Cleaning and lubricating your RV’s slide-outs is an important maintenance task that helps ensure smooth and trouble-free operation.
Here’s a step-by-step guide and a video on how to clean and lubricate your RV slide-outs.
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Materials needed:
- Mild soap or RV slide-out cleaner
- Water
- Soft bristle brush or sponge
- Clean, dry cloths
- Slide-out lubricant (dry or dry silicone-based)
- Rubber seal conditioner (if applicable)
- Protective gloves
Cleaning your RV’s slide-out
Prepare the area: Park your RV on a level surface and make sure the slide-outs are fully retracted before you begin.
Mix the cleaning solution: Prepare a mixture of mild soap or RV slide-out cleaner and water in a bucket. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution ratios.
Clean the exterior: Using a soft bristle brush or sponge, gently scrub the exterior surfaces of the slide-outs to remove dirt, grime, and debris. Pay attention to corners, edges, and any crevices.
Rinse thoroughly: Rinse the slide-outs thoroughly with clean water to remove any soap residue. Make sure no cleaning solution is left behind, as it could attract more dirt.
Dry the surface: Use clean, dry cloths to thoroughly dry the slide-outs. Ensuring that the surfaces are dry will prevent water spots and help the lubricant adhere properly.
Lubricating your RV’s slide-out
Choose the right lubricant: Select a lubricant specifically designed for slide-outs. Dry lubricants or dry silicone-based lubricants are often recommended because they don’t attract dirt and won’t gum up over time.
Extend the slide-outs: Slowly extend the slide-outs to their fully open position. This will expose the moving parts that require lubrication.
Lubricate moving parts: Apply the chosen lubricant to the moving parts of the slide-outs, including the slide rails, gears, rollers, and any other mechanisms that enable the slide-outs to move smoothly.
Work the slide-outs: After applying the lubricant, retract and extend the slide-outs a few times to distribute the lubricant evenly and ensure smooth movement.
Wipe excess lubricant: Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away any excess lubricant that may have accumulated on the surfaces. This prevents dirt from sticking to the excess lubricant.
Rubber seals: If your slide-outs have rubber seals, consider using a rubber seal conditioner to keep the seals supple and prevent them from drying out and cracking.
Retract the slide-outs: Once you’ve lubricated the moving parts and wiped away excess lubricant, retract the slide-outs back to their closed position.
Maintenance schedule
Clean and lubricate your RV slide-outs at least twice a year: before the start of the camping season and after its conclusion.
If you notice any signs of sticking, uneven movement, or noise during operation, consider performing maintenance more frequently.
Properly maintaining your RV slide-outs ensures their longevity and smooth operation, and helps prevent costly repairs down the road. Always refer to your RV manufacturer’s guidelines and recommendations for cleaning and maintenance, as specific instructions may vary based on your RV’s make and model.
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Thank you,
Dustin
##RVT1120
Thank you, Dustin! Thankfully our slide-outs are manipulated by a different system, not Schwintek. Either way, thank you for the reminder to maintain the slide mechanisms and the seals.
John you are exactly right!! Owners please read your manual don’t always trust you tube etc per lippert schwintec systems only need to be kept clean soap and water rinse and dry same for most seals.
I’d run from anyone suggesting to lube a Schwintek like system. This article reeks of a general lack of knowledge. Read your owners manual. Call Lippert and see what they have to say about it. The same people who are telling you to lube the racks are probably advising to condition the silicone seals. These same people probably would tell you to tighten your BAL Norco cable slide cables to guitar string tensions. Anything said by this site I’d look at with great scrutiny.
those things are a piece of {bleeped}! They’re nothing but problems and the drive chain is only the beginning. They compromise structural integrity and they’re heavy. There’s a REASON why Airstream doesn’t have them.