At Caravan Information Services, we believe a few simple caravan hacks can make your touring experience more enjoyable. So, we recently asked our team for their favourite go-to caravanning tips. These great nuggets of advice are also helpful if you own a motorhome.
1. Eliminate Awning Noise with the Twist Technique
Have you ever been kept awake by the strange humming sound your webbing-style awning guy lines make in the breeze? This common annoyance has a simple solution:
The CIS Hack: Give the guy lines three complete twists before securing them with pegs. This clever adjustment disrupts the airflow over the straps, preventing vibration and eliminating the irritating drone that often occurs when the wind blows.
2. Keep Clothes Where They Belong During Transit
Nothing’s more frustrating than arriving at your destination to find your carefully hung clothes in a crumpled heap on the wardrobe floor.
The CIS Hack: Secure each coat hanger with a standard elastic band. Place the hanger on the rail, then stretch the elastic band over the hanger and rail to create a secure loop. Your clothes will stay put, even on the bumpiest journeys.
3. Prevent Mould and Odours in Your Refrigerator
Closed refrigerators can quickly develop unpleasant odours and mould when not in use, particularly in the often-overlooked freezer compartment.
The CIS Hack: While many caravanners know to prop open the main fridge door when it’s not in use, don’t forget to do the same for the freezer section. Simply position a tea towel over the freezer door. This ensures air circulation throughout the entire unit, preventing mould formation on rubber seals and eliminating those musty smells that can greet you at the start of your holiday.
4. Protect Your Microwave Turntable
Microwave turntables are particularly vulnerable to damage during transit. They also make a racket as they clink and clang over every bump. This is especially annoying when you’re driving a motorhome.
The CIS Hack: Remove the glass turntable before travelling and place it underneath your caravan or motorhome’s seat cushions. This natural padding prevents breakage while removing a noisy distraction when travelling.
5. Conserve Toilet Chemicals with Smart Storage
Toilet chemicals represent an environmental consideration and an ongoing expense for caravanners. It makes sense to repurpose when you can.
The CIS Hack: Collect the flush tank fluid in a reusable squeeze bottle when draining down rather than disposing of it. This practical hack reduces chemical usage and ensures you have the flush solution available when you reconnect the water supply. It’s also useful if you run low while travelling, especially for families with young children or those with medical conditions requiring frequent access to facilities.
6. Master the Art of Peg Extraction
Few things are more frustrating than struggling to remove tent pegs from hard or dried ground. However, this often overlooked caravan and motorhome hack can prevent bent or broken pegs.
The CIS Hack: Instead of pulling directly upward, use your mallet to gently tap the peg where it enters the ground from all four directions: north, south, east, and west. This technique loosens the surrounding soil, creating space around the peg. The pegs come out more easily, and they last significantly longer, saving you money and reducing waste.
7. Create a Secure Pet Area Using Your Caravan Wheel
Finding a suitable place to secure your dog while setting up camp can be challenging. But this simple hack gives your dog all the freedom they need without letting them roam too far.
The CIS Hack: Your caravan’s alloy wheel provides an excellent anchor point for a dog lead. Just feed a 3-metre long training lead through the holes in the wheel, back through the handle and clip into the collar. Your dog can enjoy enough freedom to move between the caravan or motorhome interior, awning, and a limited outside area, without the risk of them wandering off.
8. Prevent Waste Pipe Disconnections
Loose waste outlets can cause messy situations and unpleasant odours around your pitch.
The CIS Hack: Secure your waste pipes using bungee cords attached to awning rail clips. Thread the clips into your caravan’s skirt awning rail and loop the bungee cords around the waste pipes. This creates tension that prevents pipes from disconnecting, even on uneven terrain or during periods of heavy use.
9. Solo Light Check Made Simple
Safety checks before departure are essential, but if you’re travelling alone and wondering how to check the brake lights, don’t worry – we’ve got a hack for that.
The CIS Hack: Place your caravan’s corner steady winding handle between the driver’s seat and the brake pedal. This applies just enough pressure to activate the brake lights, allowing you to walk around your outfit and confirm everything is functioning correctly. This simple hack keeps you safe and legal, even when touring solo.
10. Protect Your Water Supply in Winter Conditions
Cold-weather caravanning offers a unique experience, but freezing temperatures present challenges, particularly for your fresh water supply.
The CIS Hack: Elevate your Aquaroll to allow air circulation underneath, then wrap it in a spare coat or jacket. Zip the jacket closed and thread your water pump through one sleeve into the container. This insulation significantly reduces the risk of freezing. It’s a cost-effective alternative to purchasing specialised equipment for occasional winter use.
There you have our tech team’s top ten caravan and motorhome hacks. If you’ve discovered a simple hack that we missed, drop a comment on our Facebook page.
Happy Caravanning!