"Whether you're a full-time RVer or an occasional traveler, having the right rv maintenance supplies on hand is crucial to address unexpected issues and perform routine upkeep."
Table of Contents
We’ve now had Ilene (our trailer) for a year! That means it’s time to learn how to do a bunch of new maintenance items on the annual schedule. We’ll also see if we remember how to do the semi-annual ones.
I definitely did not expect that figuring out which tools and products were required for RV maintenance would be the more difficult part of this project. I feel like I could open a little hardware store with all supplies we now have. After spending entirely too many hours scouring the internet, digging through the Lance Owners Forum, and watching YouTube videos, I was finally able to put together the list of everything I needed.
Getting the supply list put together wasn’t super easy because there are very few definitive answers out there, and everyone seems to have their own differing opinions. So, I wanted to pass along my findings just in case someone else was searching for help. Also, give us a shout out if you know of better options than the ones I came up with.
RV Slide-Out Maintenance Supplies
Slide-Out Lubricant
CRC Heavy Duty Silicone Lubricant
Luckily, this one was actually pretty simple to figure out because the dealer had done it previously while our trailer was in the shop for some other issues. I just sent them an email to ask what lubricant they used on our slide-out. They said that any silicone-based lubricant would work but going with what they used seemed like the easiest thing to do.
Rubber Seal Conditioner
STAR BRITE Premium RV Rubber Seal Conditioner
It turns out that there are a TON of rubber seals on the trailer. Using this stuff on them helps keep them from cracking and keeps them working properly as well. I did get this seal conditioner mainly for the rubber seals around the slide-out, but it worked great for all of the door, window, and roof vent seals, too!
RV Toilet Maintenance Supplies
Toilet Seal Lube and Conditioner
Thetford RV Toilet Seal Lube and Conditioner
Apparently, not many people think about maintaining their RV toilet because toilet seal lube and conditioner wasn’t on any of the maintenance lists that I could find. However, when I was looking for the rubber seal conditioner, I ran across it and figured it probably wouldn’t hurt to add this to our list in hopes of keeping the stink down where it belongs.
RV Fresh Water Tank Sanitization Supplies
We use our travel trailer a lot more than the average RVer, so we haven’t had to deal with draining and sanitizing the fresh water system since we don’t winterize. However, our trailer manual says it’s still a good idea to sanitize it on a regular basis. We did some research into different products available but quickly found out many of them are “fresheners” and don’t actually do the job of sanitizing. At the end of the day, we chose to go with the tried-and-true method (and the one recommended in the manual) of using a bleach-water solution to get the job done.
Flexible Funnel
Do yourself a favor and get a flexible funnel for putting in the sanitizing solution. Otherwise, you’ll end up having to do some goofy waterfall of funnels like we did because someone (me) didn’t think about the fact that the water tank filler opening is vertical.
Hot Water Tank Flush Wand
Camco Water Heater Tank Rinser
We never really thought about flushing the hot water tank until we ran across the maintenance item for it. We didn’t know that even after you drain the water system, a small amount of water remains in the bottom of said tank. That small bit of water has all the sediment and junk that collects from heating the water, and who wouldn’t want to flush all that out of there?!
There were options to use water or air for the flush. We opted for the water route since we don’t carry around an air compressor. A flushing wand (what you see us using) makes flushing the hot water tank really simple!
RV Rust Removal Supplies
I was super surprised by how much rust the trailer had accumulated in a year’s time. In hindsight, it’s probably not so surprising since we spent so much time on the Pacific Coast and traveling in snowy regions where they use salt for treating icy roads. Rust inspection and removal is not an official maintenance item per the manual, but I’ve added it as one.
Wire Brushes
These worked great for scraping off a lot of the flaky rust and removing some smaller spots that had formed.
Rust Removing Spray
KRUD KUTTER – The Must For Rust
This rust remover spray is amazing! Spray it on, wait a little while, and viola, the rust is gone! I was suspicious at first as to how well it would work, but Leigh Anne and I were both very impressed.
RV Cleaning & Waxing Supplies
Black Streak Remover
Camco Pro-Strength Black Streak Remover
We put about 10k miles on the trailer during our first year, and along that way, we had picked up quite a few stubborn black streaks on the front panel. This didn’t quite work as well as I had hoped, but it, combined with quite a bit of elbow grease, allowed me to get the majority of them removed.
Awning Cleaner
Camco Pro-Strength Awning Cleaner
We spend a lot of time in wet climates, enduring lots and lots of rain, which meant the awnings had accumulated a lot of cruddy looking stuff. This cleaner did a great job of getting off the gunk and making them look almost new again. I do recommend getting a brush with a really long handle so you can reach everything easier – or have a ladder handy.
Soap and Wax Solution
Leigh Anne was worried about damaging the trailer’s decals. She did some digging and found this product that was recommended for use with decals.
Tire Cleaner
Our tires had started looking a bit dull and faded so we gave this a try. Now they look like the day we picked up the trailer.
RV Roof Maintenance Supplies
Roof Sealant
LaSalle Bristol XTRM Universal Self-Leveling Sealant
I’ve been surprised at how much I’ve had to repair the sealant in the first year. This particular sealant is what Lance recommends for our particular roof. It says its universal, but probably good to check what is recommended for your roof.
Be Careful. Be Safe
Probably a good idea to remember your sunscreen and that your shirt might ride up while you’re bent over working on the roof. I had to learn the hard way.
Also, look out for those pesky ladders jumping out at you. I managed to knock one over, and it put a nice gouge in the door. Apparently, I just like making more projects for myself. Thankfully, we already have something to repair it on the way.
Leave a Reply