How to care for an RV after a rainy getaway

By Russ and Tiña De Maris

The universe is known to have a perverse sense of humor. For weekend RVers, it generally manifests itself in providing five wonderful, sunny days during the week and then puckering up and raining when you finally get to take the rig out for the weekend. If this is your sad situation, how do you care for a “wet” RV when you get home?

Before putting the rig back in storage, start praying for a dry day. When the sun shines (or, at least, the rain stops), roll out your awning and let it dry out. This little bit of air time will discourage mold growth, prevent staining, and keep your shade-maker smelling fresh.

Pop-up owners, you have a similar need. No, it won’t hurt to “implode” your pop-up to bring it home. If you’ve got a barn or tall garage, pop open the unit and open the door and curtains for a complete air-out. Better, this should be done under the sun, if possible. So by all means, when Sol appears, get cracking.

Even hard-sided RV owners will find a little “after-the-trip” work will make things far more pleasant for the next trip. Crack a roof vent and a window or two, letting a little cross-flow ventilation remove the built-up moisture that accumulates with use. If you won’t be RVing for awhile, be sure to drain down the fresh water holding tank.

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