Post trip maintenance

M

MotorHomeJeff

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Just back from first trip (Gower/Pembrokeshire/St Davids). Very successful.
What do people do on cleaning/maintenance ready for next trip?
What to do about:
- Fresh water
- Grey water
- Toilet

Anything else advised to leave it all ready for next time?
Ta
 
Empty everything, loo, waste tank, litter bins, ash trays and give them a good rinse through. Remove all foodstuffs.
Dust, vacuum and wipe down everything in the inside. Clean the carpets.
Wash out the fridge
Take out all the bedding to air and clean as required
Wash and polish the outside
Check all service levels in the engine compartment.
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Nah, not really - just the first line! :tounge:
It'll all get done when we go out next time. ::bigsmile:
 
Thanks both.

Empty toilet cassette completely and leave dry?
Not just clean/flushed with new dose of blue and water?
 
I've done both, doesn't seem to matter, but if it's clean and dry suggest you leave the flap partially open so it doesn't stick, plus a quick spray of silicon around the seal helps.

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Empty waste and toilet, change bedding, replenish supplies, ready to go!
 
TerryL said:
I've done both, doesn't seem to matter, but if it's clean and dry suggest you leave the flap partially open so it doesn't stick, plus a quick spray of silicon around the seal helps.
Click to expand...
Vaseline around the seal is another option.

Also leave the fridge/freezer door slightly open to prevent smells.

Too late now you're back but we fill up diesel and LPG close to home ready for next trip
 
JohnJan said:
Too late now you're back but we fill up diesel and LPG close to home ready for next trip
Click to expand...

Yes, we do this every trip just before we get home, no matter how knackered we are. It always seems to add half an hour to the outbound trip if we don't, when we just want to get on the road.
 
When I sort the van out after a trip I empty the grey tank and flush the drains through with the hose. Then I close the drain tap and put Fenwicks cleaner down all the drains. Before the next trip we will take the van for a run and slosh the cleaner around the tank.
After I have drained the tank Gagarin I leave the tap open to let it breath.

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when the alloy wheels look black and you can't see out the windows or windscreen give it a wash other than that hoover, dust, clean bathroom, change towels and bedding I leave the fridge on but the van is on hook up
usually fuel on way home so throw in clean undies and socks anything out of the fridge and away again
 
Repair and replace all the things that have broken/got lost while away. So far the rather poorly designed under sink drawer thing on the Rapido flew open on a roundabout, full of stuff and broke its runners. I am going to rebuild as a more conventional cupboard. We have also lost the water filler cap.
 
Repair broken Omnistor step after leaving it out and clipping verge, on dismantling found it had stuck microswitch so no warning or auto retract. Replace broken mirror glass after driving down very narrow country lane. Carlyle Bus and Coach Co. had a spare sitting on their shelf since 2006. Of course we broke the mirror before we broke the step so could not see it sticking out, reminds me of those Health and Safety lectures about most accidents having several causes each minor on there own
 
Reallyretired said:
Repair and replace all the things that have broken/got lost while away. So far the rather poorly designed under sink drawer thing on the Rapido flew open on a roundabout, full of stuff and broke its runners. I am going to rebuild as a more conventional cupboard. We have also lost the water filler cap.
Click to expand...
You do know you're in a motorhome don't you and not a racing car! :oops:

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Why fill up with fuel on the way home?
If it was to get nicked not only do you lose the van but you give the thief hundreds of miles before they need to fill up and get captured on CCTV
Do it the day before you are leaving. Yes if you buy fuel abroad you will save a couple of quid.💷
Some smart arse is now going to say it could get nicked the night before you leave.🙄
 
Our parking up routine includes much of the above. I also ensure that the habitation electrics are turned off at the panel so that no lights or 12 volt sockets are left on to drain the leisure battery and I also remove the fuse for the fridge so that the door can be left open without the light staying on.

The solar when it is working will keep the vehicle and leisure batteries topped up while the van is parked up.

Mark
 
We remove and wash the dog bedding, our bedding, towels, dirty clothes etc, followed by a good vacuum (including seating), then clean the washroom, kitchen, including the inside of the fridge and anywhere/anything else that needs it, after which the fresh water tank is emptied (useful to have the water available when cleaning) followed by the grey waste and toilet cassette.

All perishable and 'time limited' foodstuffs are removed so they can be used at home (although we have used up to 10 years out of date tins of steak in gravy and they were lovely!), we replenish stocks if we have items at home already otherwise we do it as and when we get the chance.

Once the clothes are done we put any specific to use in the MH back in along with towels, bedding, dog beds etc then before we go away I go through our checklist and ensure that everything is in and stocked up as required for the trip.
 
Dirty tanks are always emptied before leaving, so nothing extra to do, unless something has been used on the return journey. Water is reduced to a few litres, if not emptied, before each journey, to save weight.
At home I remove food so as not to attract vermin, but may not bother if away again shortly. Don't bother with electronic deterrents - the ones I have used do not work.
 
Minxy Girl said:
You do know you're in a motorhome don't you and not a racing car! :oops:
Click to expand...
The problem with that drawer arrangement is that it is large and deep and so swmbo filled it with tins and jars therefore very heavy. The catches couldn't stand the strain. I propose to remodel it so it can still contain the stuff though without the whole weight going on the catches, and at the same time improve access to the boiler which is behind it.
 
JohnJan said:
Vaseline around the seal is another option.

Also leave the fridge/freezer door slightly open to prevent smells.

Too late now you're back but we fill up diesel and LPG close to home ready for next trip
Click to expand...
Not vaseline, it's petroleum based and will destroy the rubber (as many parents have found to their cost) use silicone grease or spray
 
Reallyretired said:
The problem with that drawer arrangement is that it is large and deep and so swmbo filled it with tins and jars therefore very heavy. The catches couldn't stand the strain. I propose to remodel it so it can still contain the stuff though without the whole weight going on the catches, and at the same time improve access to the boiler which is behind it.
Click to expand...
Does the drawer get warm from the boiler? If so it might not be the best place to store food ... what A-class have you got?
 
We have a grey drain at home, fill up the fresh water tank, fill up the diesel on the way in, empty toilet cassettes, full clean inside cab and had, vacuum & floor mop etc. Dry foods stay in, fridge off and doors fixed open, gas off, wash the outside (after every trip).

Basically it's ready to go for the next time, just needs fresh food, children and dogs, sometimes i even ask Mrs Ridgeway to come along...

Our turn around time is at best 1hr from arriving back to putting it back into storage but usually it's more like 2hrs as i'm faffing about with something.

For loading it takes us about 1hr to get it all ready but again can be a bit longer. Usually add tyre pressure, oil and smoke/carbon monoxide detector checks before we head out, then it's "buckle up Murphy as we're about to engage the warpED drive":LOL:

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Minxy Girl said:
Does the drawer get warm from the boiler? If so it might not be the best place to store food ... what A-class have you got?
Click to expand...
999M. Yes it does get a bit warm from the boiler especially if heating is on, hot water only not so much, so only cans etc, nothing perishable. Probably a good place to keep spare towels but food storage is needed more. Probably the oven is an afterthought as most continental vans don't have one, so the space it occupies may have been originally designed for food storage.
 

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