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Natural Cleaning Products for the RV
02-24-2017Author :Carrie Todd in The Road Less Traveled
By nature, RVs require more cleaning than more traditional living spaces. This is due in part to the additional dust that accumulates from just driving down the road and staying in campgrounds and parks. One of the challenges to keeping your space tidy, inside and out, is that most are made of lightweight, chemical-sensitive materials that can easily be damaged by many manufactured household products. Additionally, finding places to stow all of the cleaners within your limited storage space becomes more difficult when you use different products for all of the various surfaces and tasks. This is why it’s a good idea to choose products that function in several roles or come in small sizes.
Related Read: Spring Cleaning for Your RV
Here are a few of the most popular, chemical-free cleaning products that can be used on most of your RV’s surfaces.Bio Green Clean
Derived from plants, Bio Green is 100% eco-friendly and made with 100% pure ingredients. It comes as a concentrate, so it takes up less space than pre-mixed options.
This truly all-purpose product offers a ready-to-use spray that is pre-diluted at 3:1 water. This is perfect for most of the interior surfaces of your RV. A dilution of 10:1 is recommended for widow treatments and vent filters. It’s also safe for the finish of your fiberglass exterior. A free copy of the Bio Green Clean's User Guide is placed in every shipment for your convenience.
Related Read: 7 Tips for a Cleaner, Healthier RV Fridge
Mrs. Myers Clean Day
Made with the essential oils of several flowers and herbs, the Mrs. Myers products are Leaping Bunny certified meaning they aren’t tested on animals. This is why they aren’t certified “non-toxic”, as that requires specific types of testing.
There are a variety of products available in over a dozen fresh scents. These include a multi-surface cleaner, dish soap and dishwasher soap, glass cleaner, laundry soap, tile, tub, and toilet cleaners, as well as gift and basic kitchen sets. The company makes personal care products, as well.
Seventh Generation Cleaners
Botanical disinfectants—the description alone whispers “natural”. These non-toxic cleaners include products for all-purpose cleaning, dishwashing, disinfecting spray and convenient wipes, glass cleaning, laundry, tub, tile, and toilet cleaning, as well as one for wood. They even offer paper towels and toilet paper made from 100% recycled paper. The Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus uses enzymes and plants for extra strength cleaning.
Simple Green
These biodegradable, non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products range from the Simple Green Ready-to-Use All-Purpose Cleaner Free and Clear without any dyes or scents to the Simple Green Professional Grade Shower, Tub, and Tile Cleaner. It has products designed to remove pet stains and odors, as well as ones for wheels and tires. In fact, the Max Power Simple Green is a great option for your RV’s exterior. When it is diluted with water, it is strong enough and yet gentle so it doesn’t harm the gloss coat.
Unique
Using bacteria and enzymes, Unique offers natural products for carpet cleaning, odor and stain removing, as well as several cleaners that are safe for the toilet and holding tanks. Unique’s formula doesn’t dry out the seals and gaskets like other chemical products with bleach. Additionally, Unique RV Exterior Cleaner + Tar and Grime Remover is specially formulated for the sensitive coat of a fiberglass home.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Although contemporary marketing suggests you need a special product for each of your cleaning needs, baking soda and vinegar are two really inexpensive options that can handle nearly all of your RV’s surfaces.
Make a paste with baking soda and a little water to scrub counters, the shower, tub, and tile, clean the stove, remove stains, and whiten grout. Dilute vinegar with water to create a great glass and mirror cleaner, and an easy disinfectant. This allows you to have all of your cleaning power in one bottle and one box, rather than having multiple products to store.
In Conclusion
Storage space in even the most spacious motorhome or travel trailer is typically limited. If possible, choose one or two products that handle the majority of the chores and supplement with a few smaller specialty cleaners if needed. Baking soda and vinegar are my go-to choices for all-purpose cleaning, and I supplement dish soap and laundry detergent. Simple Green is our exterior option. Check out reviews; talk to your neighbors; sample a few and pick the one that’s right for you.
Blog Author Details
Initially, Carrie became a freelance writer, editor, and artist to support herself doing something she loves that also allows her to travel. Living in her Tourmaster coach, she has spent no more than five months in one place since October 2013. This ensures that she gets to experience the constantly changing scenery that accompanies the yearly seasonal changes, as well as meet new people across the country. She has since become a LuLaRoe Independent Fashion Consultant, as well to further this endeavor. In fact, Carrie considers herself fortunate, as most people have to be of retirement age to enjoy the sort of freedom she has, with every day bringing something different.
By nature, RVs require more cleaning than more traditional living spaces. This is due in part to the additional dust that accumulates from just driving down the road and staying in campgrounds and parks. One of the challenges to keeping your space tidy, inside and out, is that most are made of lightweight, chemical-sensitive materials that can easily be damaged by many manufactured household products. Additionally, finding places to stow all of the cleaners within your limited storage space becomes more difficult when you use different products for all of the various surfaces and tasks. This is why it’s a good idea to choose products that function in several roles or come in small sizes.
Related Read: Spring Cleaning for Your RV
Here are a few of the most popular, chemical-free cleaning products that can be used on most of your RV’s surfaces.Bio Green Clean
Derived from plants, Bio Green is 100% eco-friendly and made with 100% pure ingredients. It comes as a concentrate, so it takes up less space than pre-mixed options.
This truly all-purpose product offers a ready-to-use spray that is pre-diluted at 3:1 water. This is perfect for most of the interior surfaces of your RV. A dilution of 10:1 is recommended for widow treatments and vent filters. It’s also safe for the finish of your fiberglass exterior. A free copy of the Bio Green Clean's User Guide is placed in every shipment for your convenience.
Related Read: 7 Tips for a Cleaner, Healthier RV Fridge
Mrs. Myers Clean Day
Made with the essential oils of several flowers and herbs, the Mrs. Myers products are Leaping Bunny certified meaning they aren’t tested on animals. This is why they aren’t certified “non-toxic”, as that requires specific types of testing.
There are a variety of products available in over a dozen fresh scents. These include a multi-surface cleaner, dish soap and dishwasher soap, glass cleaner, laundry soap, tile, tub, and toilet cleaners, as well as gift and basic kitchen sets. The company makes personal care products, as well.
Seventh Generation Cleaners
Botanical disinfectants—the description alone whispers “natural”. These non-toxic cleaners include products for all-purpose cleaning, dishwashing, disinfecting spray and convenient wipes, glass cleaning, laundry, tub, tile, and toilet cleaning, as well as one for wood. They even offer paper towels and toilet paper made from 100% recycled paper. The Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus uses enzymes and plants for extra strength cleaning.
Simple Green
These biodegradable, non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products range from the Simple Green Ready-to-Use All-Purpose Cleaner Free and Clear without any dyes or scents to the Simple Green Professional Grade Shower, Tub, and Tile Cleaner. It has products designed to remove pet stains and odors, as well as ones for wheels and tires. In fact, the Max Power Simple Green is a great option for your RV’s exterior. When it is diluted with water, it is strong enough and yet gentle so it doesn’t harm the gloss coat.
Unique
Using bacteria and enzymes, Unique offers natural products for carpet cleaning, odor and stain removing, as well as several cleaners that are safe for the toilet and holding tanks. Unique’s formula doesn’t dry out the seals and gaskets like other chemical products with bleach. Additionally, Unique RV Exterior Cleaner + Tar and Grime Remover is specially formulated for the sensitive coat of a fiberglass home.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Although contemporary marketing suggests you need a special product for each of your cleaning needs, baking soda and vinegar are two really inexpensive options that can handle nearly all of your RV’s surfaces.
Make a paste with baking soda and a little water to scrub counters, the shower, tub, and tile, clean the stove, remove stains, and whiten grout. Dilute vinegar with water to create a great glass and mirror cleaner, and an easy disinfectant. This allows you to have all of your cleaning power in one bottle and one box, rather than having multiple products to store.
In Conclusion
Storage space in even the most spacious motorhome or travel trailer is typically limited. If possible, choose one or two products that handle the majority of the chores and supplement with a few smaller specialty cleaners if needed. Baking soda and vinegar are my go-to choices for all-purpose cleaning, and I supplement dish soap and laundry detergent. Simple Green is our exterior option. Check out reviews; talk to your neighbors; sample a few and pick the one that’s right for you.
Comment
Author : Carrie Todd
Initially, Carrie became a freelance writer, editor, and artist to support herself doing something she loves that also allows her to travel. Living in her Tourmaster coach, she has spent no more than five months in one place since October 2013. This ensures that she gets to experience the constantly changing scenery that accompanies the yearly seasonal changes, as well as meet new people across the country. She has since become a LuLaRoe Independent Fashion Consultant, as well to further this endeavor. In fact, Carrie considers herself fortunate, as most people have to be of retirement age to enjoy the sort of freedom she has, with every day bringing something different.
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RightlanersOctober 5, 2018 | 08:01 PM
I had a hard time parting with my "scrubbing bubbles" that was damaging the seals, but I didn't find that baking soda had enough scouring power for our bathtub/shower. Now I use Borax, but it still takes some elbow grease!