Keep it clean...

your rig that is! So my wife and I are planning on hitting the road this coming November for the south. We will be traveling around and not staying in one place for more than two or three weeks. So the question is how/where do you wash your rig? Thanks in advance for your input.

Been wondering that myself. After a 3 month trip last year, got home with a dirty boy.

Some parks allow washing for a fee. Just left one that charges $5 for your truck or camper. Yesterday we came back to a business card stuck in our door from a mobile wash/wax service. Others have taken theirs through Blue Beacon truck wash. I give ours a sponge bath using 5-6 gallons of water when I can get away with it. Never washed the roof on the road but have seen others on theirs.
Currently in Los Fresnos, TX


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When we arrived at a cg I would wash the front to get the bugs off. It never took more then water and a scrub brush. I would disconnect the trailer and pull forward just enough to climb in the bed of the truck . Was able to reach all of the front cap. Never had a cg owner tell me not to do it but I didn't ask either.
Don

I have even gone out in the rain and scrubbed down the rig, then let the rain rinse it. This process works well for long rain periods because the bug are fully hydrated.

I have thought about using the truck washes but I don't know for sure how the process works or how much they usually charge for the truck and camper. Plus the lines are always wrapped around and up the access road at the one that I sometimes consider using. If I wash at the campground its usually early in the morning before 8:00 am and I don't usually ask permission. The mobile service I used once charged $2.00 per foot to wash the entire camper, roof, wheels and awning(s) included and $7.00 per foot to wash and wax with a hand buff. I have to say after the wax it sure was beautiful.
But, I have seen mobile RV wash as high as $5.00/foot for a basic wash and $25.00/foot for wash and wax, crazy expensive. Makes me wish I still had kids at home.

Washing bugs of the front cap is no different than a big class A cleaning their windshield. I've not had anyone question that either nor washing the windows. I've done the rain rinse too!!
I think the point is, if it's so dirty you want it clean there are many options.


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Yup. Many different options I guess. I have used the product pictured on both my TV and the fiver. A can goes a long way actually. Waterless and it does a really nice job to boot. Even works on glass. Made by RGS Labs. I think I ordered a case of 12 online a year or two back.


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Here's one way to keep it looking sharp...



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Has anyone ever filled up their freshwater tank and gone to a large empty parking lot (like a school on the weekends) and cleaned their trailer?


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pjones1969 said:

Has anyone ever filled up their freshwater tank and gone to a large empty parking lot (like a school on the weekends) and cleaned their trailer?


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Click to expand...

So you fill buckets with soap and water from your trailer and break out the ladder and go to town? Can't say I've ever done that.

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Yes, that's what I'm thinking, using the outdoor spray port and attach a longer hose, go ahead and exercise the generator while at it.


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Being a seasonal site holder, the CG owner doesn't mind if I wash my rig on my site so I do it while we're there. Like shortly after we park on site, mid-summer, and before pulling off in the fall.

We go thru the Blue Beacon truck wash near Brunswick, Georgia on the way to Florida. That at least gets the crud off things from the drive down. You pull in to the drive-thru bay and about six guys come out give the truck and trailer a good rinse, brush it, then you get the rainstorm from the ceiling mounted sprinkler system to rinse the whole thing off. A wash there without wax or shine or Rain-X costs about $45, if memory serves.

The last two years we've also had a company come out to the trailer and do a full detail and wax job on the truck and trailer, for $300. We used Incredible Detailing, who are based in the Kissimmee area.

I fill my tank half way and wash in the storage lot at our HOA. Works well. Bucket Rinse.

pjones1969 said:

Has anyone ever filled up their freshwater tank and gone to a large empty parking lot (like a school on the weekends) and cleaned their trailer?

Click to expand...

We use the Blue Beacon multiple times a year. Price varies from a high of $64 in New Jersey to a low of $48 in Carlisle, PA. That is truck, trailer and the Rain-X rinse. 8 people doing a wash in 20 minutes or so. The pit boss will do an inspection with you if you like when done and they will touch up anything missed. They once knocked off a marker light lens and offered to reimburse me for a new lens (I declined, the lens was already cracked, which is why it came off so easy).

Of the half dozen or so different Blue Beacons we've used I have found all employees to be friendly and courteous.

The last trip through I removed the center caps on the truck. With the caps on the wheels don't get as clean as they could be. And since my truck had not been washed since before winter I noticed the windshield was only really clean where the wiper hit. Something for me to point out next time through.

Blue Beacon also offers a under chassis 'salt' rinse

I have waited up to an hour for our run through the wash, but once you have had both shoulders operated on the lost time and money spent become just another expense of the lifestyle.

The best part for me is that just about every trip we come home from south of New Jersey has us passing a Blue Beacon 28 miles from our house. So we most always comes home with a clean rig.

And Blue Beacon - there's an app for that

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Our one "dog camp" we attend is off the pavement and down a typical NE PA gravel and cinder road, about 2 miles or so. The truck and trailer get real dusty there, even doing only a couple miles per hour. I will stop at the first pull off I can after leaving camp and rinse the truck and trailer off with on board water.

Sorry this thread is a little old, but I have a question. For those of you that take your rig to truck washes...Is this alright? I see Blue Beacon is mostly a hand wash, but aren't there drive through power washes? And would one be alright on the RV? Asking because I really want to take care of my camper and wash it more often but time is hard to come by these days with family and full time job. Thank you for your input.

We have been using Blue Beacon for several years. Just tell them low pressure (on the power washers), no chemicals (used on big rigs) and a Rain-X rinse. Looks like it was waxed when finished.

Blue Beacon here. I don't put any restrictions on them other than I do want it brushed. Never had a problem.

I would avoid the truck washes where they do the washing. They use a very high pressure washer and the one time I used one they did major damage (tore) to the decals on the front on my trailer.


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