What do you do?

[Anmacc2]

Well we're getting set for our next trip, about 4000 miles over about 4 weeks. Usually I detail the van and TT and all of our gear inside and out. Start out with it all sparkling! It lasts (at least on the outside) less than a week. This time we're detailing the interiors but just a quick wash on the outside of the TT and Van. No polishing the chrome, no shine on the tires, no waxing out every little smudge and spot, no back to black on the running boards and mud guards, no scrubbing the awning till it's white white.... You get it. What do you do? Do you detail it before you go? When you get back? Both?

[spoon059]

I've owned my truck for right about 2 years... washed and waxed it for the first time this spring when the pollen finally died down.

I've owned my trailer for 2.5 years, never washed it. Its stored under a carport, but there are no sides so it gets some dirt. We clean out the inside every couple of trips, always after a trip to the beach with all that sand.

I'm just not someone who labors over a toy. I bought the truck to be a tool to tow my trailer. I bought my trailer to be a toy that is enjoyed and used. Its not nearly as fun to me to spend an entire day sweating and buffing a truck and trailer that will just get road grime and dirt the next day when I leave for a trip.

My friend, on the other hand... he washes and waxes his truck and camper before every trip. I joked to him over the 4th that he is gonna eventually wash the paint off his truck...

[1stgenfarmboy]

gmw photos wrote:
Besides, everybody know a clean and waxed car drives better ! :).

heck yes they do, they drive better, run better, and they are faster, wind drag is a real thing........












.................in my head

[gmw_photos]

Yep, I'm the guy that washes the truck every week or more often and waxes it every month. The trailer gets waxed three or so times per year. So yes, it's all clean before I leave, I usually clean the truck and trailer while I am out on the road, and again when I get home.
WTH, I powerwash out the inside of my horse trailers after every time they are used. My stuff looks new for years.

You call it crazy if you want, but I call it pride of ownership. Washing and waxing stuff is therapeutic. I keep stuff for a long time and I want it to look good all the time I own and use it. Besides, everybody know a clean and waxed car drives better ! 🙂

I have a carpet and upholstery shampooer.....a few weeks ago I totally detailed one of my daughter's car and my grand-daughters car.

[1stgenfarmboy]

I am kind-of-a clean freek so yes wash truck and TT even though the TT is under cover and under roof, most of the time we run into rain within a couple hours from home and the hole deal is filthy and the rest of the trip I am looking at it thinking why did I wast my time.


when we get home truck and camper get another scrubbing and the cover goes on the TT and the truck goes in the barn.

[afidel]

I drive the vehicle through the car wash when it's looking dirty or after driving through winter salt, haven't done anything to the trailer yet. I've never waxed any vehicle I've owned, only show cars I've helped friends with, modern clearcoat eliminates the need to apply polish for paint protection and I can give a **** what they look like. Life's too short and busy to make up pointless tasks for myself 😃

[Cecilt]

I always like going on our vacations with a washed TT and truck. For the weekend getaways I don't worry about it. Will use a waterless product while in a campground to wash the TT and truck since I am normally just killing time anyway waiting for the pool to open and time to pass before cracking the first cold one!

[GrandpaKip]

Wash and wax truck twice a year. Same for the camper. Basic cleaning inside the camper, just like the house.
When on my deathbed, I won't say, "****, I shoulda cleaned more often."

[CavemanCharlie]

Gdetrailer wrote:

Anmacc2 wrote:
Well we're getting set for our next trip, about 4000 miles over about 4 weeks. Usually I detail the van and TT and all of our gear inside and out. Start out with it all sparkling! It lasts (at least on the outside) less than a week. This time we're detailing the interiors but just a quick wash on the outside of the TT and Van. No polishing the chrome, no shine on the tires, no waxing out every little smudge and spot, no back to black on the running boards and mud guards, no scrubbing the awning till it's white white.... You get it. What do you do? Do you detail it before you go? When you get back? Both?

I really don't understand why folks beat themselves silly "detailing" their vehicles and trailers to death.

A simple and quick wash and I am done, no waxing, no polishing, no clay bars, no endless hrs of fruitless effort spent, nothing.

Why?

Well, simply put within a couple miles of driving the windshield and all front facing surfaces will have bunches of bug splats, road dust, pollen will quickly take up that clean surface and hide it.. One rain and all of your hard work is down the drain.

Sure, it is nice to look at a clean rig, but really it is only clean for a couple of minutes and depending on how bad the pollens are, seconds after you rinse it.

Free yourself of a useless ritual, just a quick wash and go camp..

I agree.

I do clean up the pickup a few times a year. Get rid of the bug splatters, vacuum it out, clean the seats, ETC. And, I do take the truck to the car wash after it rains (I live on a gravel road) In the spring I clean up the Travel Trailer and add a little paint to the frame / wheels , or where ever else it needs it. After that I wash the Travel Trailer once or twice a year. Or, when it rains and I have to pull it down the gravel road.

I would rather be using it then cleaning it.

[danimal53]

usually a pretty good scrubbing when we get back, especially to get the bugs off. our TV is also our daily commuter, so it's washed/waxed regularly anyway. we do a pretty good cleaning of the inside of the TT when we get back. With 2 huskies shedding, the TV is essentially never clean anyway, but a thorough vacuuming happens regularly as well.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

At a minimum I put wax on the front of the TV and trailer. Makes it easier to remove the bugs.

[OldSmokey]

I get the grandkids to wash ours.. they have so much fun with suds and spraying each other..

[greende]

I clean the inside every time we return from a trip. Washed the awning and 5er for the first time in six years last month. Truck only gets done when it's dirty and in the winter with the road salt.

[bobndot]

I have one of neighbors who washes/waxes and tire shines his cars every weekend along with power washing the house and patio. Whoever is visiting him gets their car done too. See where this going ?
I sit and watch him detail my truck and trailer. He really does a nice job and he feels it keeps the value of the neighborhood up.

[colliehauler]

I never clean before a trip, I might wash the days bugs off while there easier to remove after a days travel. I clean it up inside and out before I put it back in covered storage.