean it up and it will be covered in muck again when I return it to the storage.

A few motor cycle friend use these Battery power pressure washers, they are not super strong. But hooked up to a brush and a feed from an Aqua roll will clean the van. Great.
I will be glad to get ours out again to get dirty, . Hoping to get out last week then workmen turned up on Monday morning.

 

[RogerL]

When using a pressure washer, using the fan spray pattern will reduce the effective pressure - and keep the spray at a 30-45 degree angle to the bodywork rather than at 90 degrees.

 

[Buckman]

I think it's one of those things where good old common sense applies. Obviously mileage varies when it comes to common sense. I'll wait until the weather gets more spring-like, else I'll clean it up and it will be covered in muck again when I return it to the storage.

We have not had rain for a couple of days so took the car for a wash. By the time we got home, streaks fo mud on the sides, but not as bad as before the wash,

 

[Beachball]

I think it's one of those things where good old common sense applies. Obviously mileage varies when it comes to common sense. I'll wait until the weather gets more spring-like, else I'll clean it up and it will be covered in muck again when I return it to the storage.

So far after the wash from my son on my car set off to the lakes yesterday and it still looks cleans but we will see how it goes .

 

[Dustydog]

The Greased Lightning waterless wash and polish works very well. Fenwicks black streak remover still required. Overall works very well. Once a year the Autoglym comes out.

 

[Fraseb01]

I have a drive but cant fit the caravan in. I am the same as others ,bring it from storage the day before we leave give it a good wash and ready to leave the next morning.
Neighbours are good and its only ever there for one overnight.

👍

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

I think I'm going to get it first thing on a Friday, then wash on Saturday. It's all a bit dodgy with the layby on a weekend day and people potentially blocking it up.

 

[Beachball]

I have a drive but cant fit the caravan in. I am the same as others ,bring it from storage the day before we leave give it a good wash and ready to leave the next morning.
Neighbours are good and its only ever there for one overnight.

👍View attachment 4293

We use to bring ours from storage day before setting off our Neighbours were very good about it

 

[PTA]

Mobile caravan valeters are often excellent -sometimes with own water supply?....but expensive ...and some are cowboys.
Go by reputation if interested.

 

[Robert_374373903]

One of the roadside car washes operated by East Europeans? They do a damn good job of cars!!

I was surprised the other day where there is one of those car wash places and they were cleaning a caravan, mind you they do use power washes so I would let them know not direct it on sensitive parts