Within the United States the recreational vehicle (RV) market is alive and well. Many families see modern modes of travel to be costly, time consuming and risky. Long lines in airports and the security risk have simply seen many younger family's turn to RV's for their weekends out and about. What does this mean to our industry? When people purchase RV's this usually means they have at least a modest supply of disposable cash for not only the purchase of the RV but the maintenance of the RV. Regular cleaning and detailing of an RV is a critical part of maintaining the looks and value within this investment.

RV's come in an array of types and sizes. Some our more common with what as kids our parents had while many are much more like private estates on wheels. The price range within the RV market is much like it is within the passenger vehicle market. You can purchase the basics all the way up to a premier hand built unit with a price tag of over a million dollars!

When it comes to cleaning and detailing RV's, several services can be offered and will need to be explored. Within our locations we provide everything from simple RV washes to in depth interior and exterior detailing services. Most common will be the exterior wash and exterior detailing. Many detailers sweat doing RV's because of their size. RV's can range from 10' to 60 feet long and there is a tremendous amount of square footage involved.

• We often service RV's with a good exterior wash only! Within our operations across the country this includes the entire exterior including the rooftop. This is a very common request and we receive a very fair price for a simple exterior wash.
• Exterior details are by far the most common service we perform. Again do not let the size intimidate you. We look at an RV as a massive car and go to work! Systemizing RV detailing is very important as this insures quality, time efficiency and safety for both you and the RV!
• Interior details on RV's can be very challenging. Like an aircraft, some of the interior surfaces can be very basic to very exotic and extra care will need to be spent on these areas as if you are not careful you can cause some costly mistakes!
• Specialty RV detail work includes items like polishing aluminum surfaces, aluminum wheels and interior work.

Airstreams: Dating back to the 30's the Airstream has been a part of the American passion to explore. As they did several decades ago, these rolling pieces of art still require detailing service to maintain their brilliance. Older Airstreams will have special needs for polishing and some have made small fortunes restoring the vintage models into works of polished art. We recently finished such a project for a collector with a total of 200 man-hours into the polishing job alone. Newer Airstreams have a protective coating over the aluminum that require a specific type of polish with special application procedures.

Fifth Wheel This is an RV that we all see on the American highways known as a fifth wheel RV. These units can be made of several materials. Most common materials are: Gel Coat (High quality) Aluminum (Machine finish & polished) Painted Aluminum Siding Fiber Glass Panels (entry level quality)

Small to Mid Sized This is a very common RV for detailing and can range from 10 feet in length to over 35 feet in length. These units can be made of several materials. Most common materials are: Gel Coat (High quality) Aluminum Painted Aluminum Siding Fiber Glass Panels (Entry level quality)

Common Large RV This is a very common RV for detailing and can range from 20 feet in length to over 45 feet in length. These units can be made of several materials. Most common materials are: Gel Coat (High quality) Aluminum Painted Aluminum Siding Fiber Glass Panels (Entry level quality)

High End Now you're talking your palace on wheels that can be over 50 feet in length. These units can be made of several materials and often have a blend of both high quality Gel Coats and bare polished aluminum. Most common materials are: Gel Coat (High quality) Aluminum Painted Aluminum Siding Fiber Glass Panels (Entry level quality)

Ultra High End Now your talking even more $$! Wild color schemes and a blend of multiple materials make these machines a little more of a challenge to detail to perfection. Plan for lots of extra time because the aluminum polishing can be a real job.

RV's can be HUGE. Check with your locally City, County or State office to make certain you are adhering to all EPA rules and regulations for your community. Lots of water on one of these units and you need to know what you can and cannot do in your area.

SAFETY

• Be certain to wear both eye and ear protection.
• When on the roof, the surfaces can be slippery so use caution!
• Remember you are on a very high vehicle, watch for obstacles such as power lines and other items that could cause serious injuries.
• Make certain the RV is secure and unable to move!
• Try and work as a team with another technician, especially when working on ladders or on the roof.
• Be careful of power washer hoses as they can mark and scare the RV surface if not careful. Certain items on RV's can be fragile. Pay close attention to what you are touching and what you are allowing to receive weight.

In recent years, Attention To Details has performed detail work on hundreds of RV's. One of the big surprises for us was that the detail products we use on cars, trucks and SUV's was not always the best products for RV surfaces. We have noted that many RV's have color schemes that not all products work great with. When you work on an RV, do your homework and test a few products out. We have found that while one product may work great on the lighter colors that same product will looked smeared or allow less gloss on the brighter or darker colors. Over the course of five years, we have found several key products that supply the best results. When dealing RV's, you are going to need to do your homework to be certain you are applying the best product for the finish being treated.
Using the correct or incorrect products on an RV detail can either make your job a success or a failure and with high-end vehicles like RV's�you can't afford to fail!

Our Next Article will cover how to price RV detailing jobs!