Back

RV Mold & Mildew Maintenance

Apr. 23 2024 Maintenance By Mann's RV

Share

Staying on top of regular RV maintenance is crucial to keeping your camper comfortable and safe for all of your travels. One often overlooked area of RV maintenance is the prevention of mold and mildew growth in your RV’s nooks and crannies. Mold and mildew are dangerous substances to breathe in, as well as being unsightly, odiferous, and damaging to the various surfaces of your RV. Here’s how to keep mold and mildew at bay in your RV.

Prevention

It’s better to do what you can to prevent mold from developing in the first place, rather than trying to address it once it’s occurred. Moisture is a common issue for RVers, especially if you’re traveling in wet weather or to very humid regions, and a damp RV is perfect for mold and mildew to thrive in. 

Therefore, preventing moisture buildup can help you to curb this issue. Here are some ways to do this: 

  • Avoid drying wet clothing or leaving wet towels or fabrics in the RV; set up a clothesline outside instead.
  • Open windows and doors to ventilate the bathroom and kitchen after showering or cooking, particularly after boiling water.
  • Open your RV vents when you’re camped to allow for better airflow.
  • Set up fans to dry wet floors in rainy weather.
  • Keep your RV clean, particularly when it comes to wiping up spilled liquids promptly.

Tools

There are a few tools you can buy that will help you to keep track of and reduce the moisture in your RV. A hygrometer is a small device that’s designed to measure humidity, or the amount of moisture in the air. Dehumidifiers are another great tool that you can set up in multiple rooms in your RV to suck the moisture out of the air. And, of course, a couple of box fans can help to improve airflow.

Cleaning Mold & Mildew

Of course, no matter what you try, you may still end up with mold and mildew growth at times. That’s okay. You just need to clean it up promptly, using towels, paper towels, scrub brushes, and cleaning products. Some good cleaning solutions for these nasty substances include: 

  • Tea tree oil
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Distilled ethanol
  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Bleach or borax

Just do a test on an inconspicuous area of the material you’re cleaning to make sure the cleaning solution won’t damage your RV. It may be beneficial to allow some cleaning solutions to soak on the mold or mildew before wiping them away.

If you ever need assistance with any type of RV maintenance, get in touch with the Mann’s RV service department. Schedule your appointment online with our request form or give us a call at (508) 886-4745 to speak to one of our sales associates.

Ready to check out RVs for sale near you? Come see us at our dealership in Rutland, MA, to take a look at our wide stock of new and used RVs for sale. Mann's RV is proud to be your Massachusetts family-owned and -operated RV dealership.