It is essential for the life of your popup campers to give it some attention before putting it away for winter or a longer time. There are a few specific things that needs attention on popup trailers or campers, other than on a “hard” shell campervan.
So let us have a look at some of the basics specific for popups:
The cloth:
The connection between is generally made of cloth, in some of the warmer countries or areas even mesh. One of the most found contaminations on the cloth leaves from shrubs or trees. Most of these contain resins and when the leaves rot they form acids. These can either stain the cloth or even eat into the fabric. The same can happen with bird doo, where ammonia is the most aggressive ingredient. Any organic material that is moist and can be enclosed in the folds can be a feeding ground for mould or fungi. These convert their organic food into acids and can either cause holes or irremovable stains. A thorough and meticulous clean is the main thing here. As an extra there are a number of waxes and silicon sprays available to make the fabric more weather and dirt resistant.
Pay attention: if your popup canvas is made of vinyl: vinyl and silicone spray and some other normal “car” cleaning stuff don’t go well together, so check with the manufacturer for suitable products!
The popup Mechanism:
This is together with the canvas one of the specific parts of a popup. There are different mechanisms and your manufacturer should give you a maintenance guideline. Most systems work with a winch and cable system. It is elementary to check all moving parts for rust and damage, and lubricate and protect them. If your popup is using gassed springs and they start to lose their strength, it is better to replace them as re-gassing them is generally only a short term solution. There is a reason they lost the pressure.
General Technical Motorhome checks:
Inside: clean it extensively, no food or spices as it attracts insects (ants or termites) or rodents. Put some moisture absorbers inside if you live in a humid environment and store mattress and cushions upright so they will be maximal aerated. Lubricate all moving parts as required. Silicone spray or Vaseline is generally perfect for areas where you don’t want oil stains.
Water and wastewater empty, especially if you are living in areas where winter conditions can freeze (waste) water pipes and tanks.
Battery charged, and then disconnected (take of the clamps or some models have a switch), unless you are using sun panels with a trickle loader to keep them in top shape.
Outside you can do the general RV maintenance: clean it first! If you store under cover just spray rubbers with silicon spray or a special purpose spray to keep them moist and flexible. If you store outdoors, a full cover might help in keeping it top notch. The sun can be harsh and do a lot of damage on the paint and plastics. Certainly cover your tires as the sun will dry them out and they will start cracking.
If you have any RV accessories mounted, it is a good idea to check the general maintenance section of their manual and if required attend to any suggestions.
Disclaimer: We put some basic storage and maintenance tips together as a support tool. It is not our intention to replace the manufacturer’s guidelines in any way. We recommend you always follow the manufacturer guidelines, if in doubt contact your sales agent or the manufacturer of your popup vehicle.