Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos

[GizmosMom]

Another member suggested a new forum section with new products but it doesn't look like it will be feasible. So I thought I would post this here under General RVing Issues. If enough people post (even if you have mentioned it before in another post) we can keep it near the top?

Do you have a handy hint, a new product or an old product that makes your RVing or Camping much better?

(Sorry, no commercial advertising allowed)

I'll start:

Someone in the Camping Van posted a reference to using a Super-Chamois to wipe down their shower. I have been using an icky old thick sponge and I like the chamois idea so much more.

Now I want to hear what works for you

[fullmoonoversal]

fullmoonoversalem wrote:

GizmosMom wrote:
Ours is a wet bathroom and I use the sponge to wipe up the excess water. Nothing like a middle of the night trip to use the toilet and ending up with cold, wet feet!!!!

Yes, these are the types of hints I was looking for! Any and all!

A friend of mine has a wet bathroom also. She uses a really small wet-vac to pick up the moisture. I am not sure what brand or where she got it, but I might consider one of those myself while I am outfitting our new MH.

This may be what Jill used. She is in Europe so I cannot contact her to be sure.

[fullmoonoversal]

GizmosMom wrote:
Ours is a wet bathroom and I use the sponge to wipe up the excess water. Nothing like a middle of the night trip to use the toilet and ending up with cold, wet feet!!!!

Yes, these are the types of hints I was looking for! Any and all!

A friend of mine has a wet bathroom also. She uses a really small wet-vac to pick up the moisture. I am not sure what brand or where she got it, but I might consider one of those myself while I am outfitting our new MH.

[Dshultz50]

Another thought.....when using laundromats. I have my container of powdered detergent in the MH.....when going to do the wash, I sort in the MH and determine how many loads I have. I then put enough for EACH load in separate baggies. That way I don't end up using too much at the washing machine. I also use fabric softener sheets. This way I don't have to haul those heavy containers all over or risk forgetting them at the laundromat.

And years and years ago - a woman who ran a laundromat told me to get a wet hot paper towel and run it up the inside of the tub before putting my laundry in ---in those that don't have an attendant. THEN if the washing machine has been used by someone to dye their clothes, you won't find your clothes tinted!

[Larry_Cohen]

I installed a min max indoor/outdoor thermometer in the fridge with zip ties and ran the wire out the side and up the front plate gasket and attached the display to the wall over the fridge...no more guessing how cold the fridge is OR how hot it got!!

[Lilmtndew]

I have installed plexiglass to the inner door, also on the walls around the stove top. I have added cabinate door latches to all cabinate doors especially the ones that could open going down the road and could be torn off when you extend a slideout. I use rain-x on interior walls and shower door. Wife uses collapseable laundry bags for dirty laundry. We carry a 6ft folding table that sits under the awning for food table (store our coolers and portable refidgeator under the table) I use the awning rod as a guage when backing into a site where the elec./ water hookups are on the side, to allow room for slideout clearance.We use rope lights for awning lites.

[Bob_N_Tinker]

For those with floor vents, you can buy thin vinyl and cut it to the size of you heating vents, keeps the crud out of your heating vents and you don't get a face full of dirt when you turn your furnace on in the winter. Just don't forget to remove them before you turn the furnace on, it will restrict the air flow and could ruin the furnace.

[Mrs_Anthony337]

Awesome thread! I will definitely be looking back at this one when it is time to fill our new RV.

[justALnow]

After the first 2 outings with our new TH (both times with grandkids) we realized that there was really no privacy for the front sleeper area. There's a folding door that closes off the sleeper itself, but not really anywhere to dry off after a shower and get dressed in private.

Next trip to Wally World we got a short, expandable shower curtain rod
and a color co-ordinated, fabric shower curtain and installed it in the hallway.

[barbandwayne]

Before a trip to Florida last year, we bought a 25 foot roll of Reflectix at Lowes. its like bubble wrap with foil on either side. I cut a piece big enough to cover the windshield. It basically stands up by itself,using the visors to sorta hold it up. Also cut some for other windows. Used the windshield cover all the time when we were at the cg, facing south. I took it off the windows when the sun moved to the other side of the mh. We also used it when we camped some this winter. Only problem in winter with that was condensation.

[DONLYN]

Well one the is for, this would clearly make your face red, raise your bp and maybe mess up your pants.:E

[GizmosMom]

Regarding the copper pipe: Does the tape fully coer the hole? And if so how can the air that is blown get anywhere?

I'm been meaning to ask this for a few days now. I'm not very logical.

Or do I have the whole thing backwards? It sounds like a great idea but I have it confused in my old head!

[doc_herb]

A few more -

A slide-topper deflapper - three or more foam swimming noodles, bound together (I use 'endless' twist-ties, cut to fit), slid under the toppers to reduced movement in windy conditions. The noodles have an open core from end-to-end - I run a rope through one then back through another, and knot them, with an 8' long tail - used to pull the noodles out from under the topper from the ground when ready to roll-up. Store the noodles in my shower.

A basement temp. checker - I use a batt. operated two-readout thermomometer with the wired sensor placed near the water pump in my basement. Monitoring temp. there allows me to more easily decide if I need to heat that area via my furnace when cold weather camping.

AC and DC power in my basement - had an electician rig both an AC and a DC outlet in one of my basement areas, so that I can run electrical devices from there without having to run an extension cord from cabin area. Great for using my waste macerator pump (DC), or power tools (AC).

Using my external shower to assist in washing my camper and truck - I bought the fittings necessary to hook my green garden hose up to my external shower, allowing me to use the camper's water pump in rinsing my unit before and after soaping - sometimes I can't find a place to wash my unit in any other way for weeks at a time.

Running coax cable into unit without any external connectors and no new holes in skin - my unit didn't come equipped with outside cable hook-ups, and I didn't want to put new holes in my skin. I came across 'flat' coax connectors at the local RV shop (10" long). I open a window near the TV, fit the flat coax into the sill, then shut the window (tightly). Weather-proof.

Herb

[doc_herb]

3 dog nights wrote:
This is one of my favorite's. Go to Lowes or HD and get an 18" piece of copper pipe about 3/8 or 1/4 diameter. Put a piece of tape around one end. You now have the greatest tool ever made to keep your campfire going if the wood is wet or a little to green. If you've ever spent the night blowing on a fire trying to keep it going or to get it to flare up again, you will love this. It will turn the smallest flame into a blowtorch in nothing flat.
edit: obviously you blow into the end with the tape

3-dog, great idea, but I'd go longer than 18". I found that 18" will get you to your knees, while 30" will keep you in your chair.
Herb

[doc_herb]

Dianne and Tom wrote:
We have a 2 drawer deep plastic unit that we had in our first rv as there was no pantry and I used it to store grocery items. We now use it as a portable "dresser",we bring it in before a trip,load it up with under wear,my nightgowns,socks etc and put it in the closet,it fits under Tom's shirts. Its just so much easier than taking arm loads of clothes out,especially if its raining-which has happened to us before! I also got Tom to get me a tension rod to put in the shower(when not in use) to hang wet clothing items that can't be put in the dryer. I don't like to hang clothes outside for the birds to visit or neighbors to see(Ok-I'm weird!) We have 2 way rechargable radios that we not only use to help back in but we give one to friends we travel with. We try to follow each other,but they have a motorhome,need fuel less often and don't have to stop to make a sandwich. We are usually close enough to beep each other and let each other know whats going on. We keep one in our rv during the
day too and if we want to go somewhere we don't have to run over.We are both night owls but turn them off when we go to bed,unless we need an early wake up call from the other!


Dianne

Diane, I read your post to my wife, and she said to me, "I feel like I've know her all my life!".

Herb

[Dshultz50]

This is a GREAT thread! I, too, think it'd be great as a forum by itself.

We've done lots to modify our MH for our use when we go full-timing (hopefully, soon)

1) DH built a "head board" to put behind our bed. With the window and day/night shades, you couldn't sit up in bed to read. This headboard stays in place until we travel and we pull it up and lay it on the bed. It's padded and VERY comfortable.

2) DH removed the tube tvs and have replaced with flat LCD tvs. The front tv is in an entertainment unit. He put the sub-woofer to the surround sound behind the tv and strapped it in. He's wired the MH for the surround sound. The back tv (in the bedroom) hangs on a new "door" he made. The space behind is approx 18" deep -- perfect for storing DVDs.

3) We have a DP -- and the front console has 2 cupholder thing that came with the MH. It's too far away to be of use, so he's in the process of removing that and putting in a bracket to hold the CB unit.

4) DH has put up a new plastic "wall" on the counter beside the stovetop to keep the cats from jumping up on the counter while I'm cooking.

5) Our shelves above the couch are where we have to store our food - dry goods. He put in "walls" that run front to back and are easily moved. Now the goods, including alum. foil and seran wrap, stay in place.

6) We removed the table and chairs and put in a file cabinet and new desk top. It's big enough to hold our laptop, scanner, and printer.

7) With the table removed, we now have room for a kitchen cart. The cart provides me more counter space and has a wide drawer for silverware and 2 shelf cabinet. It also has a knife rack on the back side and a towel rack on the front side.

😎 We were ready to purchase a dash cover for $200+ to protect from kitty claws when we found out they won't make them for our brand of MH. So we went to the carpet store and bought carpet for auto flooring and are in the process of making our own. The cost of materials and for the carpet store to bind is approx $60.00 total.

Thanks all for the GREAT suggestions and hints!!!!