I decided that before purchasing my first folding camper, I needed to know how I could store it when I wasn’t using it. I did some research into tips for storing a folding camper and found very limited information. As a result, I decided to create this blog post with the knowledge I had learnt.
It’s tempting to buy a folding camper knowing how much you’ll enjoy travelling with it. However, it’s crucial to think about how and where you will store your folding camper when you are not using it.
Here’s some advice for storing your folding camper all year round.
How To Properly Store Your Folding Camper
#1. Don’t store your folding camper while it’s wet. Don’t store your folding camper while it is wet, or even slightly damp. Any moisture at all can damage your folding camper.
Moisture can damage the canvas and the structure of the folding camper. After around 48 hours of being stored damp, your folding camper may start to become mouldy.
It’s impossible to completely avoid folding your camper away when it is damp. If it’s raining on the day you’re planning to go home, you may not have the luxury to wait until your folding camper dries.
Don’t panic if you have to fold your camper away when it is damp. We’ve all had to do so at some point, including me. If you have to pack away your folding camper while it is wet, you have 48 hours to take your camper out and air it before storing it.
If you have folded your folding camper while it is wet, simply take it out when you get back home. The best thing to do is to hang out the canvas in a garage, which will help rid your camper of moisture and reduce the chances of damage.
#2. Remove electrics and soft furnishings. Depending on where you are going to be storing your folding camper for the foreseeable, you may want to remove all electronics and soft furnishings from it.
If you are storing your folding camper in a dry garage, you can probably get away with leaving the soft furnishes in. I remove all of the electronics regardless of where I’m storing my folding camper, for safety reasons.
If you are storing your folding camper on your drive, you should remove all electrics and soft furnishings. Your electrics and soft furnishings can become damaged when you store your camper outside, so it’s best to remove them and store them in your house if possible.
Most soft furnishings just lift out of your folding camper, so it’s not a big job to remove them and store them elsewhere. It’s best to remove as much as you can, but particularly the beds, mattresses, curtains, and cushions should be taken out.
#3. Drain your folding camper’s water systems. When you know you’ll be storing your camper for a long period of time, you must make sure you remove your fresh and waste water containers. Empty the water out of them and store them without their caps on. You need to store your fresh and waste water containers without their caps on, our any water left within will stagnate.
It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t remove the lids from your fresh and waste water containers and then put them back in your trailer. If you do, the water will evaporate and create moisture, which could then impact your folding camper.
As well as emptying and airing your water containers, you must open all the taps in the camper’s fresh water system. Fully drain the water system to avoid water stagnation when the camper is going into storage.
If your folding camper has a water heater, it’s also important to drain this. If you don’t drain it, there’s a risk of pipe damage if the water freezes or stagnates. Simply open all the taps and valves and the water will drain quickly. Leave the taps and valves open as you are travelling after draining it. This will allow the last few drops of water to trickle out.
#4. Clean your folding camper beforehand. If you take your folding camper out a lot, chances are it could do with a good clean before you pack it away for a while.
It’s fairly easy to comprehensively clean your folding camper. Use folding camper/caravan-specific cleaning products and give your camper the once over with a vacuum. Make sure you leave cupboard doors open to enable air circulation around the important parts of your folding camper.
As well as leaving open the doors of your cupboards, clear them out of any open, perishable foods. The last thing you want is to attract rats or mice, as they can easily sneak into your folding camper and cause a lot of damage.
By cleaning your folding camper, you ensure that it will look and smell fresh when you bring it out of storage and start using it again. If you have left it in a mess and left open foods in the cupboards, you might have a nasty surprise when you open your folding camper again.
When cleaning your folding camper, you are more likely to notice any damage that it might have sustained. If there is any damage, you can get it resolved quickly before you start taking your folding camper out again.
#5. Use a folding camper cover. No matter where you choose to store your folding camper, you must make sure that it is adequately covered. By using a cover designed for your folding camper, you can protect it from the elements. Is your folding camper stored inside somewhere? By using a cover, you can ensure that your camper is protected from dust and dirt, which may cause avoidable damage.
While there are plenty of cheap folding camper covers available, nothing beats using one designed specifically for your camper with all the protection you need. You really do get what you pay for, so if you buy a cheap cover that doesn’t provide much protection, you should expect to notice when you next take your folding camper out.
Water ingress is a major problem with most cheaper folding camper covers. Some are only waterproof for so long, allowing trickles of water to get into your folding camper. Even the slightest trickle of water can cause a buildup of mould, so you could have a nasty surprise when you open up your folding camper again.
Even when using one of the better folding camper covers, you want to try and avoid letting water stand on the cover. Standing water degrade the quality of your cover. Store your folding camper on a slope if possible, and if not place something under the cover to create a curved surface. This will help water to drain off the service of your folding camper.
Related Questions
Here are some questions relating to storing your folding camper. If you have any other questions, please leave a comment and I’d be happy to answer you if I can!
How Do You Store A Folding Camper In The Winter?
Follow all the tips that I’ve mentioned in this blog post and your folding camper will be fine throughout the winter. If possible, store your folding camper inside a garage during the winter months.
Should You Cover Your Folding Camper In The Winter?
Yes, you should cover your folding camper at all times of the year when you are not using it – even if it is stored inside. Covering your folding camper prevents water and dust ingress, so cover your camper even when it is stored indoors.
Can You Use Bleach On A Folding Camper Canvas?
Only use bleach if you have mixed it with a good dose of water in a spray bottle. Also, do not allow your bleach and water mixture to linger of the canvas for long or it could cause damage.
