How to prepare your caravan for winter storage
As the end of the caravanning season is upon us, now's the time we all start to think about putting the van into hibernation until the Spring. Here are some tips and tricks to help you prolong the interior and exterior of your caravan. These tips have been gathered from sources that include avid caravanners and industry experts but everyone has their own preferred methods of storage and preparation. With this guide we aim to share the wealth of experience of hundreds. Prevention is better than the cure.
Think about a service
[caption id="attachment_5895" align="aligncenter" width="634"] Check the general condition of your caravan[/caption]
Now could be a good time to get your caravan serviced. The garages tend not to be too busy at this time of year and if you get any niggles sorted out now, there won't be any nasty surprises in store for you when you're ready to hit the road in 2015.
Remove valuables
You don't want to leave anything of value in your caravan when it's resting up for the winter, there's no point making things easy for potential thieves. Take the TV, DVD player and any other removable valuables out and store them inside your house
Have a good clean
[caption id="attachment_5875" align="aligncenter" width="466"] Clean the caravan[/caption]
Now is the time for a Spring clean. Yes we know it's Autumn but you get the drift... Give the caravan a good old sprucing up inside and out. Vacuum and sweep all your floors to remove traces of any food crumbs that might attract critters. Also, make sure the cupboards and fridge are empty and leave the doors ajar to prevent a build up of odours. Most fridges have a catch for this reason.
- Top Tip: Put tea bags in your cupboards and fridge. This prevents smells from building up and will keep things smelling fresh for up to one year! Give it a go
- Top Tip: Nearly everyone overlooks the fridge condensation holding tank. It can hold up to 3/4 of a litre of water, so it's no small amount. You can get to it by removing the lower of the two external grilles, it's easily spotted just below the exit point of the drain pipe.
- Top Tip: Put olive oil on your toilet seat rubbers. It will keep them lubricated and stop them from sticking in the position you left the lid prior to storage