As the sun comes out, so do the motorhomes. Larger vehicles are now increasingly visiting car washes throughout Europe to remove winter dirt. In some countries -like Sweden- it’s not even allowed to wash your camper at home. 

With the first warm rays of sunshine of the year, many fans of motorhomes and campers are ringing in the new season. Easter is often being used to see how the mobile home got through the winter. The majority of camping fans understandably want to start their vacation with a clean vehicle or caravan. This means that the camping season also marks the start of the time when motorhomes are regularly washed again.

Often not allowed

In many countries it’s not even allowed to wash your vehicle on the street or private property, where polluting detergents are disappearing in the ground or the sewer. However, there are still people who are not aware of the consequences for the environment. It is important to keep educating people about this and to focus attention on what the car wash industry has to offer.

Recycling

While some car wash customers drive their motorhomes directly to car washes to use free washing areas or elevated areas for roof washing, other motorhome owners clean their vehicles on their own gurneys. The reasoning of one forum user seems logical at first glance: “… whether I wash my garden furniture with running water and a little orange cleaner or the caravan? It’s not really dirty, just a bit of moss and rain streaks.” Nevertheless, it can be a vehicle and each municipality or local authority has specific regulations for this. To protect themselves against sometimes hefty fines, motorhome owners should check with the relevant authority. However, it is easier to use car washes that are technically designed to treat dirty water in an environmentally friendly way.

Motorhomes welcome

Modern car washes, especially in the self-service segment, are increasingly being built in such a way that motorhomes and other vehicles larger than cars can also be washed. Many have now installed wash bays without a roof or with an elevated one. And many truck washes also allow campers and caravans to get in.

Also read: 

• The high end-approach of Mjuk Biltvätt
• Circle K reaches 100 locations in Sweden
• Interview: how Wash World disrupted the industry 
• This is how a car wash can work on climate targets