If your caravan has been lying unused or has not been cleaned in a while, it may be in need of some thorough cleaning. If you are looking for tips or advice regarding the right way to wash your caravan and wondering if it is safe to use a jet wash (or pressure washer) on the caravan, you are in the right place.
Read on as we offer helpful tips to wash your caravan the right way.
Is It Safe To Jet Wash My Caravan?
Unlike regular vehicles, cleaning a caravan is difficult. The main reason for this is their height, size, and design. Not only are the caravans bulky and tall, but they also have many multiple windows, crevices, and seals, which are tricky to clean.
You may have seen workers at auto shops or dealerships and people, in general, using pressure washers to clean vehicles and may wonder if you can do the same for your caravan.
However, it is important to know that it is unsafe to jet wash your caravan. Doing so may cause damage to your precious vehicle, and if you want to prevent damage to your caravan, you must adopt safer ways to clean your caravan.
Here are a few reasons why jet washing or pressure washing your caravan is not a good idea:
High Water Pressure Damages Caravan Window Seals
If you have seen a jet washer at work, you may be familiar with how it works. A large amount of water is pushed out from a small nozzle with speed, causing the water to come out with high force.
The PSI, or pound-force per square inch, in this case, is so high that it can be damaging to the caravan. So if you want to use a pressure washer, you may want to check the pressure first.
Generally, it is so high that if you use it on windows, the window seals may become loose, or water may get behind them, compromising the adhesive capability of the caulking or window sealant.
It may even cause the seal to come off. Once the seal is compromised or washed off, you can imagine the kind of damage this can inflict on the vehicle.
High Water Pressure Can Damage Fibreglass
If you jet wash a caravan, it can also cause significant damage to the fibreglass, compromise the integrity of the vehicle, and will, by extension, affect the life of your caravan.
High Water Pressure Can Damage The Wood & Paint
Like fibreglass, the pressure wash may not spare the paint on your vehicle and cause the wood to rot if it penetrates the surface. As you know, this also affects your caravan’s life and may cause you to incur a hefty repair cost.
Moreover, some jet washers come with powerful washing liquids or soaps, which can ruin your caravan’s paint, logo, or designs. Therefore, it is important that when you wash your caravan with a soap or washing agent, ensure that it is safe to use and will not compromise your caravan’s paint job.
The last thing you would want is to opt for a cleaning method that does more harm than good. Thus it is always important to use the right cleaning method and safely wash your caravan so you can enjoy it for a very long time.
How Can I Clean A Caravan Instead Of A Jet Wash?
Using a garden hose and sponge to clean your caravan is better. Grab a bucket, soap, and a sponge and clean the dirt. You can adjust the pressure on the hose to ensure it is right for the caravan and spray from a distance. You can also use wet wipes or a sponge to clean smaller areas where the hose cannot reach.
The general confusion regarding cleaning a caravan with a jet wash is derived from when people see workers at dealerships or car-washing units using pressure washers to clean vehicles, including bigger vehicles like caravans, etc. However, there are two reasons why we do not recommend following in their lead.
Firstly, the people at these commercial facilities are experts in the field and may have years of experience in vehicle washing and cleaning. They may know the right and safe way to use a jet wash on a caravan.
Therefore, unless you have the right knowledge and experience, you must not attempt to jet wash the caravan yourself.
Secondly, it usually takes a while before the impact of jet washing becomes evident. Take window seals, for instance. If your caravan has aged seals, they become brittle with time, and pressure washing will cause water to get behind the seals.
Sometimes, you may notice the seal loosening and coming off. But, on the other hand, the employee at the dealership does not have to bear the consequences if water gets behind the seal or the fabric.
How Can I Jet Wash A Caravan?
In some instances, you can use a jet washer on the caravan. But, firstly, you must know how to use a pressure washer. If you want to use one, consider a washer where it is possible to adjust the pressure setting and set it to a lower pressure.
Jet washing or pressure washing can really work a treat if you’re looking to clean your caravan decking.
But if cleaning the main caravan structure you must spray from a distance and make sure you stay away from the doors, locker, or window seals. If possible, use a diffuser spray to ensure that water does not cause damage to any structural component of the caravan.
That said, it is highly recommended to consider alternative cleaning methods. For example, you may think pressure washing would get the job done quicker. However, if you do not use the right methods or do it safely, it may cause more harm than good.
