Issue 2210
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, RV videos, product reviews and more. Please tell your friends about us.
Page Contents
Today’s thought
“Time is the coin of your life. You spend it. Do not allow others to spend it for you.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Linguine Day!
On this day in history: 1968 – The Soviet Zond (Russian for “Probe”) 5 spaceship is launched, becoming the first spacecraft to fly around the Moon, the first Moon mission to include animals, and the first to return safely to Earth.
Tip of the Day
12 ways to support your favorite campground
By Gail Marsh
Do you have a favorite campground? Maybe it’s a state or national park. Or maybe it’s an RV park close to home that your family visits as often as possible. No matter what kind of campground (government-owned, franchised camp, church camp, or privately-owned) you can make a positive difference. You can help ensure that your favorite park will survive to be appreciated years from now. Here are 12 ways you can support your favorite campground.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Schwintek slide room woes continue: Damaging RV’s vinyl flooring!
Hi, Dave,
We have opposing Schwintek slides in our living room. We enjoy the space and the open feeling provided when expanded. Earlier this year we noticed that the flooring was bubbling up a little bit in front of each opposing sofa bed. Now that we’ve been on the road more, the flooring has migrated much more. I’m still waiting to hear from the manufacturer about how the flooring is attached to the plywood below. I need to fix this, but I’m unsure how to start. I feel like i need to remove the sofas and wood fascia to roll and glue or staple down. Any insight would be appreciated. Cheers. —Mark, 2022 Grand Design Solitude 380FL
In the RV shop with Dustin
Inspecting a worn out RV rack and pinion slide out system
Welcome to In the RV shop with Dustin. Today, I want to talk about what you don’t see on your RV rack and pinion slide out system. How often do we miss everything underneath the slide out unit? For the most part, these areas are hidden between the frame and you are unable to visually inspect them.
New Facebook group: RVing New England.
Join and help get the group rolling. . .
Video of the day
Avoiding RV money pits: The saga of the 2018 Thor Ace 30.3
By Cheri Sicard
The video below from Pierre and Laurel, the team at Blue Ox on the Run, is a cautionary tale about avoiding RV money pits. If you are shopping for an RV it’s a good one to watch. In it, they show a terrific example of a 2018 Thor Ace 30.3 motorhome that looked amazing at first glance, but that held some dark secrets that will plunge any potential buyer into an expensive nightmare of repairs.
By all initial outward appearances, this motorhome was a terrific find. But when RV shopping you would be well-advised to keep in mind that things are often not what they seem, and this is a graphic case in point.
These easy-care plants will help purify the air in your RV
By Dale Wade
Certain pollutants may be released inside your RV. If you have the room, you can minimize the presence of these with a good air purifier; but if you don’t have the room, there’s another pleasing method to help minimize toxic pollutants in your RV: indoor plants. You need several varieties for maximum impact, but a few can do good as well. Learn about some of them here.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- Now in the U.S.—You must see this 17′ Micro Class B motorhome!
- The sneaky white lies and tricks some RV salesmen use when selling an RV
- A class B RV that won’t break the bank. Revisiting Wayfarer Vans
- I’m looking at getting a Class A RV, but I hear they’re not as safe as a Class C
Reader poll
How important to you is listening to music?
Protect your RV parts from rust and corrosion
T-9 is the RV technician’s choice for attacking corrosion, loosening rusty parts & flushing out old lubricants. It permeates metal crevices & seeps deep inside assembled components to leave a durable protective coating, lubricating without dismantling equipment. It won’t wash off in rain or mud. T-9 will not harm paint, plastic, rubber, fiberglass or vinyl. It can be used on engines, wiring, belts & is safe on electronics. Boeshield T-9 was developed by Boeing for lubrication and protection of aircraft components. Learn more or order.
Quick Tip
Reducing condensation
If you RV in a high-humidity environment, condensation can be a real pain. Here are a few tricks to try to help you dry up the inside of the RV. When cooking on the stove top, keep a lid on your pot as much as possible so less steam escapes. Use the microwave when you can. Run the range hood when cooking, and open roof vents, too. Keep the roof vents cracked a smidge at all times, allowing for escape of humid air. Open a window for a few minutes a couple of times a day to cycle in fresh air. A light layer of kitty litter in pans will also help absorb moisture, although a mechanical dehumidifier will work much better.
On this day last year…
- Tip: 18 uses for toothpaste while RVing
- RV Review: Keystone Cougar 368MBI for 2023
- Ask Dave: When plugged in at home, will converter charge and desulfate RV’s batteries?
- Video: 38 years as a solo female nomad: Living large in a 4X4 pop-up
- Featured article: Campsite neighbors light up cigars… So much for fresh air!
Website of the day
The ultimate Route 66 road trip
Get your kicks ready and get on down to Route 66! This guide is a good place to start.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Betcha never thought you could fit one of these in your RV, did you? This is pretty neat, we must admit. Get ready to jam out!
Clubs and useful organizations
PLEASE NOTE: We may receive an affiliate commission if you join any of these.
• Harvest Hosts: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations for free. Save 15% on membership.
• AllStays: The best website for RVers! Your membership will become your RV-bible.
• Boondockers Welcome: Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee.
• Escapees: Best Club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model.
• RV LIFE Trip Wizard: Make your RV road trip planning easier than ever.
Recipe of the Day
Slammin Pork Fried Rice
Slammin Pork Fried Riceby Georgane Vann from Clifton, TX
This really is slammin’ fried rice. Each bite is filled with distinct flavors from the assortment of ingredients. We love how the peas give it a pop of sweetness in contrast to the spicy and robustness of the sauce. This makes a wonderful meal or a side dish. Delish!
Trivia
We haven’t tried this, so take this bit of trivia with a grain of salt. Rumor has it that if you empty a can of Coca-Cola into your washing machine along with your usual detergent, it will lift all stains (including those from grease and even blood!) from your clothes. Anyone brave enough to try it?
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Bella (Maltese) will be 14 years old in September. She was diagnosed with cancer almost three years ago and the oncologist gave us 6 months. We have been blessed to have her this long. Bella is such a little love. She now has Cushing’s disease as of early August. Please pray for her. She loves camping and her camping chair.” —Carl Patterson
HELP! We’re running low on pet photos! Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
Your hands won’t be tired or in pain with this caulking gun
Completing repairs and maintenance is a whole lot easier when you have the right tools on hand. Reseal your RV with the BEST caulking gun! This one is favored by RV technicians. If you’ve ever had to reseal any part of your RV, you know how tired your hand gets. This relieves that hand pain and makes the job easy. Learn more in this article, or buy one here.
Leave here with a laugh
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
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Thank you, Emily and Diane!
You’re welcome, Neal.😊 Thank you! Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Today’s thought by Carl Sanburg is my life’s jam, mentoring young entrepreneurs and tradespeople. Overvalue your time, get nothing for it. However, don’t undervalue it, it is finite, no refunds. Strike a fair bargain for your inventory (time), it is yours to barter. Some days your time may be priceless, other days, less. Only you can decide the value of your time, it is your inventory to trade, don’t price yourself out of the market and get nothing…. or do.
There are a lot of “supposed hacks” for cleaning these days. I have found a quality one for getting the clothes stains out, mostly without fail. It was developed by a bunch of lofty scientist in that field, instead of the class clown. It is called and known as spray and wash if anyone is interested in trying it.
Soap is effective as a cleaning agent because it is amphiphilic; it is partly polar and partly nonpolar. Soap molecules contain an intensely polar “head” (the ionic part) and a non-polar “tail” (the long hydrocarbon chain, usually 10-18 carbons, depending on which fatty acid is used).
So the ingredients in cola will neutralize the soap reducing its ability to emulsify stains and dirt etc on the clothes.
The “laugh of the day” is great! I’m sitting here with arm in a sling after my shoulder surgery!!
Good morning!
I live in Pahrump, NV, and as a perused the so called “news” feed I came upon this :
https://news3lv.com/renderer/news3lv/amp/news/local/pahrump-rv-resort-accused-of-discriminating-against-family-with-children-federal-housing-urban-development-fair-housing-act-southern-nevada.
I would be interested in both sides of this story as we’ve experienced many instances of undisciplined children under the age of 18.
I feel for the RV resort, I believe they acted on the rules of their R V Resort and best intrest in child safety, & based on the “mothers” comments in this article .
The laugh of the day is more truth than I care to admit! Some days it is funny just trying to accomplish this task without a wall or something to lean against! (While funny, I doubt “America’s Home Video” show would play it!).
Today is also National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
Thank you, Gary , for that reminder. Let’s keep up every effort to bring everyone back home….
The ‘magic’ ingredient in Coke that helps with cleaning is citric acid, and the carbonation helps it penetrate. It works to clean toilets, corroded battery posts, etc. But if I was dumping it in my washing machine I might choose 7-up or Sprite to avoid the artificial coloring of cola. But go for it!
We’ll if it removes rust from a chrome bumper it should remove stains, as for the discoloration I wouldn’t venture a guess on that.
Shouldn’t the editor(s) test the trivia prior to posting and challenging? Does it have to be Coca-cola or will pepsi-cola also work. What about RC and get even bolder, Mountain Due?
Primo Rudy’s Roadhouse. I suppose we could have tested a 100 different sodas, but we don’t have a test lab and, frankly, we have more important things to do. This was simply about Coca Cola, which is the most popular soft drink. Like it says, trivia, no exhaustive research, which we would reserve for our articles that directly relate to RVing.
I can see that you have given little Belle a loving life….what great people you must be.