One aspect I was very much looking forward to when downsizing from a 3,600 sq. ft. house to a 40-ft RV, was the decrease in time and energy spent cleaning! Who can relate?

The cleaning aspect of living in an RV is two-sided. Let's look to the details:

So yes, I can sweep the floors in about eight minutes, but I will sweep three or four times a day to keep the RV clean. Now, that is still major time saving on a daily basis, but a little more than I had anticipated. Knowing these details are helpful in setting a real expectation for your home on wheels. Now that we know how much time is generally allotted, lets looking at the finer details.

What are the best cleaning products for your RV, inside and outside?

Guest Post and Photos by Laura Georgieff

Cleaning Tools

Not exactly cleaning products - let's start by the tools you have to own to keep your RV clean. I am including convenient links to Amazon for each one of them, but all are available at Walmart (head to the Auto Center first), in case you are already on the road and getting shipments is difficult:

A Simple Broom

Most modern RVs come with a central vacuum. While it is impressively designed and can reach all corners of your rig, it is a bulky item that takes a little too much time setting up to be very convenient on a daily basis.

Get a broom and a stick 'n peel Command broom gripper to keep securely stowed away during transport. As needed throughout the day, simply broom, and your interior will look fresh and new in 5 minutes tops!

Spray Mop

This spray mop is my absolute favorite and a true life saver!!! We use it with just water and it leaves our floors clean and shiny. The microfiber pads lift stains right off the ground thanks to the swiveling head, and can be thrown in the washing machine as needed.

I was worried the water might spill out of the reservoir during transport, but it never has, no matter how curvy or bumpy the road is! You could empty it before driving, but we leave all of the water in ours and it remains securely sealed. For tougher stains, or a clean smell, you can choose to mix in your favorite cleaning product to the water reservoir!

RV Windshield Brush And Squeegee

Whether you tow with a truck, or drive a Class A / Class C motorhome, you will need to keep your windshield clean. A long pole brush and squeegee can keep you nice and clean between professional washes!

On-the-road tip: if shopping at Walmart, you may need to purchase just the washer/squeegee head, and screw it to a long pole from the painting department at a home improvement store.

We love this tool and use it on the outside of the RV with vehicle-safe products when it needs a wash! It helps us reach those higher spots and you can use at home for higher windows as well!

All The Microfibers

You will live on microfibers and might as well buy the bulk packs in multiple sizes!!

Microfiber cloths are a beautiful cleaning tool that you will use on mirrors, windows, and TVs to remove all marks; on countertops to bring back the shine, around the car to dry off after cleaning, inside the car / driving cabin to dust, and outside the rig to prevent soap and water marks.

Since using microfiber cloths, I have even stopped using glass cleaning spray. All it takes is a little splash of water and a microfiber cloth, and you have a clean mirror or window!

In between uses, throw in the washing machine and dryer! You may go through a couple of those a day, so be sure to buy the 12-pack!

Car / RV Bug Sponge

This one is for your vehicle(s). If you've driven through Florida during Love Bug season... you know! Having a performant bug sponge will make your life so much easier. We will be discussing our favorite bug and tar cleaner below, but this sponge will make a world of a difference once you hit the road!

Pressure Washer

We sometimes see motorhome owners traveling with their own pressure washer and cleaning their rigs in campgrounds. While that is an excellent idea and can save you lots in the long run, the trick is finding campgrounds that allow the behavior. In 13 months of full-time RVing, I can count on the fingers of one hand, campgrounds allowing washes...

We tend to leave our pressure washer home but have seen more than one rig owner using theirs. The neat thing about them, is that you can add a car wash and wax solution to the pressure washer and kill two birds with a stone!

Cleaning Products

Toxin-Free Cleaning Products

You will find yourself cleaning a lot more often in a small space than you do at home. I may go a week between cleaning my bathroom at home, but when 5 of us use one small RV bathroom every day, I clean it every couple of days. And because of the smaller spaces, your family will be in close contact with the products you use.

I swear by Branch Basics for the quality of their products and their incredible performance! From countertops to glass, showers, fridge, indoor and outdoor furniture, your grill... you name it. We have tested it all and it has always gotten the job done.

We love it for RVing because you buy a bottle of concentrate and add water to spray bottles to mix into cleaning products. The same bottle of concentrate makes an all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, and a streak-free glass cleaner. You'll be saving a ton of space and I recommend ordering a starter kit to receive all of the bottles and the Oxygen Boost.

RV Tank Cleaners

Yep, that needs cleaning too! And believe me, you'll want to make sure you keep those babies on hand! RV tank cleaner drop-ins can just be dropped into your toilet, straight into the black tank. They will clean your tank in 12 to 24 hours with a concentrated formula that helps with smell control and removes waste and paper from your tank's walls and sensors, by breaking down all the residues!

Bug And Tar

I will dare calling this bug and tar remover, magic! If you drive a fifth wheel or travel trailer, you know the tar nightmare. Drive on a newer road and the front of your trailer is covered in tar, that had time to dry and harden by the time you get to the campground! Trying to wash this off with a sponge and a regular cleaning solution will only spread the problem...

And of course, all vehicles are prone to being covered in bugs, butterflies, love bugs... within a half hour of driving in the spring and summer.

This is where the bug and tar remover comes into play. Use the car / RV bug sponge I mentioned above and start scrubbing the remover onto the tar and bugs. If you do this quickly after the damage was done, it will not even take scrubbing. A gentle rub with do it! You will need to see it to believe it! The first time I used it, I removed month-old tar stains I had never imagined would come off!

Car Cleaning And Waxing

If you are trying to prolong the time between car wash visits, traveling with your own sponges, microfiber cloths, and a car cleaning and wax solution will make a world of a difference.

We like to keep car wash mitts and a simple car wash and wax solution in the cargo space at all times. The trick is finding a campground that allows vehicle washing while on property... We generally use a bucket of water to minimize water spending and give the vehicles a quick bath, but make sure to check campground rules first.

Using a car wash soap that includes wax will protect your vehicle from the sun and elements. It is generally recommended to use on a cold vehicle to avoid leaving marks. Remember to always rinse well, and use those microfiber cloths to completely dry off. Larger cloths will work better than smaller household ones!

RV 101: The Best Cleaning Products for your RV

Keeping a clean RV, inside and out, does not take up a ton of time, but you may find yourself cleaning more often than you do at home. Keeping a shoe-free interior and tending to outdoor work as quickly as possible, will generally save you from hard and time-consuming work. Simply keep up with the work! I hope that this list helps you prepare for your next adventure and keep your RV nice and shiny!