camper trailer
after trip maintenance

Proper after trip maintenance will not only prolong the life of your camper trailer, but also hold its value whether you are a regular camper or only out a few times a year. It will also allow you to enjoy a trouble free trip. 

In most cases when we are packing up on the last morning before heading home from only a few days or a longer trip, there is dew on the canvas or condensation inside formed from the temperature difference as we have slept, especially on those cool humid nights. The canvas may look dry, however it has become part of our regular maintenance over the thirty years we have owned our soft floor camper trailer that we set it up at home within a couple of days to make sure the canvas is dry. Damp canvas left encased within the vinyl travel cover will quickly form mould & create a huge problem with plenty of work & expense removing it. 

While the camper trailer is open for the day it allows us the opportunity to do a few other necessary maintenance jobs.

mattress

The mattress is taken out & placed in the sun for the day. As the foam mattress lays on a plywood or steel base it is surprising how much body moister it can absorb in certain climatic conditions. Sunning your mattress reduces the risk of mould which of course can be a health issue.

All blankets are hung on the line to air including our synthetic wool mattress overlay. The sheets are washed, replaced & ready to go again. Depending on when the next trip will be, we may replace our summer cotton sheets with the warmer micro fleece sheets we use in winter or just leave the bed unmade.  

remaining food

Any food that has been opened, near its use by date or can spoil is removed & taken into the house kitchen. We carry our 40 litre Engel fridge in the rear of our vehicle. The basket is removed when we return home. We give the inside of the fridge a wipe out & deodorize with a little vanilla on a damp cloth.

clothes

Our clothes are carried in the trailers pull out plywood draws. We remove all of our clothes from the trailer & any that needs washing is placed in front of the washing machine. 

water

We use a BEST Water Filter to fill our 60 litre water tank so we know the water is in its best possible condition for drinking & have been doing so for over twelve years. Previously we had to empty the water tank as there we had a problem with floaters in the tank which we found out was bacterial slime. Since using the filter we have never had a problem with slime even when leaving water in the tank between trips.  

Any unfiltered water in our three jerrys that we use for showering or topping up the water tank via the filter are emptied. 

before putting it away

When we are packing up we usually give the bottom of the vinyl floor a brush. Then after packing up I hose off any caked on mud & give it a wash, before placing the camper in the garage. If you are storing your camper trailer outside it is worth buying a quality silver trap a size a little larger than your vinyl travel cover to protect it from the sun . The UV rays will quickly degrade the vinyl & make it brittle.

electrics

If storing your camper trailer outside it is a good idea cover your trailer plug & hitch, particularly if it is a poly block type to protect it from the weather. As we are near the beach I find a little silicone spray helps protect the trailer plug & socket terminals. Silicone spray does not attract dust & is perfect for zips. 

ants

Ants find a camper trailer the perfect location to build a nest. I have found a good deterrent is a squirt of insect killer up the inner tube of the jockeywheel & behind the wheels backing plates around the axle, locations which are out of the weather.  

further reading

removing mould on canvas https://www.campertrailers.org/removing_mould.htm
trailer plug maintenance https://www.campertrailers.org/trailer_connector_maintenance.htm
BEST Water Filters https://www.campertrailers.org/best_water_filters.htm
water transfer https://www.campertrailers.org/robs_water_transfer.htm
packing up the soft floor camper https://www.campertrailers.org/floor_packup.htm

written by Rob
 
 

january 2025