Is your RV still dirty from your last trip? Do you hate to clean them as much as I do? If the answer to these questions is yes, then we have got you covered.
Instead of scrubbing your RV clean yourself, you can get them detailed professionally. Who does not want their expensive motorhome investment to keep shining at its finest?
Some people might prefer to clean their RV themselves to save their money. However, RVs tend to be large, and many owners just do not have the time, equipment, or the will to tackle this strenuous task themselves. This is why they look for professional help to detail their RVs.
At this point, you must be looking for the answers to two core questions.
How much does the RV detailing cost?
What is included in your RV detailing?
Read on to find out more about RV detailing in the following article.
Why Do You Need to Detail Your RV?
Even though you might save some money on this job by doing everything yourself, RV detailing is a meticulous process. You need all the right cleaners, wax products, and a massive amount of information on dealing with a metal’s worst enemy, corrosion.
It might seem quite unnecessary, but detailing your RV can have multiple benefits. So why do you even need to detail your coach?
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Exterior
Well, first of all, your motorhome is exposed to the harsh environment outside for a large amount of time. Since they are extremely large, you cannot just tuck them safely in your home garage.
They have to withstand the sun, wind, rain, or even snow unless you own a good quality RV cover. All these elements alleviate the damage to the RV’s metal exterior.
Therefore, detailing involves protecting the exposed RV from damage to increase its lifespan. If you fail to look after the exterior, the RV will end up looking old and unsightly in no time.
Apart from this, you might even end up losing its sale value. Since detailing your RV costs much less than buying a new one, you can always travel in style wherever you go.
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Interior
Coming to the interior, you must keep in mind that this is where you will live. If your living space is unhygienic and dirty, it will quickly become uninhabitable. Dust and bad odor can settle in your furniture and carpets, making it unsanitary to even walk barefoot in your RV. Besides this, cooking on a greasy stove or washing your utensils in a dirty dishwasher does not sound appealing to anyone.
In case you own a pet, their fur can even embed in your bed, carpet, or sofa. Not only does this pose a health concern, but I am sure you do not want the hair to stick on your clothes and body as well.
What Is Included in RV Detailing?
So what does come under RV detailing?
Is it similar to going through a car wash?
Does it include just washing your exterior body with soap and water?
To answer your questions, detailing involves much more than splashing water on your RV and calling it a day. Let’s take a look into all the services you can get in your RV detailing.
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Exterior
To start with, the exposed surface of the RV is scrubbed down and washed to get rid of all the dirt accumulated on your previous trips. The surface is waxed with specific high-quality wax products to compliment the metal used in its body. Along with this, the wheel rims and tires are cleaned until they start shining like new ones.
Moreover, all the windows are wiped down to help you view the green meadows or snowy mountain caps. In the case where your RV has started oxidizing, professionals will make sure to tackle them before rust settles in the whole body.
This part of RV detailing cannot be done by yourself since it requires a large amount of expertise and expensive equipment to prevent further oxidation. Professionals will buff and paint the body to bring it back to its original shine.
Additionally, you can even pay to get your roofs and awning washed. They tend to gather a large amount of dust and are prone to wear and tear from the harsh environment.
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Interior
Now that we have covered all the aspects of exterior detailing, let us move to the interior. So what do these professionals offer when it comes to cleaning the interior of your RV? To answer simply, they are going to deep cleanse everything. And by everything, I mean everything.
To begin with, they offer vacuum cleaning of your carpeted floor, dusting off all the surfaces exposed to the air, and cleaning down the windows to leave them squeaky clean. In addition, they will wipe down your kitchen and bathroom counters, clean out your tables, and get rid of all sorts of stains with high-quality products. Thus, you will be left with a stain-free pristine interior.
Apart from this, the professionals even offer to shampoo the carpets, chairs, and sofas if your interior space requires a much deeper cleansing. Besides this, you can even pay to get your kitchen, bathroom, living quarter, and the driver’s cabin scrubbed down from top to bottom.
Overall, you can even ask your RV detailers for additional cleaning options depending on the condition of your RV. If you have kept the interior quite clean in the time between successive professional detailing, you might not require all the options offered by the detailers.
How Much Does It Cost To Detail Your RV?
Before we start bringing numbers in, let me warn you that RV detailing might not be cheap. However, when you compare the cost of buying a new vehicle with the amount spent on its maintenance, RV detailing will surely feel cheaper. Since servicing your motorhome increases its lifespan, your RV will remain by your side for a long time.
The cost of detailing your RV depends on multiple factors. These include the size of your RV, the condition of your RV, the services you want, and of course, the detailer itself.
Overall, RV detailing can cost you about $9 to $35 per square foot. Keep in mind that the cost differs from one type of RV to another. They might have the same dimensions, but their built and interior design might be quite different.
Cost Depending On Size
Although the average length of an RV is around 33 feet, they can range from 21 to 45 feet in length. Since detailers tend to charge by foot for their services, at an average, they can charge around $200 to $350 for a complete detailing of a medium-sized RV.
This is why the size of your vehicle can make a huge difference when you add up the final cost. We have listed down the average cost of detailing RVs of different sizes below for your benefit.
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Small
Anything smaller than 21 feet in length can be classified as a small RV. For example, Class C motorhomes are considered in this category. At an average, depending on the services, detailer, and conditions, detailing can cost you around $100 to $200.
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Medium
Medium-sized RVs have a length of 21 to 27 feet and tend to be Class C motorhomes as well. As mentioned above, they can cost you anywhere between a range of $200 to $350.
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Large
Measuring a hefty 28 to 39 feet in length, these larger RVs include towable campers and Class A motorhomes. Depending on the size and multiple other factors, the average cost of detailing can rack up anything around $300 to $400.
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Extra-Large
Coming to extra-large RVs, they are over 40 feet in length and can even weigh over 40000 pounds. These big Class A motorhomes can be quite expensive to detail, costing you around $400 to $600.
Cost Depending On Interior Detailing
Depending on the servicing package of your choice, interior detailing can be profitable for you. Such that, the more services you add, the less you end up paying per service. Bear in mind that detailers often customize their packages to provide value to the RV owners.
For basic detailing, the interior can cost you around $10 to $12 per foot. However, if you add more services, the final cost will end up being quite high. So if you want to get a high-quality spotting treatment or maybe service your leather furniture, make sure that you have enough money in your pocket.
While normal servicing includes cleaning your appliances, carpets, bathrooms, and even kitchen, a complete interior detailing can cost up to $25 per square foot.
As per recommendation, owners should get complete RV detailing once every year. Using an RV cover or cleaning it yourself after every use is not adequate to keep your RV in top shape and sanitary. If you use your motorhome frequently, you can just opt for a simple interior detailing. Instead of getting a deep-clean, choose a package with simple vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning.
Since it is quite easy to vacuum a small space, you can always choose to clean your RV yourself. Not only will your vehicle remain clean, but you will end up paying less on your annual RV detailing.
Where Should You Get Your RV Detailing From?
While you might find a professional RV detailer in some places, many areas do not have detailing companies that offer to deep-clean everything. They might just offer services for the exterior of the RV, like waxing, polishing, and cleaning out the tires.
However, there are some places where you cannot find an RV detailer at all. In such circumstances, you will have to drive your RV to a location where they do. If this is not possible, there is another way to get your RV detailed. Simply, find a car detailer and pay them to clean the exterior. Next, get in touch with a cleaning company to deep-clean the interior.
If you own a larger RV, a car detailer might not be equipped or specialized enough to deal with your RV. Comparatively, smaller Class C RVs can be easier to clean by these companies. Before you take your motorhome to any detailer, make sure that they can handle classic RV exteriors like fiberglass, vinyl, or aluminum.
Although it might sound quite tedious to take your RV from one place to another for just a clean-up, it will prove to be beneficial in the long run. Don’t you want your beloved RV to keep running for a long time?
How to Spend Less on RV Detailing?
You might have saved money for a long time just to purchase your first RV. So I am sure you want your RV to have a long lifespan. But what if you cannot afford to get a complete RV detailing regularly? You cannot let it wither in front of you, right? Well, this is where we come in. We are going to tell you how to save up money on your RV detailing.
Firstly, you need to look for companies that will charge you reasonably for the same services that other expensive detailers are offering. Most of the time, well-known brands provide services for a much higher price. Try negotiating your RV detailing costs and look for packages that benefit you.
Secondly, do not go all out on the services by checking everything that the company is offering you. Inspect your RV carefully and make a list of all the services it direly needs. Choosing all the options on the detailer’s list will get quite expensive. Moreover, there are a lot of ways to keep your RV clean without needing professional help.
The best way to save money on your RV detailing is to get your motorhome washed and waxed thoroughly once a year. If it has started oxidizing in some places, then the overall cost might climb. However, annual detailing tends to keep your RV safe from corrosion. For the interior, you can clean everything yourself regularly to keep it shiny like the day you bought your RV.
How Can You Detail Your RV At Home?
Although we have agreed that getting your RV detailed by professionals has many benefits, it is not impossible to do the tedious job yourself. It might require effort, time, and some money, but you will end up saving a lot of money. Apart from this, you might have to read the instruction manuals and research on different types of cleaning products as well.
If you think that you can get the job done by splashing some soapy water on the exterior and call it a day, you’re quite misguided. Read on to find some ways to clean both the exterior and interior of your RV.
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Exterior
Compared to cleaning a car, RVs are on a whole another level. Not only are they huge, but they have a different built from each other. Such that, some might be constructed from aluminum and others might have a vinyl exterior.
For aluminum clad exterior, there are a lot of things that you need to be careful of. To start with, you cannot wash the body while it is running hot, and you certainly cannot use abrasive cleaning products. This includes using chlorine-based cleaning products. Many RVs come with a detailed manual with instructions on how to clean your vehicle. Some even recommend using RV super seal for waxing the exterior.
When it comes to vinyl siding, you can simply make a mixture of 30% vinegar and 70% water to clean the exterior. Use a large, sponge, or wash-clothe to reach all the corners. Also, do not forget to use gloves before you start scrubbing. After cleaning your motorhome with the mixture, simply wash off the solution using a water pipe.
Fiberglass RVs need more care than other materials. Since they have a gel coating on the exterior, you have to make sure not to damage it while cleaning the body.
First, wipe off any dirt or debris, then use gentle soaps or make a mixture of detergent and water to clean the RV. Opt for a large sponge to clean the whole surface thoroughly.
Next, rinse off the mixture by a garden hose and wipe off the surface with a rag. After this, you need to invest in a high-quality fiberglass polish and wax to finish the whole process. You can find this easily at any online store.
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Interior
As mentioned previously, the interior can be kept clean without much effort. Just keep vacuuming the carpets and dust all the surfaces and appliances regularly. This makes sure that they work efficiently for a long time. Besides this, invest in a few stain removers and cleaning products to keep your furniture and stovetops spot-free.
While you are cleaning the interior, ensure that all the plumbing and freshwater system is functioning properly. If you maintain a habit of cleaning up the RV after every trip, I can guarantee that you will end up saving a huge amount of money on your annual professional RV detailing.
Conclusion
On the one hand, some people might prefer to get a complete RV detailing by a professional detailer. On the other hand, few might want to save up money by taking care of their RV. Whatever the case, RV detailing helps to increase the lifespan of your expensive motorhome. Hopefully, this article has covered all the aspects of RV detailing for you.
