How to clean a static caravan
Static caravan cleaning is immensely satisfying. You stand back, admire an immaculate caravan, and step into a dust—and grime-free, fresh-smelling environment. But it’s not just about taking pride in your investment. Regular cleaning prevents dirt, grime, mould, and algae from building up to the point where they permanently degrade cladding, gutters, windows, seals, and decking.
Regular cleaning means as frequently as you like. But we recommend daily tasks like surface cleaning, condensation and dust control, and an ad hoc and annual regime for bigger things like carpet and upholstery cleaning.
This way, each clean is more straightforward than letting the grime build up or mould set in.
Interior cleaning
Regular tasks include cleaning surfaces, floors, carpets, rugs, and soft furnishings. They also involve removing condensation that can quickly lead to mould.
Household cleaning products like kitchen and bathroom spray cleaners are ideal for wiping surfaces. Anti-bacterial cleaners are helpful as they can kill mould spores before they develop into visible mould.
We recommend cleaning cupboard tops three or four times yearly to stop dust, grease and grime from building up, especially in the kitchen.
A domestic vacuum cleaner is ideal for cleaning the floors and upholstery. You can now buy mops with a disposable cleaning sheet attached to the head. These are perfect for laminate floors as they remove the need for a bucket.
Static caravans typically have more moisture in the air than traditional homes. The steam from showers, cooking, or drying clothes indoors can quickly dissipate throughout a caravan, resulting in condensation on windows, walls, and hard floors.
To keep the moisture inside your caravan to a minimum, use a window cleaner’s squeegee and a cloth to remove condensation from the windows and walls after showering. If condensation forms on the window after boiling a kettle or cooking on the hob, you can do the same in the kitchen area.
The squeegee is also great for cleaning windows and doors:
First, add a little washing-up liquid to half a bucket of warm water. Then, use a non-abrasive sponge to wash the glass. Finally, use the squeegee to wipe the suds down to the bottom of the glass and remove them with a clean cloth or sponge. You’ll find this process more effective than using glass cleaning sprays.
Inspect the back of your curtains frequently to ensure that dampness isn’t affecting the fabric. And clean spills on upholstery straight away. Most curtains and cushion covers are machine washable, and a wash two or three times a year will keep everything looking crisp and smelling fresh.
Finally, clean wall switches, light fittings and plastic vents periodically with a soft brush or cloth to prevent dust from building up.
Top Tip! Clean window frames and bathroom edges frequently to prevent black mould from getting a hold. Once established, you’ll need to tackle black mould with a high bleach content remover, which is highly unpleasant. Also, mould on window frames has a nasty habit of migrating to curtains or blinds.
Exterior cleaning
Some static caravan cleaning tasks, like washing the roof and clearing the gutters, need to be tackled annually. Washing windows and glass doors is best done weekly.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- plenty of space to move around the caravan
- extendable ladder
- hosepipe with an adjustable nozzle
- telescopic soft brush (with an optional hosepipe feed)
- pressure washer (optional and only if the water pressure is adjustable)
- yard brush for sweeping the decking
- chamois, window cleaners squeegee, silicone drying blade or cloth
- caravan cleaner or car shampoo
Top Tip! Only use a pressure washer if you can reduce the water jet pressure to avoid damaging the rubber and silicone seals around windows, vents and doors.
Caravan roof
Cleaning the roof at least once a year means each clean should be relatively easy. Start by removing loose leaves, twigs and moss from the roof and gutters with a hosepipe or pressure washer. Avoid using a brush at this stage; otherwise, you may work grit into the surfaces.
Next, apply a mild shampoo like Fenwicks Caravan Cleaner or Autoglym Caravan & Motorhome Cleaner. Work the surface with a long-handled brush to remove any remaining grime or algae. Finally, rinse off with clean water.
External cladding
Consider cleaning external cladding twice yearly to prevent grime or algae from building up. Start by using a pressure washer or a hosepipe to remove loose dirt. Then follow up with a mild shampoo like Fenwicks Caravan Cleaner or Autoglym Caravan & Motorhome Cleaner. You can brush these cleaners into the cladding to remove stubborn algae before rinsing with water.
Another alternative is to use a wax-based automotive product like Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner, which also contains a sealant. Wax and sealants help prevent dirt and grime from building up again.
Windows
Static caravan windows are cleaned in the same way as traditional home and conservatory windows. All you need is:
- a bucket of warm water containing washing-up liquid
- a sponge and an optional soft brush
- window cleaner squeegee or silicone drying blade
- a soft cloth
Start by cleaning the seals with a sponge and soapy water, as this is where algae, mould and moss accumulate the most. Next, wash the window frames and cills before rinsing them with clean water. Remember to turn the water pressure down if using a pressure washer. At this stage, you can dry the frames with a clean cloth.
Finally, use a soapy sponge over the glass and clean the suds from top to bottom with a squeegee. You can remove the suds from the cills with a cloth.
Top Tip! It’s easy to take the shine off plastic and leave a crazed finish, so avoid using an abrasive surface like a dishwashing sponge to clean UPVC. Likewise, you can use a soft alloy wheel brush to clean seals and joints, but avoid using a scrubbing brush.
Decking
Use a yard brush to sweep the decking and remove leaves and loose debris before rinsing off with water. The next step depends on whether you have plastic or wood decking.
Plastic, UPVC or composite decking is best treated with a Composite Decking Cleaner. These cleaners are typically added to water as a concentrate and applied with a pressure washer or a brush.
Ronseal Decking Cleaner & Reviver is perfect for cleaning mould, fungus and stains from wooden decking. Apply the product undiluted, and agitate grime with a brush before rinsing with clean water. Using a pressure washer on naturally oiled decking is fine. But it’s easy to strip sealant or stain with a pressure washer.
Top Tip! Washing up liquid and water is often used to clean decking. However, washing up liquid is less effective at removing algae and mould than purpose-made cleaners. Moreover, washing up liquid leaves a slippery surface unless removed entirely with clean water. Our advice is to use decking cleaners.
Final thoughts
The more you clean your static caravan, the easier it becomes as the dirt, grime, mould, and algae have less chance to build up. You’ll help protect the value of your unit by reducing the cosmetic damage. And it always feels good to stand out from the crowd in the park!