RV mats are one of the most convenient RV equipment you can find almost anywhere. Moreover, it is instrumental and affordable.
And aside from that, RV Mats are never high maintenance; it is easy to store, clean, and maintain.
If you wonder what methods you can use to clean your RV Mats quickly, here are some ways to clean your dirty mats properly.
Different ways on how to clean and maintain an RV Mat
1. Laundromat
It is the easiest way to clean an RV Mat; you need to find a laundry shop near you, pay, and load your Mat in a machine.
Then wait for minutes, and you will get a clean and dry RV mat after. However, if you are in the middle of your getaway, far from areas that offer a laundry shop, then you have no choice but to switch to another mat cleaning method.
2. Soaking it in water
Soaking a mat in a pail or tub of water with the detergent you want is the most traditional way of washing it.
It is also a more convenient method when you are in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly your Mat becomes dirty. So, all you can do is use and utilize all the resources available at the moment.
To clean your RV mat using this method, all you need is a bucket with water, though if a bucket is not available, you could use the sink or even the tub of your RV.
Fill it with water; you could use any water temperature, though there are people who prepare using hot water because, according to them, it could help to wash out the dirt from your RV quickly, and after that, you would need a detergent soap.
Soak your dirty RV mat into the water with detergent soap, and wait for a couple of minutes or hours.
The amount of time depends on the intensity of the dust and dirt stuck into your RV. You could also leave it overnight and then wash it off with clean water to remove the excess dirt.
3. Splashing soap and water
One of the common ways of cleaning an RV mat, especially when you are in remote areas, is way faster than soaking it into the water with soap; you do not have to wait more hours and even overnight.
It is more convenient when you have limited time; all you need is a water hose and some detergent soap, liquid, or powder.
Hang your Mat outside your RV, then splash it with water until the dirt comes off; afterward, you could spray it with water with soap.
After removing all the dirt from RV Mat, you could just let it hang in there and let it dry under the heat and rays of the sun and breeze.
4. Use cleaning equipment for your RV Mat
If you are not on a budget, you could try getting yourself a vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner does not have to be too fancy; some vacuums work well but do not cost too much.
A vacuum cleaner could be a significant investment, especially if you travel frequently.
Also, a vacuum is a must for your mats and rugs, and your RV’s floor has carpets.
You could also use it for cleaning other furniture inside your recreational vehicles, such as beds, sofas, a couch, and many more.
5. Stains removal
Other than usual dirt, something stain gets into our RV Mats, and most of these stains are not easy to remove by just washing it with soap and water, so you would want to get some help.
Good thing there are plenty of stain removal solutions available in the market., it would be best if you choose which one works best for you.
However, in choosing a stain removal solution, you first want to assess what type of dirt sticks on your Mat and analyze which solution you would need.
The most usual stains a mat can get are oil, grease, tar, and the like, and the most recommended solution is citrus solvent solutions. Try using an organic or oxygenated stain remover for pet stool, urine, and even blood stains.
Meanwhile, for red-colored stains usually obtained from something like red wine, you could use sodium thiosulfate as a stain remover; you could find it in any photography shop. However, to make the solution work, you must heat the solution to remove stains.
Lastly, you could try using a 10 percent oxalic acid solution for rust stains. Still, if that does not work, you could try using a 5 percent hydrofluoric acid solution as a stain remover.
5. Dyeing your RV mat
After all the cleaning, washing, and using different stain remover solutions, Yet, the stains on your RV Mat still do not come out; your last resort would be dyeing it.
It might be the best aid other than buying a new RV Mat. But, to make it happen, you have to find the best fabric dye solutions available in the market.
If you are skilled enough, you can apply it alone; however, if you are not confident enough to do it alone, you might as well call for help.
You could look for a professional to clean and dye the Mat for you; that would be less hassle.
However, you have to pay the professional fee. There is no need to worry too much; the cost of dyeing a mat would never be more than the cost you will bear in buying a new one.
Conclusion
Cleaning is not enough when maintaining your RV; try cleaning your RV at least once a week; that could lessen the hassle of removing stains and dirt on your RV mats, rugs and carpets.
However, cleaning routines, not only in RV mats but also in almost all things, would always vary; it would always depend on the situation; that is why cleaning is always a trial and error; you have to find what works best for you and your things.