If you have an active family, you’ve likely become accustomed to dirty floors in the RV. From trips to the beach, hikes through the woods, and swimming in the lake, it can be hard to keep up with the dirt and grime – especially if you have a canine companion! But just like the rest of your rig, it’s essential that you give your floors the proper TLC to preserve their longevity and ensure many more active summers in the future.
August 3 marks National Clean Your Floors Day, so in honor of the holiday, we’ve compiled four simple steps you can take to restore – and help preserve – that fresh-off-the-lot shine that your floors once had!
- Invest in a doormat. As your first line of defense against dirt, every type of RV should have a doormat at the entryway, inside or outside. Ask that everyone remove their shoes and give their feet a good wiping on the mat before stepping inside. You’ll be amazed by how much this eliminates clean up time. If you have a dog, be sure to wipe its feet with a towel before it can enter the RV, especially if your dog feels most at home sprawled out on the sofa or bed!
- Dry mop or vacuum regularly. Regardless of the floor type, you’ll want to remove any loose dirt or dust before you move on to a wet mop. Regularly sweeping your floors will help prevent dirt from getting caked on, which can turn a small mess into a much more extensive task.clean floors video
If you have a newer motorhome or large travel trailer, chances are you have a central vacuum system, and if you don’t, these can be installed relatively easily without breaking your bank. Not only are they easier to use and far less bulky than a normal vacuum, they can also come with a VacPan – a dustpan that is built into the floor with a toe-kick switch that sucks up all of the loose debris. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
- Now you’re ready to move onto a wet mop. Depending on the severity of the task at hand, you may be able to get away with just using warm water. But if your floors are especially dirty, you can create a mixture consisting of 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1 gallon of hot water, or you can take a trip to the store and purchase a cleaner designated for your particular type of floor. If you have vinyl floors, be sure to use a soft, microfiber mop to prevent damaging the surface.
- Consider steam cleaning or shampooing your carpets. This is obviously not something you would need to do regularly, but it wouldn’t hurt to have your carpets thoroughly cleansed at least once a year. A great time to do this is before you close up for the winter – then you know you’re starting the next season fresh, free from last season’s grime.
Do you have any tips of your own? Please leave a comment on our Facebook page with all of your tricks for maintaining clean RV floors!