Spring Cleaning Your Caravan

With spring on the way it’s hard not to think about those beautiful days ahead, enjoying the sunshine and relaxing with family and friends, but if you are going to have your holiday home in tow, then you have to be sure that it is ship shape before the season! It can be a job to put off, but if you follow our checklist, you can tick off your ‘caravan to do’ list in no time!

Are You legal?

First of all, you have to be sure that you are legally allowed to set off on the road with a caravan in tow. There’s no point in spending hours preparing your van if you aren’t allowed to take it anywhere!

If you passed your normal driving test after January 1st 1997, then you can drive a vehicle up to the weight of 3.5 tonnes and tow a trailer or caravan up to 750 kilograms. You can also tow a trailer or caravan larger than 750 kilograms, as long as it is lesser in weight that the towing vehicle’s unladen weight. If you are at all unsure, you should contact your local DVLA office for guidance. If you passed your licence prior to January 1st 1997, you should have an unconditional right to tow a trailer or caravan with a combination weight of up to 8.25 tonnes.

Technical Details

You don’t want to get stopped by the police before you have even reached the end of your road! Here are a few things to look out for in terms of technical safety features you need to have.

Tow Bar

You will have to have a Type approved tow bar, which means that it has been approved for use with your car and passes EU regulations. This is mandatory for all cars manufactured on or after 30th July 1998.

Towing Mirrors

If your caravan is wider than your vehicle you have to by law fit suitable towing mirrors. Failure to have the proper towing mirrors in place can see you landing a fine of up to £1,000.

Trailer Brakes

If your caravan weighs in excess of 750 Kilograms then you have to have operational trailer breaks. The breaks built in to your caravan may still be working, but you have to check this before setting off.

Coupling Ball Joint

There’s nothing too much to test here – you will instantly know whether or not there is any problem in this department, but don’t wait until your first trip away to make sure all is well with the coupling. Check it is easy to couple together and that nothing needs replacing or lubricating prior to the trip.

Caravan tyres

Check the tyres of your caravan. You will be used to checking your own car tyres, but it’s easy to forget about the caravan! Check condition and pressure.

Stabilisers

It’s important that the stabilisers on both front and rear corners are locked into the travel position. Double-check that the locking mechanism is still fully operational. You should also check that the handbrake of the caravan is released prior to travel, and that the jockey wheel is stowed or locked into travelling position. Any gas cylinders should obviously be appropriately stored, secured and turned off.

Spring Cleaning Inside!

You would imagine that a caravan would be as you left it the season before, but any experienced owner will tell you that this is unlikely to be the case! The cold and the damp can take its toll over the winter months.

The first thing you should do, weather permitting, is give your caravan a good airing. You will need to get inside and open up all of the windows and doors. If you really allow a good through draft you should be able to get rid of any unwanted scents and smells that have gathered over the winter months.

Once this is done, it is time to get your hands dirty. The best approach is hands on, with a warm bowl of soapy water and a sponge. The outside of the caravan will respond well to this type of cleaning. If you want a little help with the elbow grease, you should be able to find a high pressure car washer in your area that you can use.

Inside it is going to be a case of approaching things in the same way you would in your own home. Air what you can. If seats and beds are removable, then try to get them outside for a few hours if the weather is conducive. The fridge may well need a good clean through if it hasn’t been in operation, so follow the manufacturer’s guidelines in this respect.

If you have a toilet in your caravan, then it is critical that you buy some specialist toilet cleaner. Depending on the type of toilet you have you will have different procedures to follow. This is definitely an occasion where it is important to follow the directions given by the makers of the toilet or caravan.

A nice little tip is if you have acrylic or plastic windows. These can become scratched very easily. You might think that once the damage is done there’s nothing you can do, but you can buy specialist cleaners that actually correct small scratches. And finally, give yourself plenty of time.

Whatever you do, don’t leave all of this hard work until the last minute! The Spring and Summer months will be upon us in no time at all!

Kevin Darvill writes on behalf of Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks, who offer a range of caravan sites in Devon as well as camping in Woolacombe.