There is nothing better than RVing with your dog, except in a clean RV with your dog. Here’s how to keep your RV clean with your dog as a travel companion…
Dogs are the best travel companions…aside from the hair. and their drool. and their muddy feet.
Jennifer and I know better than anyone what this is like. We travel with a very shaggy 75lb Norwegian Elkhound named Bo!
A Bo might be better designed for dog sledding than an RV, but no trip is the same without a Bo.
So I learned how to keep my RV clean while traveling with my dog.
We are not alone either. Members of our RV lifestyle group are trying to learn how to do the same and are asking the group for advice.
she posted:
“OMG How do I keep my camper clean with 2 giant dogs?
The community helped her with over 150 comments. So here are some of theirs as well as our own!
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Our dog Bo at our new RV property
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For those who haven’t seen Bo, or don’t know what a Norwegian Elkhound is, here’s a short video of Bo. This quick introduction will show you what we’re dealing with when it comes to hair and dirt!
This is exactly why we have our next RV cleaning tip…
5 Tips To Keep Your RV Clean With Your Dog
From rugs to wipes to cleaning habits, there were plenty of helpful answers. Here are some of the most popular suggestions to make RV life more fun for you and your furry friend.
By the way, I recommend checking out Bo’s Favorites Camping Pet Accessories. This is our (and Bo’s) favorite dog Amazon shopping list for his RV accessories.
1. Sweeping or vacuuming daily
I know it’s the last thing you want when your camp is clean, but we all have to do it. Especially when traveling with pets.
The key to this strategy with dogs is to do it every day! So to speak, it seems to be the only way to stay ahead of the fur game.
Daily sweeping and vacuuming only takes a few minutes. But somehow, the time required increases exponentially with each wait. I think.
So if you vacuum and sweep when you get into your RV during the day and at night, you won’t have hair all over the place as you move around in the evening.
RVer Recommended RV Brooms and Vacuums
We have an article on the 5 Best RV Vacuums including the Bissel Pet Pro Wet Dry Vacuum. But we would like to share some additional recommendations provided by our RV Lifestyle FB members.
2. Get a good rug (or two!)
Another suggestion that came up often was to invest in a good rug to lay under the steps of your RV. Many people suggest installing it on top of the steps inside the RV as well. agree!
Keeping dirt out of your RV in the first place is half the battle. Certain rugs do a much better job of grabbing and holding dirt off your dog’s paws (and your husband’s paws).
Thankfully, our RV community has come to the rescue with specific product suggestions.
We also recommend the Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Traffic Doormat 2-pack. You can put one on the bottom and one on top. It grips well and is discreet in your RV, making it less of a trip hazard than some options. Plus, it’s easy to vacuum or sweep up clumps with a broom.
Explore Mike and Jennifer’s Official Summer Tees
3. Keep wet wipes by the door
Quite a few people suggested leaving towels and wet wipes by the door. Really any towel will do, but we recommend Earth Rated Dog Wipes, which are 99% bio-based, plant-based wipes. That means it’s compostable for campers who use compostable toilets.
In really muddy areas, you can follow Joyce’s advice and have a shallow pot for your dog to crawl under the stairs.
4. Make your dog comfortable outside
Several RV enthusiasts have suggested that the best way to keep your RV clean with your dog is to keep your dog outside as much as possible. That means a kennel or outdoor bed and a dog playpen.
Whether your dog sleeps outside or not, having an outdoor pet bed and play area is great. Our Bo sleeps with us but likes to lounge outside during the day.
Check out the best pet accessories for camping and how to keep your dog cool while camping, and heed this advice.
A raised dog bed with shade or a collapsible pet cot are great options along with an adjustable dog playpen.
5. Accept a little dirt
The truth is, you’ll never have a clean RV when traveling with a dog.
So the last and best piece of advice I can give you is to do the best you can and embrace the rest. I agree that the RV is worth it.
Many even shared that they chose an RV because They wanted to travel with their pets. We hear it all the time and certainly understand the sentiment. Jennifer and I have always traveled with our dog. The confusion that comes with it is irrelevant.
So get these great tools to help keep your RV clean with your dog and hit the road with your pup!
How do I keep my RV clean with my dog?
Let us know in the comments!
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