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We have our van in storage in Cornwalll and we live in Birmingham. We take a weekend break when we need to service the van and otherwise we have no problems with it being in storage. However since buying the van last year we are yet to wash the outside and wondered if this is something that we could do while away on a site. How should we go about cleaning it and how often should it be cleaned? Is this something that can be done with a sponge mop and how do I clean the roof. So many questions.

thanks

I would say that there should be only six things to consider when cleaning your van on a pitch.

(1) Obviously you must not cause annoyance to campers on adjacent pitches.  (2) You should not use a hose from a site tap.  (3) You should not cause the pitch to be waterlogged.  (4) You should never wash down the caravan on grass  (5) It is only common courtesy to ask the site ownr/warden if it is OK to do this before you start.  (6) You would need a step ladder at least to clean the roof.  This would probably be regarded as going a bit OTT, and a site owner/warden may even forbid this on H&S grounds.

Bertie.

Should be OK......but have the courtesy to ask the wardens permission first, then no one can complain, after all....the warden will probably have to do the same thing himself.

Doesn't your storage site have a facility to do this?

I was stopped from cleaning a caravan (getting the dead bugs off the front using a bucket of water and a brush) on a C&CC Temporary Campsite, and I think there is something in the C&CC rules against washing vans on site (maybe it's just TCs - don't have the club rules to hand). I argued that I wasn't "washing" it, I was "cleaning" it, as I didn't have a hose or a ladder, but was still asked to stop.

As others have said, ask the warden/owner and if they aren't happy about a full wash perhaps you could look at using something like Muc-Off?

Viggo -

I think there are different rules on some Temporary Holiday Sites, due to restrictions in water supply. However, I would have thought one bucket full was ok! I don't think full washing is allowed on C&CC sites, like you am sure I read it somewhere and use muck-off when needed.