Good morning! Good morning! I’m so excited to share today! After all the cold, snow and ice- the sun is finally shining! We were able to spend the whole day doing outside chores and camper chores for spring!
By mid-April, most years, we have been camping a few times already. We enjoy camping in the cooler weather. Hot coffee and a frost are fine in the morning, but overnight freezing cold, below 20 degrees is not!
In fact, with all the cold nights in a row, we worried about the camper pipes freezing and breaking. So, we did not un-winterize the camper until this week! It seems soooo late!
Now it’s finally time to spring clean the camper and get it ready for camping next weekend!
I don’t deep clean the camper in the fall, since it is going to sit all winter. I just bring in items, wash sheets, sweep and vacuum. But in the spring, I wash everything, top to bottom, to start the year fresh and clean.
First, I take everything out of cupboards and wash the cupboards. Then, I sort through stuff before putting it back in – too small clothes and random plastic lids don’t need to stay in the camper.
I also vacuum cushions and curtains, air-out or wash blankets and sleeping bags and wash walls, woodwork and dishes. I don’t wash the ceiling, because I can’t reach it. The husband washes the air conditioner filter for me. Thankfully, he also does all the outside camper chores.
He washes the awning, roof and sides of the camper and bleaches the water tank. He also starts the water heater and refrigerator, on both gas and electric, and tries the stove and furnace to make sure everything works before we go camping. ****When trying the water heater, it must have water in it before turning it on, otherwise starting it will ruin the heating element.
If you wait and try everything at the campground, you will need to fix it at the campground- or not use it, if there are any problems.
It is much easier to fix something at home, where all the tools are, than at the campground when everyone else is watching. Though it is possible to take showers in the showerhouse and warm water on the stove/fire for dishes, if the water heater is not working. It’s a bit more work, but definitely possible.
This year, I’m very excited to give a spring update on the camper flooring: it is great!!
Our new kitchen tile made it through its first winter! Last year, we experienced extreme temperature changes and our linoleum cracked over the winter. I’ve read that this can be common, but it has never happened to us before. It was heartbreaking to open the camper door in the spring and see a huge, curling crack across the whole kitchen.
The husband researched different floorings and we installed vinyl squares ourselves. They were not recommended for installation on OSB, so we were wondering how they would last over the winter. I was so excited, when we opened the camper this spring. The kitchen vinyl still looked great!
It is fun working together and trying to fix things ourselves. We learn so much, save so much money and I am insanely proud of how it turned out! I am also glad it survived the winter. None of the tiles cracked or popped loose.
Even though it seemed like a long winter, I am relieved that our vinyl tiles survived and that it is finally time to spring clean the camper. I am excited to start camping this season and to share tips, trips and recipes with you!
Happy Camping (or finally cleaning!)
Frugal Campasaurus