Washing when traveling

[Tino643]

Hello, we are planning to tour the United States next year for a period of 8 months. Considering that I am a very meticulous with my Airstream, I was wondering what do you do to wash your airstream when you're traveling? Sorry for the english, i am Canadien from the french part....

[Coloradobus]

Tino,

C'est mieux quand vous arrivez a un terrain de camping, de demander au bureau sur le lavager des vehicules recreatirs. Dans les climats humides, il peut ne pas etre un probleme. Mais dans les regions seche de notre sud ouest, vous ne pouvez etre en mesure de vous laver les flux d'air, si vous engagez la societe locale va laver. Bonne chance et bon voyage

[robert claus]

Let's give Tino a list of places where he can stop and wash his Airstream.
I'll go first...
Tino, if you coming through the Chicago area, and want to stop for the night, you are welcome to park in my driveway, and to wash your Airstream.

Robert Clauss
alfauno@wowway.com

[clancy_boy]

Campgrounds usually frown on washing the RV's at the sites. You have 200 campers doing that and the water bills go through the roof. 8 months can be a long time to go without a wash on the road. There are wash facilities at alot of large truck stops - that is one option. You come along I-10 in MS shoot us a PM - you can wash here. Have a great trip.

[moosetags]

We spend a lot of time on the road with Lucy (978 nights/85,000 miles). When on the road, we take Lucy to a do-it-yourself car wash. Lucy always fits and we do the tow vehicle at the same time.

Brian

[Jim Foster]

If you are heading for Disneyland, Anaheim RV Village, only a block from the park, has an RV pull through wash rack. There is an elevated walk down each side so that you don't need a ladder to wash the roof. We stayed at this nice RV park in November.

[SmokelessJoe]

Tino,

You won't have to worry if you follow the many suggestions here.

Like Chris and Jim say, ask at the front desk when you check in. Often there are really good mobile services that travel park to park in a given area. I encountered a really good one in San Antonio, Texas last winter.

Some parks will let you wash if you ask nicely, or keep a blind eye while you do.

Truck stops often have excellent washes, as Clancy Boy says.

Or do what Moosetags does, use the coin operated do-it - yourself places.

All through the American South, particularly in African American communities, there are really good hand washes.

Here's John, wet but not exhausted from washing my whole rig, at his LEMON DELIGHT CARWASH, Natchez on the Mississippi:





He washed the MINI for free, sort of.




Bonne chance,


Sergei

[tpi]

Betabel RV park in Gilroy/ San Juan Bautista CA. area allowed washing when I was there a few years ago, and according to a Feb 2011 rvparkreview still does.
RV Park Reviews :: San Juan Bautista, California ( CA ) - RV Parks and Campground Reviews

Also it never hurts to have some Meguairs Quick Detailer on hand and a few clean towels for between wash touch ups.

[sandlapper]

Originally Posted by Tino643

Hello, we are planning to tour the United States next year for a period of 8 months. Considering that I am a very meticulous with my Airstream, I was wondering what do you do to wash your airstream when you're traveling? Sorry for the english, i am Canadien from the french part....

We have courtesy parking that comes with a free rv wash .

Also down at our coast in Myrtle Beach, Ocean Lakes CG allows washing. If you get to the Carolinas you'll want to check that place out.


South Carolina welcomes you.

[twinkie2]

We have found that many campgrounds with a strick policy against washing don't mind if you use the bucket, water, no soap and cloth (we use microfibers) to wash...then dump the water down the sewer drain. Actually, our previous RV was a 40 ft MH and indeed in just two hours we could completely get it clean no matter how dirty and we actually found that it was as good as a wash with a hose and soap.

[Lily&Me]

We like to keep our little buggy clean, too, inside and out, just see no reason not to. About once a week, we visit a coin-operated car/truck wash.

Most campgrounds prohibit hose/soap/water scrubs at your site, but many will allow you to do this for a small fee. We stayed at one campground that had a specific site specially equipped for washing your rig.

In between washes, Doug uses a bit of water and a squeegee to clean the windows and, as needed, bug bits off the hood and front bumper. No campground owner has ever fussed at us for that.

Microfiber cloths are great for windows inside and out, wash up nicely and are much better than paper towels. We have seen many people wipe their whole rig down daily with one of those. More than we need to do, but.....

Maggie

[AirHog]

If you are going through Rhode Island, you are welcome to stay in our drive way and also wash your unit (tow vehicle included). We have full hook up service (water, electric-30 amp, dump, WiFi). Heck if you guys are nice we will also throw something on the grill for dinner. Just shoot us a note. Our Canadian friends are always welcome.

Just a FYI- power wash is not good for Airstreams. Too much water preasure and may cause leaks through the seams, windows etc If you have to wash use stations where there are regular water preasure and also avoid using commercial soaps that are not safe for clear coats (have your own soap and cleaning mitts).

Best of luck on your long trip.

Titu

[la nomade]

lorsque je voyage,je lave mon airstream avec de l'eau claire dans une bassine et un brosse tres douce qui a une extention de facon a pouvoir laver le haut,ensuite je seche avec une vielle serviette eponge et voila..c'est pas mal..ou je trouve un endroit prive et leurs demande gentillement d'emprunter leurs tuyau d'arrosage...bon voyage....

[JBinKC]

Twinkie2 is absolutely right! Use a small amount of boat soap in a bucket of water with a microfiber towel and you'll get road grime and bugs off very quickly with no streaks. But ice and snow, that's another matter.

[Tino643]

I thought I have no answer to my request .... Thank you very much for all these answers and suggestions...Take care....