More on RV Washday + RV Park News

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. 

 Wrung Out? More Tips for RV Washday

When my friend Didi went back to “real life” after living on the go for several years, she laughingly claimed she hugged and kissed her washer and dryer every day. RV newbies who are accustomed to having a-home laundry find it tough to go RV-ing without one.

The RV-ing traveler has several choices. 

1. Carry laundry machines in the RV.. Compact units are available. Some are washer and dryer all in one. Over-under Combo washer-dryer units are also sold. Consider the space they take up, the price and the weight of the machines as well as the extra water and electricity required.  

2. Use coin laundries. Many campgrounds have  bright rooms filled with multiple washers and dryers, foldiing tables and sometimes irons and ironing boards.  It’s speedy to have all your loads done at once.

3. Wash by hand.

 A fourth choice would be to send laundry out, but that’s cumbersome and costly, not an option most of us would choose.

It’s a personal, but passionate choice. I heard from one woman who refused to go RV-ing until her husband bought an RV with a washer-dryer. Another woman told me the first thing she removed from a newly acquired RV was the combo washer-dryer. She had other plans for the large footprint it occupied.  

I chose to stay lean and mean in a 21-foot RV. Keep these tips in mind when using laundromats:

* Check both washer and dryer with eyes , nose and hands before adding your clothes. If the drum is rough your clothes will be picked and snagged. If the last user dyed a garment or left a crayon or lipstick in the dryer, your load could be indelibly stained. If someone used the dryer to fluff the dog’s bed, your clothes could come out of the dryer  covered in hair. Filters are good but not foolproof. 

* Clean washer and dryer filters before every load. 

* Use a dye-absorbing sheet in every wash load. It saves accidents that occur when you accidentally leave a dark sock in a load of whites. It also allows you to wash whites and colors in one machine. 

* Test run the washer and dryer. If you’re going to wash a really expensive item (the throw your grandmother made, your best knits) try the machines first by doing another load of less important items. I’ve found campground machines that wouldn’t spin and washers that delivered scalding water when I dialed up Cold. Sometimes campground well water can be rusty and dryer temperatures can be quirky too. 

* I don’t have room to carry bulky laundry baskets. Instead, I sort loads into large canvas bags. I carry them to the laundry, wash and dry the bags with other loads and fill them with clean, folded clothes to carry back to the RV. 

* Buy the most super-concentrated detergents available and use only as much as the label recommends. I’ve found pods that work and detergent sheets that don’t work at all. Dryer sheets are a plus.

* Mesh laundry bags are handy not just for bras and other delicate items but for keeping pairs of socks together. 

* Bring something to read and stay with your laundry. Meaning well, a fellow camper could remove your clothes when the machine quits and pile them just anywhere. One kind soul even unloaded my washer, fed quarters into a dryer that was set on Hellfire and my clothes were almost ruined. It was my fault for not being there the minute the washer finished.  

* Shake out clothes before putting them in the washer and again before putting them in the dryer. Then fold immediately after drying, while they are warm.

* Double and triple check dryers before leaving the laundry room. Drums are so huge it’s  easy to overlook one small item stuck in a corner. 

* Plan ahead. Some campground laundries are always open. Others are open only during certain hours. Also, some take tokens, coins, bills or only electronic payment. Be prepared with the right way to pay. 

DOES THE OPEN ROAD CALL YOUR NAME?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See our chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS: GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

These news breaks from our local sources in travel and real estate may be premature or incomplete. Follow up as each story develops and make reservations as soon as they  go live. (This may be months before the official opening of a new park.)  Locations are in boldface. 

RV PARK CHANGES, UPGRADES, NEW OWNERS

A total of 90  new riverside RV sites have been added at the Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday in Wilmington, New York. Included in the  Riverside section on the Ausable River will be full hookups, some KOA Patio sites, 50/30 service and a K9 dog park. The park is noted for its scenery, fly fishing events and all the amenities of a Holiday class KOA. . (518) 946-7878

Also in New York State, two Adirondack Park Agency parks are getting upgrades. They are the Luzerne Public Campground and the Lincoln Pond Campground. 

Wind Creek State Park bear Alexander City, Alabama has improved ADA access to its campground and brought in 50-amp service for RV-ers.  See Alapark.com

The campground at Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort,  Alabama is open again after an expansion that includes new cottages, a new office and 45 additional  RV sites with full hookups.  Go to Alapark.com/

Celebrating improvements and additions is Winton Woods, a county campground on the north side  of Cincinnati, Ohio . Seven new,  paved  RV sites have full hookups, picnic tables and fire rings.  (513) 521-7275. 

NEW AND FUTURE RV PARKS

The new Killian Road RV Park is expected to open by November in Blythewood,  South Carolina. The 55-site RV park near Columbia will offer a pond for fishing and kayaking, Reservations and questions are now being taken at (803) 622-1117.

Big Bear Crossing is the name of a future RV park and mixed use development near Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, Strawn, Texas.  Centered by a full-service travel center, the 80-acre project will feature a hotel, a lake, RV park, retail stores and industrial spaces. It’s expected to open in Summer, 2026. (254) 672-5684

New in Bakersfield, California,  the Grapevine RV Resort has 187 RV sites, full hookups, three gated dog runs, a camp store, hot showers, a swimming pool and a meeting room and kitchen in the clubhouse, .Long-and short stays are welcome, See GrapevineRVResort.com/

SilverStar Mountain Resort near Vernon,  British Columbia now has 36 new, year-round  campsites. Although sites are dry, the campground has vault toilets, a camp host and bear-proof garbage bins.. Washrooms and showers at the resoirt are available to campers at a fee, Reservations are requited.  (00 663-443 1 in the U.,S. And Canada. .

Little Lake, Michigan has a new, 40-site RV destination. Charley’s RV Resort has full hookups for RVs plus  year-round cabins, a camp store and a pavilion. See 

 charleysrvcampground.com

RV EVENTS

Georgia’s 46th Harvest Pioneer Festival comes to General Coffee State Park, Nicholls, Georgia on November 8. See how life was once lived in the Wiregrass Country. Hands-on fun plus food, games, live music, vendors. See blacksmithing, living history actors,  cane grinding, syrup making, quilting and more in a “living history” farm setting. .(912) 384-7082. Admission is $2; parking $5.  The park has 50 campsites with electric. .eserve early at (www.)ReserveAmerica.com/

 

Plan now to be at Robbers Cave State Park, Wilburton, Oklahoma on October 17-19 for the annual Fall Festival. Browse the classic car show, hear live music all day and evening, enjoy fall foliage, eat treats from vendors galore and shop the many arts an crafts booths. The park has RV, tent and equestrian camping,  a playground, dump station, rock climbing, a beach, horseback rides for rent, paddleboats, and more. (918) 465-2562

The latest in the Yacht Yenta cozy mystery e-books brings widow Farley Halladay closer to the answer of her husband's death. 

Read the six cozies in any order as Farley copes, cooks and solves crimes with the help of her wacky cast of characters. You'll laugh at her frailties; cry with her as she grieves the loss of her husband. Find it on Google Play and other ebook formats and also on  Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3wcf6ao

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Can't get enough shortcut recipes and tips for RV cooking? See https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com 

Top 10 RV Park Rules + New Parks List

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. 

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THIS WEEK'S LATE BREAKING 

RV PARK AND CAMPGROUND NEWS US AND CANADA

Campground & RV Park RULES: 

What You Don't know CAN Hurt You

How many of these rules did you miss when you  signed in at the last RV park? 

You sent your responsible kids, ages 12 and 15,  to the RV park’s swimming pool and now you are evicted because RV park rules require an adult to be with minors all times. Cross a state line and laws are different for, say, guns or alcohol on board your RV.  Hang wet beach towels from the read view mirrors and you get a quick reprimand.

In dark sky campgrounds, bright lights are not allowed

Top 10 RV Park Rules You May Have Missed

!. Playing with fire. No open flames may be allowed at all, and that can include candles. Fire bans can change on a dime. Outside firewood may be banned, and for good reason. 

2. Kid stuff. Unaccompanied children may not be allowed anywhere in the park or in some areas.  Also, age restrictions may apply for areas such as the pool, laundry and  arcade. Age limits may be 16,18 or even 21. Size limits may apply to rides and water parks. 

DOES THE OPEN ROAD CALL YOUR NAME?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See the chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

3. Pet rules may take an entire paragraph in the fine print you’ll sign when you check in. There’s more to it than just “leash required."  Forewarned is forearmed. 

4. Highway Robbery, State laws for RV’s are different for seat belts in RV’s, propane tanks, firearms, generators, rig size, ad inf.  Know before you cross the line. 

5. Line Dancing.  Don’t rig a clothesline or drape wet items on shrubs, fences or the RV.  Drying clothing outdoors may be verboten. This can include swim suits and beach towels. 

6. Tree Hugging. Attaching anything to trees may be a serious misstep. Hammocks may be unwelcome. It’s OK to spread a patio rug on the concrete pad, but not on the grass. 

7. Berth Control. Beyond your basic rig of one motorhome or travel trailer plus tow car, how many other items will be allowed per site? A tent for the kids? A boat trailer? If your site is on a long-term lease can you add a storage shed? 

8. Homework. Just how far can you go in turning your RV site into a workshop?  Washing the RV on the site and the use of outside mechanics are probably not allowed. Check the posted rules for other taboos.

9. Common Cause. If the park has a common kitchen, dishwashing station, dog wash or a  fish cleaning post, be considerate or be gone.

10. Special Delivery. Unless you have a special arrangement, don’t use the park’s address for personal mail or package services. You may be charged a fee. Even worse, you may never get the delivery at all. 

Kiddy pools for kids or dogs may be a no-no at your RV site

The latest in the Yacht Yenta cozy mystery e-books brings widow Farley Halladay closer to the answer of her husband's death. 

Read the six cozies in any order as Farley copes, cooks and solves crimes with the help of her wacky cast of characters. You'll laugh at her frailties; cry with her as she grieves. Find it on Google Play and other ebook formats and also on  Kindle,   https://amzn.to/3wcf6ao

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

NEW AND FUTURE RV PARKS, RV RESORTS, CAMPGROUNDS

In the works is a massive development project along the Ohio River thanks to the  Appalachian Community Grant Program. Beautification projects along miles of riverfront will include fishing access, promenades, an amphitheater, historic markers and, in Higginsport, Ohio, an RV campground.  The Ohio River was the border between southern slave states and freedom in the North, so many of the  points of interest here were stops  on the Underground Railroad. 

Here’s good news for Amazon contractors, temps and workampers. A new RV park is being built by Amazon near the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center in Hermiston, Oregon. Spaces will be available to local contractors and also to event attendees. Amazon was one of the first large businesses to see the value in providing RV sites for employees. 

New and ready to rock in Camdenton, Missouri, the Rock n’ Roll RV Park has 41 RV sites, full hookups and free Wi-Fi. The shower house and other amenities are coming soon. The 11-acre park in the Ozarks has its own  stage, so check ahead for concert nights. See (www.) Rockandrollrvpark.com/  

Will Allentown Florida in the Panhandle get this new, 10-acre RV park? The county has been asked to accept a proposal for a park on S.R. 87 N for a 49-site park. No further plans have been revealed. The proposal calls for 49 RV sites. 

 In Brooksville, Florida, county commissioners approved a master plan for a 548-site mobile home and RV park with 149 sites for RV’s plus sites for park models and modular homes. No move-in date has been projected. Many steps lie ahead before sites will be available. Stay tuned for news of the Sunny Pines Mobile Home and RV Park. 

CLOSURES 

Topsham Fair Campground in Topsham, Maine is closed. For now the closure is considered permanent.  

RV PARK CHANGES, ADDITIIONS, UPGRADES

Six Lakes Resort & RV Park in Chetek, Wisconsin on Pokegama Lake  will soon have a new pavilion for performances of live music.  The pet-friendly  park has a dump station and RV sites with water and electric. Check for upcoming parties and performances.   (715) 924-3680

New in the KOA family is the  Mena/Ouachita National Forest KOA Journey in aR Arkansas. 

All 72 campsites at Wind Creek State Park, Alabama have just been renovated. The park is on the western edge of Lake Martin. The state has many projects going in its parks, many of them involving campgrounds. Lake Lurleen State Park is getting new bathhouses, a gatebouse, more RV sites and a new playground. Previously we reported on the conversion of Gulf State Park to an RV resort from a a golf course . 

The former Road Host RV Park in Anthony, Texas, is now under a new name and new owners. Now the Great Escapes RV Park El Paso it offers short and long-term stays. The park has full hookups, laundry, large sites for rigs up to 80 feet and a dog park. (915) 603-3105

 At long last, Wisconsin’s Peninsula State Park’s 468-site  Tennison Bay Campground  will get new shower buildings and flush toilets. The park in Door County is open in winter with  electric sites. Water is available off site. (Www.) WisconsinGoingToCamp.com/

Rough Rider State Park near Medora, North Dakota is doubling the size of its popular Whitetail Flats Campground. New sites will be pull-through and  will have 50-amp power. Infrastructure will be upgraded and a new comfort station added.  

EVENTS

    Note that many state parks continue to have special events through the winter but may close their campgrounds in the fall.  Dates vary, so check ahead. 

The Siler Family presents a gospel sing on August 30 at The Friendship Village Campground in Bedford Pennsylvania. The campground has free Wi-Fi, a large  camp store , food trucks, a laundry, full hookups including cable,  ATM on site, mini-golf, golf carts for rent, ice cream by the dip, a playground, ball courts and two swimming pool open through Labor day.\. (814) 623-1677

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Questions? Comments? I'm all ears. janetgroene (at) yahoo.com 

The RV Woman's Wardrobe + RV Park Good/Bad News

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. 

SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK'S LATE BREAKING

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Photo by Travel Fashion Girl 

Fit to be tried....

The RV Woman’s Wardrobe

Versatility. Easy care. Season-spanning. Flattering. Durable. All these and more go into choosing duds  for the RV life. Except for “casual” there are no rules for dressing like an RV-er.  

Women’s tastes , budgets and activities differ, so there isn’t a one-size-fits all wardrobe.  Traveling or even living full-time in an RV you can follow the seasons.  Follow the sun and live your entire life in swim suits and flip-flops. Or  or hug the mountaintops where you’ll need ski togs most of the year. Some RV women in the work force need uniforms or business dress.

In any case we all have to deal with laundry,  limited closet space and occasional  surprises, emergencies and disasters.  Here are thoughts on dressing up, dressing down, and dressing clean.

* We all have colors that work for us. For space efficiency it’s best to stick with that spectrum rather than chasing each year’s “hot” hues. Staying with one’s tried-and-true palette saves space not only on outfits but also on makeup, shoes and accessories. 

* One color choice is to buy only black, white,  or black and white outfits, then go wild with colored accessories such as scarves, belts, socks and shoes.  I once worked with a woman who always looked so chic and colorful, it was months before I realized all her basics were black, white or black and white.  

* Other one-palette choices are denim, camo or khaki. Everything goes with them.

* Barbara DesChamps, author of books on traveling light, suggests, “Jeans are bulky to wash and slow to dry so are not recommended.”  Although jeans are a standard uniform everywhere these days and a safe choice for any occasion, I don’t follow the crowd. Jeans are too hot in summer and not warm enough in winter.

* When I broke my arm, I discovered how useful medical scrubs can be. They are full of pockets that made it easy for me carry things around the campsite. They are cool, tropic weight and a snap to launder. On the minus side, they are not ruggedly durable.  

“Microfiber coats and jackets are compact and water-repellant. If they have hoods, you may not need umbrellas,” Barbara says. She suggests one basic, dark color (navy, black, brown) for coats, slacks and shoes. “Avoid pastel colors for these if you don’t want constant maintenance,” she warns. Once these basics are in place you can have shirts in all colors.”

Many revrrsibles are available

  “Fleece pullovers and jackets are more compact and easier to care for than sweaters,” continues Barbara.  I’ll add that fleece jogging suits are another of those versatile wardrobes that many women find comfortable around the clock.

* 

Double-duty duds are always a plus. You can find jackets with zip-out linings or zip-off arms and hoods, slacks that zip apart to become shorts or pedal pushers, camisoles that double as a bra  and reversible skirts, vests and shells. New fabrics may be no-iron, sunproof, waterproof, stainproof or bug proof.

* Get two looks from one pair of plain pumps. Shop for clip-on bows. Get a rainbow of laces for plain white kicks.  

Look for removable shoe clpps

* Use color grabber-type laundry aids that allow you to do light colors and darks in the same load. 

* You can’t have too many tee shirts. They serve as nightwear, daytime tops, swim suit cover-ups, underwear and share wear for different family members. Fold, roll and tuck them in anywhere. 

Both men and women wear sarongs

* Buy or make a length of hemmed, no iron, lightweigh cotton fabric about 2 ½ to 4 yards by 36 to 45  inches wide to serve as a sarong, then have fun experimenting with all the ways to tie it. Or simply use it as a shawl, picnic table cloth or ground cloth. In many parts of the world, draped fabrics are  everyday wear for both women and men. See websites that provide ideas for tying a simple length of cloth as a swim suit cover-up, skirt or dress. 

DOES THE OPEN ROAD CALL YOUR NAME?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See the chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

  See Janet Groene's weekly posts of practical, affordable recipes for camping and RV travel at https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com 

              RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS; 

                  GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Locations are by city and state or province and are shown in boldface. Dates are in red. Confirm all details before you book. 

RV PARK CHANGES, UPDATES

Jellystone Camp Resorts are one of the nation’s largest and liveliest chains, with eight locations in Texas alone. New to the Lone Star state’s Jellystone family is the former Jetstream Resort at Stone Oaks Ranch in Austin, Texas.  It’s now known as Jellystone Park Austin North and it’s adding tons of new amenities such as wagon rides, many more water features, gem mining and a basketball court.  (512) 641-1072. 

Formerly family owned, the Waynesboro, Virginia North 340 Campground is now a member of the Team Outsider family. Contact (www.) TeamOutsider.com/

In the Es Kooteay Regional District of British Columbia, the new, 405-acre Wycliffe Park Campground is now open with 20 campsites, biking and hiking trails, horseshoe pits, fire pits, disc golf, ball fields and a picnic area. Reserve at  https://letscamp.ca/camps/wycliffe/

After a year-long closure for repairs and improvements, the  Green Bay Campground in Bonner County, Idaho (it’s southeast of Sandpoint)   has five additional campsites, more vault toilets and a larger parking area. The campground offers swimming, boating,  kayaking, and mountain biking. The $15 dry campsites are now reserved at recreation.gov/

See more road trip ideas near and far, here and there,  sooner or later at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com/

EVENTS

Now through Labor day, get up close  with hummingbirds at Lake Hope  State Park near New Plymouth,  Ohio in the Hocking Hills, . Thursday through Sunday at 1 p.m. hummingbird experts guide you through an unforgettable experience. Holding a vial of sugar water and sitting quietly,  you’ll soon have a hummingbird literally eating out of your hand. The experience is free; donations are appreciated. (740) 596-4938

Jam bands, bluegrass and folk music are on the menu at the Hillberry Harvest Moon festival in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, October 8-12. Choose  RV dry parking or a site with water and electric.  Showers are available.  Breathe country air on a 160-acre farm. Listen to live music from local and nationally known artists. . Play disc golf, go mountain biking and shop the general store. See (www.) IloveEureka.com/

Lakeview Terrace Resort,, RV Park & Camoground in Lewiston, California hosts the 2025 Fall into Music Festival September 26-28. Ten bands will perform in a world of food trucks, vendors selling arts and crafts, fire dancers, drum circles and events for the kids. For details and camping reservations call (530) 778-3803.  Get details of the concert schedule including the Sunday brunch  at (www.) TheLakeviewTerraceResort.com.

Bring your wading shoes when camping August 27 at Table Rock State Park, PIckens, South Carolina. Meet a park ranger and wade the creek while looking for  critters, plants and other treasure in the cold, flowing waters. The wading sessions, also held on other selected dates, are free with park admission. The park has two campgrounds, both with water and electric hookups. For park information call (864) 878-7381, For camping reservations go to Reserve.southcarolinastateparks.com/ Most require a two-night stay.

SCUTTLEBUTT

After many years, free stays at Idaho forest service/BLM campsites may be over. Proposals are in the works to set rates for formerly free sites and raise rates at those that already charge a fee. Nevertheless, camping Idaho forests will still be one of the best buys ever. 

Plans have been off again, on again to add a campground at the airport in Benner Township, Pennsylvania. Now things are looking hopeful again for a campground with 60 RV sites  and 40 tiny homes. The project will also have bathrooms and a clubhouse/office. Aircraft parking would be adjacent. Stay tuned. 

The rush is on to score a 25% discount on camping reservations at more than a dozen Alabama state parks. Use the code AUGUST25 and book a stay between between now and August 28. Parks offering the deal are Blue Springs, Buck’s Pocket, Cathedral Caverns, Cheaha, Chewacla, DeSoto, Jackson, Gulf, Joe Wheeler, Lake Gundersville, Lakepoint, Meaher, Oak Mountain, Richwood Caverns, Roland Cooper and Wind Creek.

Jefferson County, Iowa has a new county RV park with full hookups.  Prairie Ridge Campground is for travelers with self-contained RV’s. There are no bathrooms. Payment is by QR code and arrivals are first-come only. Call (641) 472-4421.

In Chico, California, longtime landmark Scotty’s Landing on the 

Sacramento River  has new owners and is undergoing a transformation from mobile home park to RV park.  For details of a proposed opening of the RV park next spring, try Scotty’s Boat Landing,  (530) 710-2020 pr (www.)scottysontheriver.com/

Where to go on your next camping or RV road trip? See affordable family travel events,  dates and places at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com 

COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV

    For yourself or a gift,  Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grill.  

https://amzn.to/3nNndWY 

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RV Clean Hacks + Latest RV Campground News

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates to reprint this content email janetgroene@yahoo.com

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Listed by state or province

It’s Time to Come Clean

Copyright Janet Groene

If you’re lucky, your RV came with manuals covering everything from cleaning the air filters in the microwave to changing the water filter cartridge under the sink. If not, the manuals are probably found online, on  mattress tags and on hidden labels. 

They matter. For example, my friend’s RV has an costly Italian leather sofa that comes with its own line of cleaning products. It’s a multi-stop process from pre-cleaning to a final protective coat. After five years, my friend says they have been worth every penny. 

Another friend cleaned windows with the wrong window cleaner for that material and fogged them badly. Not all RV windows and coatings are the same. 

Before you tackle that red wine stain on the suede sofa or the  lube job on the worm gear in the awning assembly, take a second look. Get out the original instructions, relax with a cold drink and come up with an attack plan and a shopping list. 

It’s OK if you can’t get to it today. The important thing is to get it right. The wrong product in the wrong place could hurt, not help. 

Worse still, you could void the warranty. 

We often need specific RV products for each type of upholstery, carpeting, the granite counter, dashboard,  wood cabinets,  fiberglass shower enclosure, chrome-plated bath fixtures,  non-porcelain toilet,  composite sink, and so on.  

Know if your wood cabinets are finished in paint, spar varnish or shellac. Is the kitchen counter Corian? Formica? Polished cement? Granite? Marble?   Is the shower door acrylic or glass? 

Are the blind slats vinyl or aluminum? What kind of stain-proofer was originally applied to the carpeting and upholstery? What cleaners are safe for solid brass kitchen faucets?  How do you clean the OEM window film?  

Get out the dirt without damaging the finish

Step One is to get out the dirt without damaging the finish. Step Two is to leave behind as little residue as possible. At best it leaves a dull look. At worst it attracts new soil. Many cleaners leave a residue that is a dust magnet.

Step Three in some cases is to apply a protective coating  to keep the freshly cleaned surface clean longer. The final coat may also contain a UV inhibitor against sun damage or a water proofer, bug repellant or a stain proofer.  

Shop in RV specialty stores for the best product for each job. Here are just a few more random cleaning tips:

* Nylon net, available inexpensively by the yard in fabric shops, is a safe scrubber indoors and out. It’s ideal for getting dried bugs off the RV’s snout. 

. * Have the right brushes and rags on hand. Automotive supply shops have a good selection of brushes in all sizes and shapes to get into tight spaces. All-cotton and 100% linen fabrics ( old diapers, tee shirts, tea towels) make good cleaning rags. Wadded newspaper puts a lint-free shine on glass. Use only plumbing products formulated for marine or RV systems. Delicate RV plumbing, tanks and sensors could be damaged. 

* Buy high-efficiency vacuum cleaner bags and change them often. Change all filters often. They’re in the air conditioner, clothes dryer,  heating system, air purifier and also may be  in the microwave, refrigerator, stove hood, engine room ventilation system and bathroom exhaust vent.  

Often it's best to call a professional

* Sometimes it’s best to call in a professional for, say, floor and upholstery cleaning, detailing automotive materials in the cockpit and re-coating kitchen counters.  

Save time and space with Janet’s shameless cooking shortcuts. See new camping and RV recipes each week at See weekly posts at https://CampAndRVcook.blogspot.com

         

Could YOU Go Full-timing and Make a Living Along the way? We did. 

FREEDOM OF THE OPEN ROAD?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See the chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

 

Where to go next? Check road trip ideas at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com/

RV CAMPGROUND  GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Stuff happens, sometimes at the last hour. Before leaving for any campground, check for last-minute closures or changes at the destination or along the way. These news breaks may be premature or incomplete. You do the follow-up. 

Locations by state or province are in big print. Event dates are in red. 

CAMPGROUND/ RV PARK UPGRADES, CHANGES

The Princeton (British Columbia) RV Campground is open for the season with a new look including free WiFi, new and  accessible  washrooms, full hookups and  waterside campsites on the Simikaneen River.  While you’re here don’t miss the 21 bronze sculptures in Princeton, the museum, restaurants and shopping. Outdoors find 160 kilometers of mountain biking trails and plenty of hiking, golfing and kayaking. (250) 295-344. 

 

NEW CAMPGROUNDS, RV PARKS, RV RESORTS

The massive, $5 million development project at the Yakima (Washington)  State Fairgrounds in  Washington will include a new campground with full hookups and ADA showers and restrooms. Reservations are open at (www.) . fair.bookmysites.com

FUTURE RV PARKS

A federal Superfund Site on the  Keweenaw Waterway in Michigan is being cleaned up and redeveloped as a  25-acre, eco-friendly campground with 89 RV and tent sites, fishing dock, beach and nature boardwallk. Follow up at www.michigan.gov/egle/

Near White Oak, Texas, the old “Buster’s” Longview Country Club has been sold to a New York buyer to become a development for 150 homes and 150 RV sites. To follow this developing story contact the Gregg County Council. 

CAMPGROUND CLOSURES

The campground at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton, California will remain closed through 2025.  The new reopening date is April,  2026. If you have reservations for 2025 your money will be refunded. When it reopens the 107- site campground will be ungraded throughout and will have more ADA facilities.  (831) 335-4598   (Www.)  ReserveCalifornia.com/

RV-friendly EVENTS

August is Perseid meteor shower season at The Cove Palisades State Park, near Bend, Oregon. Make campground reservations now to be here for the program at 9 p.m. on August 10 to review early showers and learn about the meteor showers displays that will become more numberous as the season progresses. Crooked River Campground in the park has a dump station and 91 sites with water and electric. Deschutes River Campground has a dog park and 87 sites with full hookups.

 (Www.)  oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com/ Call for reservations: 800-452-5687 or for park information, (541) 546-3412.    

The three-day Blossoms & Bones Music Festival is scheduled for September 11-13 at the Ghost Ranch, Abiuiu, New Mexico. Dry camping reservations for the festival grounds are on sale now.  The music line-up features Lucy Ducas, Santigold,, Durand Jones and the Indications and many more performers as well as DJ’s, dancing, food and family fun. (Ages 14 and under get in free.) Come rain or shine to enjoy all ranch amenities including a swimming pool and hiking trails. Details at https://ghostranchmusicfest.com/camping-lodging/

Georgia’s 46th Harvest Pioneer Festival comes to General Coffee State Park, Nicholls, Georgia on November 8. See how life was once lived in the Wiregrass Country. Hands-on fun plus food, games, live music, vendors. See blacksmithing, living history actors,  cane grinding, syrup making, quilting and more in a “living history” farm setting. .(912) 384-7082. Admission is $2; parking $5.  The park has 50 campsites with electric. .Reserve early at (www.)ReserveAmerica.com/

 

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